Excellent Pentax Film Glass Revived Finally!

The link sources of the above gear images with various photo samples are listed below. In particular, the potential of the three excellent FA Limited lenses are fully released and they are now revived for makng photos as what they were original designed and why they were born! Both A7 and A7R are used for making those photos, of which the long-awaited hungry and eager old Pentaxians have rushed to buy, at all costs and at the first time!! >:-o

FA31 Ltd on A7:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyalex/sets/72157637701189436/with/11013313154/

The three FA Limited on A7:
http://forum.xitek.com/thread-564571-1-1-1.html

http://www.dchome.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1233635

FA20 and FA31 Ltd on A7R:
http://www.dchome.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1233936

FA18-35 on A7:
http://www.pentaxfans.net/thread-141628-1-1.html

Indeed, the most valuable thing for the A7/R for adapting those old K-mount film glass is that it is just so easy and direct. There is no modification of any to the lens is required! And with Sony's original MF focus peaking function, MF operation is actually quick, easy and accurate!

Update (11-30): Wow, even the old cheapo SMC-M 50mm F1.7 glass can produce images with IQ like that! See:

http://www.dchome.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1235516

This is really the FF Magic! AoV is absolutely correct and no resolution is lost (owing to cropping)! All old lenses are performing as what they were designed, even for a lens that was produced half a century ago!!


Related - My K-mount Lens FF Adapts:

This is What the Limited Lenses Should be Put Onto!

DIY: Adapting the Pentax FA*85/1.4 onto the Cantax K-5D Mark III

Sample Photos of Full Frame Fisheye and 43 Limited on 5D

Some Sample Photos with FAJ 18-35 on 5D (Full Frame)

Compatibility List of Some Pentax Full Frame Lenses on Canon 5D Body

DxOMark of K-3 is Out

http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Pentax-K-3-versus-Pentax-K-5-IIs-versus-Pentax-K5___914_830_676

Despite the high pixel count multiplying factor, the K-3 still loses the game against the old K-5, and the other K-5II variants as well.

Update (11-30): Shouldn't we compare the K-3 to the recent hottest FF like A7R and D610, and see what happens?! :-o

http://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Sony-A7R-versus-Pentax-K-3-versus-Nikon-D610___917_914_915

Japanese Photoble Ricoh K-3 User Samples

The big pool of samples is here, but I am really not impressed with the IQ of those real-life user samples. In particular, the colour rendition is completely terrible, I have to say, after inspected 10 pages and more! >:-(

http://pentax.photoble.net/?page=1&camera=PENTAX+K-3

7th Anniversary of My Blog

Seven years ago, I created my this Blog. Today is the birthday of my Blog. Time flies and just recently, it was recorded that there had been more than 5 million unique visiting sessions to my this "useless" and "brand bashing" Blog, already! ;-p

Thank you for your reading and continuous support (if it is the case). This year, I have a heavy heart to "celebrate" the birthday of my Blog actually as I have a strong feel that the brand name Pentax would exist no longer and that even the K-mount would be aborted shortly all together. We, as an old Pentaxians, have nothing to do to change anything that we really don't want them to happen, but unfortunately one by one! So, what can we do?! >:-(

P.S. This is the 1,998th post at my Blog, which is close to another milestone of mine that will come very soon, i.e., the 2,000th post, after the 1,000th post back to 2011 two years and something ago~ :-D

Check Shutter Count & Manufacturing Date of Your Pentax Body Online

You may find this online tool by the PF useful:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/pages/check-shutter-count-exif.html

I haven't tried myself but I believe that it should work~ Alternatively, you can check the SC offline with some other EXIF tools. For instance, PhotoME is the most popular choice, which can be downloaded here. Just open an original JPEG image produced by any Pentax (now Ricoh) camera and search for the EXIF tag with the string of "shutter count" or something like that. That's it! :-)

Two New Mini Reviews for the HD DA 20-40mm

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=5454&news=pentax+ricoh+20-40mm+f2.8-4+variable+aperture+zoom+K-5+IIs

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2427404,00.asp

My Conclusions: Ugly Lens Outlook, Mediocre Image Quality, Ridiculous High Price, Poor Investment for Future (of APS-C Image Circle Only)!

Pentax -> Pentax Ricoh -> Ricoh Pentax -> What's Next?

A Taiwan Pentaxian unboxed his new Ricoh K-3 has taken a shot together with his old K-5 and K-5IIs for the boxes and bodies, as follows:

http://www.pentaxfans.net/thread-141437-1-1.html
(in Traditional Chinese)



So, as clearly seen in the above, the path of brand naming goes down like that: Pentax -> Pentax Ricoh -> Ricoh Pentax -> What's NEXT?? :-o

I bet most primary pupils will guess the answer should be RICOH Only, which is much sensible enough. Yes, that's my bet too! The trend is really too obvious but again, it is SO SAD! Not even to mention it is rather disgusting afterall! >:-[


Last Related:

That's Really Disgusting! New RICOH>>Pentax Branded Stuff! >:-(

DPR K-3 Studio Test Shot Comparison has been Out

For instance, this is K-3 Vs D7100 Vs K-500 Vs A7 at ISO 1600 in RAW for the centre of the test shot image:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/image-comparison?attr18=daylight&attr13_0=pentax_k3&attr13_1=nikon_d7100&attr13_2=pentax_k500&attr13_3=sony_a7&attr15_0=raw&attr15_1=raw&attr15_2=raw&attr15_3=raw&attr16_0=1600&attr16_1=1600&attr16_2=1600&attr16_3=1600&normalization=full&widget=1&x=0&y=0

So, measurebate endlessly yourself to go figure all the differences for all other combinations of different camera models and at different ISO and etc. I blog, you decide!

New Ricoh in-lens SR Lens Patents

http://egami.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2013-11-16 (in Jaoanese)

Well, there is a 135 Full Frame lens, for that 60mm Macro! The sad thing is that there is no Pentax anymore, the name "Pentax" seems to have disappeared from now on and forever! :-/

Recent Pentax Tests with Full Samples (HD Limiteds and K-3)

After years of inactivity, Photodo has lately done more lens tests and here are some recent tests with the "new" HD Limited lenses of 70/2.4, 35/2.8 and 15/4:

http://www.photodo.com/topic_1126.html?page_num=0

http://www.photodo.com/topic_1127.html?page_num=0

http://www.photodo.com/topic_1128.html?page_num=0

Some high resolution full samples are also posted per test, the body used was a K-5IIs.

Btw, the new colour scheme and look of the lenses are really ugly! All the marks and scales are now in white "colour" only and the markings and fonts look cheap indeed, reflecting completely bad taste of the Ricoh guys!

Besides, DPR have published their first sample gallery for photos taken with the K-3 and mostly with a much better looking DA18-135 of the ex-Pentax. Just go figure yourself if you like the samples or not. Of course, for the sake of measurbation, full samples are always available at DPR. :-)

http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/reviewsamples/albums/pentax-k-3-samples-gallery

If you are impressed, just go buy the green ring Pentax lenses as far as they are still available of which a red ring variant with all white printings will replace them sooner or later, nonetheless! >:-(

Off Brand Rumour: New Canon Body Yet to Come!

In November:

5 Million Visits to My Blog Today! :-D

As counted by the StatCounter, this milestone has been reached today for the total number of unique visits to my this Blog with their algorithms. Well, Google has counted even more hits which the 5M number was achieved quite some time ago, owing to the fact that Google has less ability to filter out repeated visits by the same visitor within a certain short period of time.

Thank you for your continuous reading and support (for those who really support me from time to time)! :-) Happy or unhappy reading forever! ;-D

"New" RP K-mount Lens Roadmap for 2014

Now, those previous 2013 or Later new APS-C DA lenses and the ever vapour/paper-ware 1.4X DA SDM TC would come 2014 or Later!

Btw, I have zero interest in those new lenses, very frankly, even though they would come eventually, maybe in 2015 or later, provided that the Ricoh APS-C K-mount sytsem is not yet death and be aborted by the market!

Luxury Lens Prices!

http://www.pentaxwebstore.com/category/lenses

Good Luck, Ricoh.Imagine.Pentax!! >:-o

A7R IQ Shootout with Other FF Bodies and 645D

http://www.imaging-resource.com/camera-reviews/sony/a7r/#IQC

Well, I blog, you decide. You could read the comments and remarks by IR but I think the posted picture samples and crops are self-explanatory by themselves.

The Spotmatic Digital Concept is Adopted by Nikon! >:-(

First read again this concept as previously proposed by a Pentaxian:

http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2013/07/pentax-spotmatic-digital-concept.html

In fact, Sony has made it close with the A7/R and Nikon now has achieved that exactly with their new Df but unfortunately it is not a Pentax! >:-(



Like all the Pentax APS-C flagship, the FF Nikon Df is also weatherproof:



And, how much is that new Nikon retro-look 50/1.8G lens sold? It is about $250 for comparing the list prices at B&H (here and here). This lens does have a distance scale. For the same listed price, we can also get our DA50/1.8, which is just a pure "plastic wonder", however! :-o

That's Called Persistency!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHOagAADH_M

Wow, what a high performance camera!

That's Really Disgusting! New RICOH>>Pentax Branded Stuff! >:-(

(Source: DC Home)


(Source: PF)

Well, I didn't mind support either Pentax or Ricoh branded product, which I bought both actually for years, see below:


(Source: My Blog)

However, raping Pentax the brand and mixing both into a bastard with a BIG RICOH leading head and a small Pentax tail is really rather disgusting. The RICOH heads at Japan have really no clue for what they have been doing marketing wise but just knew to declare their Sovereignty once and once again with an intention to diminish Pentax the name step by step which in turn actually has caused much damages to both brands! >:-[

Btw, I will not buy any of those RICOH Pentax bastard products anymore, unless some days later they correct this very wrong act of theirs and respect Pentax the valuable brand again, at least! (But which is unlike to happen!)


Related:

A Ricoh K-3 Could Look Better! :-o

New Product Images of the "Ricoh" K-3 and A "New" Red Ring DA HD 55-300 WR Lens

Ricoh has Changed the Serial Numbering of the New FA Limited Lenses

Do They Know What They Are Talking About?! >:-[

K-3 + HD DA15 and 35 Full Samples

http://www.yaotomi.co.jp/blog/walk/2013/11/pentax-k-3-review-vol1.html
(in Japanese)

I am not impressed with neither the colour rendition nor the image resolution btw.

Official: Details of New Q System 08 Wide Zoom Lens

Via: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/products/q7/lenses/index.html

In short,  the following are the specs:

- 3.8-5.9mm, 35mm equivalent on Q7 is 17.5-27mm
- Maximum apertures from F3.7 to F4
- 3 glass-molded aspherical elements
- 38mm in length and 75g in weight

New HD Limited Zoom DA 20-40/2.8-4 Comes Very Soon

Via Photo Rumors and Digicame Info (in Japanese)

I have zero interest in this lens by the way, I would rather choose the old FA20-35 F4 Full Frame lens which is still in production, which has a more preferable constant aperture option and is yet future proof, if and only if there will be a Pentax FF body to come! :-o

At the end of the day, for what I have to say, the red rings of those new HD Limiteds make me vomit, which make the "new" lenses felt and look like bastards! :-x