Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Arnold wrote: I can't believe that Pentax will leave its 35mm system like that, especially with the 1.5x factor of the digital sensors. More extreme wide-angle lenses must eventually be coming. hopefully WITH aperture ring, so that they are usable on older cameras, too, and in * or Limited quality. REPLY: They have promised more lenses in the fall. This in their press release and also circulating in the rumor mill. The press release says it is lenses suited for the *istD something I think means wide angles. Some PDML member heard at PMA that there are both a 16/2.8 and a 16-35/2.8 coming. They both makes sense when Pentyax is manufacturing not full frame DSLR's. Time will tell. Pål
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Collin wrote: Given how technology changes and how fabrication needs would seem to require some consistency ... I wonder how many of these were made all in one batch with the expectation that they'd be sold over time. Perhaps make 500 (in whole or parts awaiting later assembly) knowing that the stock will last 15 years. Seems practical. REPLY: Early on they may have manufactured the A lenses in batches. However, the last decade or so they have been hand-built from a depleting parts bin on order. Of course they may have been some stock left of assembled lenses but this is the general picture. Even the current lenses, like the super telephotos, are made on order. In Japan theres is one month waiting time if you order, say, an FA* 600/4. They make it for you on order. They may not even have parts for it but let the subcontractors deliver the parts on order. Modern camera manufacturing is pretty much like car manufacturing. The subcontractors delivers the parts when they are needed - as close as possible to the date the equipment is being assembled. Eg. every major part assembly (the circuitry board, the chassis, the prism, the housing etc) on my old 645N have a manufacturing date printed on it. They are all within 2 weeks of each other. In fact, only one part are two weeks off. The rest is within three days. Pål
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Caveman: They're not taken seriously there either. Otherwise we had heard of a third-party rush to provide digital backs for the 645 or 67. REPLY: There have been such a rush even if you haven't heard about it. I know people who have used a digital back for the 645N(II). The problem is that Pentax haven't committed to it. Those 3D party vendors don't start manufacturing of the back until the camera manufacturers agree about commitment. I don't know if Pentax have by now commited to it; they hadn't a few months back. Pentax have never been interested in film backs for thier MF systems. Perhaps they are not interested in digital backs either? Perhaps they rather release an 645D? Pål
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
They have promised more lenses in the fall. This in their press release and also circulating in the rumor mill. The press release says it is lenses suited for the *istD something I think means wide angles. Some PDML member heard at PMA that there are both a 16/2.8 and a 16-35/2.8 coming. They both makes sense when Pentyax is manufacturing not full frame DSLR's. Time will tell. So the 16/2.8 won't be a replacement for the 15/3.5, but for digital only. :-( regards, Alan Chan _ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Given how technology changes and how fabrication needs would seem to require some consistency ... I wonder how many of these were made all in one batch with the expectation that they'd be sold over time. Perhaps make 500 (in whole or parts awaiting later assembly) knowing that the stock will last 15 years. Seems practical. Collin At 05:09 AM 6/14/03 -0400, you wrote: From: Roland Mabo [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Fred [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ... Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2003 22:08:14 -0400 2. How Can We Afford to Keep Making a Lens Only 37 Photographers Will Buy This Year? The obvious answer is that we can't afford to stop making it if we want to keep calling ourselves a serious photographic company. - http://www.cetussoft.com/pentax/k15f35ad.jpg Yes, but the market demand for the A 15 must have been dropped seriously lately. From 37 lenses a year to, perhaps, 37 lenses in 5 years... Best wishes Roland
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Frantisek wrote: I have just had this news from a Pentax dealer, that they have been told the Shift and 15/3.5 lenses are dropped, perhaps with several others of the manual focus lenses. Anyone else to confirm/deny? REPLY: No idea but it make sense. These lenses are either new old stock or made on order from a depleting parts bin. Anyway, there are rumors about a 16/2.8. That could be a nice replacement for the 15/3.5. Pål
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
On June 14, 2003 08:02 am, collinb wrote: Given how technology changes and how fabrication needs would seem to require some consistency ... I wonder how many of these were made all in one batch with the expectation that they'd be sold over time. Perhaps make 500 (in whole or parts awaiting later assembly) knowing that the stock will last 15 years. Seems practical. Not sure about the 15 year part but it makes sense. Nick
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
I wonder what the copy-writers marketing brief would be today? How Can We Afford to Keep Making a Lens Only 3 or 4 Photographers Will Buy This Year? The obvious answer is that we never really could afford to make it, but now we no longer worry about calling ourselves a serious photographic company. Fred
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Yes, but the market demand for the A 15 must have been dropped seriously lately. From 37 lenses a year to, perhaps, 37 lenses in 5 years... Yes, could be. Perhaps the original obvious answer [...] that we can't afford to stop making it if we want to keep calling ourselves a serious photographic company is not so obvious anymore - g... The ad, of course, was for the SMC K version of the lens, and perhaps a more recent ad ~could~ have said something such as How Can We Afford to Keep Making a Lens Only 3 or 4 (or maybe 5 on a leap year) Photographers Will Buy This Year?... Fred
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Rob Studdert [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 14 Jun 2003 at 9:32, Roland Mabo wrote: http://www.cetussoft.com/pentax/k15f35ad.jpg Yes, but the market demand for the A 15 must have been dropped seriously lately. From 37 lenses a year to, perhaps, 37 lenses in 5 years... I wonder what the copy-writers marketing brief would be today? Now that we have a DSLR and you actually *need* this lens we're going to stop making it! -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Well, I think NPC makes digital backs, and polaroid backs for them. Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto - Original Message - From: Caveman [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2003 4:09 PM Subject: Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ... Alan Chan wrote: How Can We Afford to Keep Making a Lens Only 3 or 4 Photographers Will Buy This Year? The obvious answer is that we never really could afford to make it, but now we no longer worry about calling ourselves a serious photographic company. They still do, just that they carefully shift the attention to 120 format. They're not taken seriously there either. Otherwise we had heard of a third-party rush to provide digital backs for the 645 or 67.
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
I probably would have bought one (Shift) several years ago if it had the tilt feature. Kenneth Waller On Fri, 13 Jun 2003 06:13:18 EDT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: In a message dated 13/06/03 03:18:01 GMT Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I have just had this news from a Pentax dealer, that they have been told the Shift and 15/3.5 lenses are dropped, perhaps with several others of the manual focus lenses. Anyone else to confirm/deny? I am not surprised at all since the demand is close to zero. However, I regret that I do not have the money to buy the A15/3.5 before it disappeared. :-( We have supplied precisely one new 28mm F3.5 Shift in 5 years. And one 15mm. The 50mm F1.2 A ran out of stock early this year. More than likely these lenses had been made many years ago and sat in a warehouse for years. Actually, our customer for the 50mm wanted 15 of them - most Japanese optics companies will make to order if sufficient orders are present. Another 11 was not enough. I think I know of a Japanese dealer who has purchased a few as an 'investment'. I shall be visiting them shortly :) Kind regards Peter PeoplePC: It's for people. And it's just smart. http://www.peoplepc.com
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Dropping the 15f3.5 and the 28/f3.5 Shift after 30 years is no bad thing (especially if one already has them:-). However, the question is, will Pentax eventually present up-to-date successors? Or will there be no Shift lens at all, and no lenses shorter than the 17-28 Fish-Eye Zoom and the new FA-J 18-35? I can't believe that Pentax will leave its 35mm system like that, especially with the 1.5x factor of the digital sensors. More extreme wide-angle lenses must eventually be coming. hopefully WITH aperture ring, so that they are usable on older cameras, too, and in * or Limited quality. Arnold.
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Arnold Stark wrote: Or will there be no Shift lens at all, and no lenses shorter than the 17-28 Fish-Eye Zoom and the new FA-J 18-35? Very plausible. Anyone serious enough as to consider a shift lens is thinking medium format or larger and not 35mm. I can't believe that Pentax will leave its 35mm system like that, I definitely can. And BTW. They don't have a system anymore. The pieces don't interoperate. cheers, caveman
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Dropping the 15f3.5 and the 28/f3.5 Shift after 30 years is no bad thing (especially if one already has them:-). However, the question is, will Pentax eventually present up-to-date successors? Or will there be no Shift lens at all, and no lenses shorter than the 17-28 Fish-Eye Zoom and the new FA-J 18-35? I can't believe that Pentax will leave its 35mm system like that, especially with the 1.5x factor of the digital sensors. More extreme wide-angle lenses must eventually be coming. hopefully WITH aperture ring, so that they are usable on older cameras, too, and in * or Limited quality. Arnold. Maybe the rumour about a 16mm prime I heard a a couple of months ago is true? _ Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
I have just had this news from a Pentax dealer, that they have been told the Shift and 15/3.5 lenses are dropped, perhaps with several others of the manual focus lenses. Anyone else to confirm/deny? 1. Actually, the 28/3.5 Shift was not an M lens, but a K lens. I am not surprised at all since the demand is close to zero. 2. How Can We Afford to Keep Making a Lens Only 37 Photographers Will Buy This Year? The obvious answer is that we can't afford to stop making it if we want to keep calling ourselves a serious photographic company. - http://www.cetussoft.com/pentax/k15f35ad.jpg Fred
Re: Pentax dropping M Shift, A 15/3.5, ...
Fred wrote: 2. How Can We Afford to Keep Making a Lens Only 37 Photographers Will Buy This Year? The obvious answer is that we can't afford to stop making it if we want to keep calling ourselves a serious photographic company. - http://www.cetussoft.com/pentax/k15f35ad.jpg That was 1981. Now they don't bother anymore about not being taken seriously. cheers, caveman (back to skinning; I relly hate glue on keyboars)
