Pentax and Zeiss

[TOM]

Carl Zeiss have just announced that they will no longer be producing their lenses in the K mount for Pentax. Just a bit of trivia!

[xjjohnno]

They still list ZK being their Pentax mount on their website.

[TOM]

yeah, but no guarantee that you'll get one, unless it's in dealer stock. i'd say, if your're considering one, buy now.

[mongo]

Not surprised but still very annoying. Pentax has always been treated as the poor sister by after market manufacturers. After market manufacturers have always left Pentax until last to produce gear (especially lenses) in Pentax mounts – if at all!
However, no overly great loss because Mongo thinks Pentax’s own lenses (some years ago) made some of the best lenses Mongo has ever used and often better than some of his pricier Nikon gear. Dollar for dollar, the Pentax lenses of some years ago would easily outdo much more expensive lenses and were often equal or better in build quality.
Just yesterday, Mongo was playing with one of Mrs Mongo’s prized Pentax lenses – a 300mm f4 Pentax A “star” lens which Mongo bought for her in his travels to obtain excellent lenses. Very rare, this 20 year old+ lens is only about 150mm long, has a 77m front element and is one of the first Pentax lenses to use Extra Low Dispersion glass. Superlative lens – superlative quality and build.
It is a shame Pentax no longer seem to make the quality of lenses they used to. So, if you have them, hold onto the older and better of them. Futher example, an older Pentax 85mm f1.4 still has possibly the highest rating MTF figures of any of the same lens in any other brand. Don’t need Zeiss if you the Pentax lenses Mongo is talking about.

[OzzieTraveller]

G'day all

Like Mongo - [re non-OEM gear] ... as I do the rounds of the retail arena, it is hard to find a Pentax in the shops ... they're flooded with those other 2 [unnamed] brands. Makes me wonder whether Pentax really want the camera brand to survive

Regards, Phil

[MattC]

I really don't see it as a big loss - like mongo said, Pentax make some great lenses - even their current line up (especially the primes) are extra good.

As far as not being able to find Pentax in the shops - probably has very little to do with Pentax (the corporation), and more to do with the retailers and local distributor.

[tim71]

I agree with Mongo that Pentax's good lenses will suffice over Zeiss. Hopefully Pentax will start updating and bringing back into production some of their old gems..........they have to bring back a 400mm!

Phil, I think Pentax's 645D and the K5 give me a lot of faith in the brand's future but agree that its marketing could be better in Oz. Worst case we would have to order direct from OS but the local distributor has had Pentax for a long time so hopefully this will not change?

[Rattus79]

If you talk to anyone in Harvey's at the camera counter about why they don't have pentax, they all say the same thing:

"It's because CR Kennedy don't know how to deal with retailers"

Which roughly translates to "THAT CHEAP!!, I mean, our other [brand name removed] distributers would go broke at those prices!!"

Ok reality is that they aren't allowing enough markup for large retailers to make their mega-profits and would have to settle for making a little less but selling more. let's face it, you can't get the quality of the k5 at the same price point in a canikon can you?

[Falcons]

The reality is that the Pentax primes are evry bit as good if not better than the Zeiss alternatives - other brands may need to go to Zeiss fgor their quality primes but Pentax has that side very well covered.