Tetrazen wrote: > > It is pity that Pentax made a decision for ourselves. Even I have mostly A, > F and FA lenses, I still want to use my older (pre-A) ones with a digital > body. I believe they could be a good combination with all-metal *ist D. > From another perspective, Pentax do not offer long-awaited features like IS > and USM. Putting this together with the new "crap" KAF?-mount, it seems that > Pentax may loose some of their customers (who are tired of waiting for > camera THEY WANT and with features THEY WANT).
Hi Val, This is almost exactly what has already happened at Nikon. When Nikon moved from the F mount to AI, they provided an upgrade path which was basically a subsidised conversion of most F lenses to AI. However, from the time Nikon introduced AF cameras, the backward compatibility with AI and AIS lenses was gradually whittled away. Now Nikon have a range of AF cameras, more than half of which will not support metering with AI and AIS lenses. The intention is clear; you either buy their AF lenses or you are left with a lens that fits but cannot be metered. The third option, of putting an AF-type CPU in the manual focus lens to "fool" the camera into thinking it has an AF lens fitted, is not approved by Nikon and will therefore remain a minority pursuit. The final nail in the coffin for forward as well as backward compatibility came when Nikon introduced the G Series lenses without aperture rings. At first it appeared that the G mount would only be supplied on cheap kit lenses, but it is now clear that Nikon are also gradually extending the G mount to their pro lens range. Commercially, this appears to have worked for Nikon, with lens sales going up. I have little doubt that Pentax have now adopted precisely the same business model. Expect more lenses with the FAJ mount and no aperture ring, and don't try using them on your manual focus Pentax body unless you like using them wide open all the time. John
