I was unaware of that, but read some threads after you posted. It sounds like there were multiple issues with that lens. A few people said it wasn't sharp. Others said it was. (That seems to indicate some QC issues). Saw a couple of people saying that the company that produced the front lens element could no longer deliver them. No idea if that is true or not.
My theory would be that they would discontinue the original and reintroduce it with HD Coatings as a different part number. Also, discontinued is not the same as Out of Stock. B&H has a used one right now for $3899, but reading about the problems I would want to make sure I could return it if it was a lemon. And of course test it immediately upon its arrival. Between that lens and a $6100 body on eBay for Japan right now, one could get the combo for right at $10K. Wish I had the money laying around! On Sat, Sep 26, 2015 at 9:19 AM, Bruce Walker <[email protected]> wrote: > Darren, any idea why they discontinued the 25mm? Seems like the > entirely wrong thing to do considering how few new lenses there are > for the 645d/z system. Did it prove to be not cost-effective to > manufacture? > > > On Sat, Sep 26, 2015 at 9:54 AM, Darren Addy <[email protected]> wrote: >> I'm sure that a lot of people also bought the Pentax 645d/z system who >> never owned legacy lenses. This is because Pentax really lowered the >> price of entry to a medium format body over the competition. >> >> That 25mm is the lens I would lust after the most for my supercell >> photography. WOW what I couldn't do with that. >> >> On Sat, Sep 26, 2015 at 8:34 AM, Bruce Walker <[email protected]> wrote: >>> I'm an outlier then. Wouldn't be the first time. :) >>> >>> I bought the 645Z and the two available non-screwdrive lenses, as I >>> much prefer those. I also prefer lenses developed specifically for >>> digital. Sure it almost doubled the body cost, but it's still _way_ >>> cheaper than any other digital medium format camera system available. >>> And those two lenses cover almost all my shooting requirements too. >>> >>> There's a third SDM lens actually: the 25mm. If I ever decide I need a >>> 20mm-e wide angle, I'll go for it, though looks like I'd have to buy a >>> used one as they were discontinued. >>> >>> You have a point though, Stan. Taken. >>> >>> >>> On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 3:52 PM, Stanley Halpin >>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> I have to disagree with both of you on this point. The 645D and 645Z would >>>> have had virtually no market as a camera body on its own. It takes lenses >>>> to complement the body to create a camera “system.” Without screw-drive >>>> focusing (and thus compatibility with two handfuls of prime and zoom >>>> FA-series lenses), a buyer would have had only 1 or 2 available lenses, >>>> and those at a cost that would have doubled the cost of the 645 digital >>>> camera system. Yeah sure, there are at least as many 645 A-series lenses >>>> out there, but lenses that are manual-focus only are so last century! And >>>> only for the young with good vision. And those aforementioned youngsters >>>> with good vision are less likely to have the financial capacity for a >>>> digital 645 camera system. Without backward compatibility the Pentax 645 >>>> digital bodies would not have happened. >>>> >>>> stan >>>> >>>>> On Sep 24, 2015, at 10:53 PM, Mark Roberts <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Bruce Walker wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Even the 645Z has screwdrive AF. If anything could have stood a >>>>>> compatibility removal, it's that. >>>>> >>>>> Yep. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Mark Roberts - Photography & Multimedia >>>>> www.robertstech.com >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>> follow the directions. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> -bmw >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >> >> >> >> -- >> Life is too short to put up with bad bokeh. >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > > > -- > -bmw > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- Life is too short to put up with bad bokeh. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
