Zeiss Lenses for Pentax K-mount cameras

[Rob Skeoch]

Zeiss has released the pricing on their new line of lenses for the Pentax K-mount system.
They are offering six lenses in the K-mount, the same as they have in the Nikon F mount. They're at the same price as the F lenses as well. The F-mount lenses are all now available while the K-mount system will be shipping in the fall.

These are the selling prices of the six SLR lenses..

25mm 2.8 Distagon $787
35mm 2 Distagon $787
50mm 1.4 Planar $492
50mm 2 Makro-Planar $984
85mm 1.4 Planar $984
100mm F2 Makro-Planar $1507

 

[waynecrider]

I'm wondering how good the 25mm and 35mm are?

 

[matt miller]

Is your pricing here Canadian or US?

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'm wondering how good the 25mm and 35mm are?

Excellent. I've used both in F-mount.

 

[Soeren]

Excellent. I've used both in F-mount.

Regardig the 25mm I agree. Tried it on the F100. Unfortunately its very expensive.
kind Regards
Søren

 

[Rob Skeoch]

I've heard the quality is great. I've only seen the 100 Makro and the construction is excellent. I think most people consider these up-grades from the regular prime Nikon and Pentax lenses.

Yes, I'm in Canada so the prices are Canadian dollars.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Pentax K mount seems like a slightly odd choice, but that may just be a North American bias where the only real Pentax sales in the last 20 years have been K1000's and clones to first-time photography students. I wonder if Pentax has other more sophisticated K-mount cameras they sell in Japan only?

 

[Steve Roberts]

Pentax K mount seems like a slightly odd choice, but that may just be a North American bias where the only real Pentax sales in the last 20 years have been K1000's and clones to first-time photography students. I wonder if Pentax has other more sophisticated K-mount cameras they sell in Japan only?

No/not many LX's in the US, then?

Steve

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

No- the LX was never a hot seller here.

 

[Andrew Moxom]

This is quite good news for pentaxians. I know this is a silver based forum, but I was wondering how these lenses would fare on the newer digital pentax bodies? Seems like some K and KA mount pentax 35mm lenses work okay on digital bodies, but some produce CA.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Pentax K mount seems like a slightly odd choice, but that may just be a North American bias where the only real Pentax sales in the last 20 years have been K1000's and clones to first-time photography students. I wonder if Pentax has other more sophisticated K-mount cameras they sell in Japan only?

Probably a low marginal cost in offering K-mount as well as M42. And don't Pentax digi SLRs accept K-mount? I couldn't believe how good the 25/2.8 made the Nikon D70 look.

 

[Chazzy]

I don't suppose that Zeiss will ever get around to Minolta MD mount, but at least it's something to dream of.

 

[matt miller]

And don't Pentax digi SLRs accept K-mount? I couldn't believe how good the 25/2.8 made the Nikon D70 look.

The Pentax DSLR's do take K mount lenses, which is why these new Zeiss lenses are so appealing to me.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The Pentax DSLR's do take K mount lenses, which is why these new Zeiss lenses are so appealing to me.

Betcha that's it then. The 25/2.8 is STUNNING on digi. And bloody good on film too.

 

[Oren Grad]

Pentax K mount seems like a slightly odd choice

Pentax K and Nikon F are the only two lens mounts that (a) have been in use for more than 30 years and (b) are still current on DSLRs. PK is also really easy to implement from an engineering point of view.

The KX/MX/LX crowd together with those Pentax DSLR users who want more high quality prime options ought to be plenty enough to make this line successful. The 25 in particular fills a critical gap in the semi-wide range for APS-C.

 

[Bill Mitchell]

No/not many LX's in the US, then?

Steve

I've had three LXs. One of them (brand new) disappeared in a home burglary, one is nearly worn out, and one is still virtually new. The problem was always getting decent repar service from Pentax.
I've always felt that my SMCP lenses were superb, in fact even better optically than my M-Leica lenses, except for a DR Summicron which I stupidly gave to a friend.
I can't imagine that the Zeiss lenses are any better, although they may have more rugged mechanical parts (I presume that they are non-autofocus).

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Chazzy, doesn't zeiss make lenses for the Sony/Minolta mount right now? Or is that a slightly different mount?

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Andrew- that's for the Minolta AF mount, not the MD mount. Like the Canon EOS and FD, totally incompatible.

 

[waynecrider]

The Pentax DSLR's do take K mount lenses, which is why these new Zeiss lenses are so appealing to me.

With the new K10D getting some pretty good reviews, as reviews go that is, the Zeiss lens availability for Pentax brings the brand to attention. Pentax is now owned by Hoya.

Optics for the Pentax are bid quite heavily depending on the FL/lens and even a used 24mm in E+ condition at KEH is $300. Not near the Zeiss prices tho, but substantially more then finding a good used Nikon 24mm. When I have the money I'll buy the 25mm and put it on a Pentax.

 

[Mark Layne]

Betcha that's it then. The 25/2.8 is STUNNING on digi. And bloody good on film too.

We should also bear in mind that Zeiss designed the Pentax K-mount

Mark

 

[Roger Hicks]

We should also bear in mind that Zeiss designed the Pentax K-mount

Mark

Really? I didn't know that. Have you any more information? I'm intrigued.

 

[Mark Layne]

Really? I didn't know that. Have you any more information? I'm intrigued.

This goes back to my life in Zeiss Historica. I believe it may be in Charlie Barringer's book( as is my 85mm Contarex Sonnar) -I'll have a look.
Mark

 

[Roger Hicks]

This goes back to my life in Zeiss Historica. I believe it may be in Charlie Barringer's book( as is my 85mm Contarex Sonnar) -I'll have a look.
Mark

Dear Mark,

Thanks. Alas I don't have the book in question.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Bill Mitchell]

We should also bear in mind that Zeiss designed the Pentax K-mount

Mark

The M-42, yes. But not the K-mount.
When Pentax introdced it, they made a big production about releasing their patent free to all comers.

 

[Anscojohn]

The M-42 lens mount was originally from Praktica. Asahi had been copying Praktica lens mounts from the get-go--first the smaller diameter, then the M-42.