**Everyone Please Read**

Am I the only one out there in Pentax land that is absolutely disgusted and fed up waiting for a Teleconverter that will support SDM lenses????

Maybe this question has been posed before but why dont we all put something in writing / digital signature PLEADING Pentax to please produce the teleconverter?

I have read promises as early as 2007 and every year we are disappointed. In the current Road Map the 1.4 Converter is listed as coming in 2013 or later.

Am I the only one fuming???

I suppose when it does come out my recently purchased pentax 1.7 will plummet

The Tamron 1.4 supports SDM. It has all the contacts and loses
1 Stop. I can't see how Pentax can improve on that. The only
improvement which might help slightly is HD coating, but I
fear that better performance won't be possible until they
considerably improve the AF sensors. It could well be
restricted to f/2.8 lenses when it comes out

Does this fully support SDM and AUTO FOCUS??

Yes Al,
There is a Tamron 1.4 (not sure of the model) and also a Kenko 1.5X Pz-AF Teleplus SHQ both support SDM/HSM (providing the lens is fast enough) but are no longer in production they can both be had second hand. A clue for you... I had the Kenko and the Pentax 1.7, I sold the Kenko.

Yes, it does - but it is slower to focus, so better for static rather than moving subjects

Ok lets look at them individually

The pentax 1.7 is obviously best but if cant track that down how easy isit to get the tammy or the coffee?

Like rocking horse poo!

I don't know about the Pentax 1.7 but with the Tamron 1.4 I have never seen any significant drop in image quality. The Tamron does seem to be quite sought after, and is consequently a rare and expensive item.
I had it with me at SRS once, when I was trying out a sigma 150-500. The salesman in the shop seemed quite surprised that it managed to autofocus.

The passion of Pentax users cannot be ignored!!! (or maybe they have been ignored for the past five years LOL)

Here Here!

I have been sorely tempted to move to one of the other brands and God only knows I should given the fact I do wildlife photography BUT I like the output that I get and think that the history of the system speaks for itself.

I would be SO happy to see a 1.4 Converter in operation.

For those that dont know (it appeared in another thread) I contacted Pentax/Ricoh UK and asked them directly when the 1.4 Teleconverter was going to be released, after all it does appear in the 2013 ROADMAP!!!!!

Here is the exact conversation copied and pasted...

Hi
I sincerely hope my message is received and acknowledged.
I've been shooting pentax now for ten years. Have had all the old school cameras and currently use k-x and k-5 for my wildlife projects. I have to use third party lenses at the long end all the time and my da*300 yearns for a teleconvertor.!
Is it the new road map converter 1.4 going to support auto focus with this lens?
I'm seriously considering changing to another camera company but don't want to do that.
Regards

Hi Alistair,
I am the social media coordinator and am not familiar with whether or not our road map will include the product you are looking for. I will try to find out. I'd tell you to sell your 300 and buy the 560! Its amazing!

Hi
There is a teleconvertor in the bottom right of the road map 2013 pdf.
The 560 mm is too expensive!
Can you advise on a good teleconvertor that i I CAN get at present?

Hi there, I think you might be looking at a road map from Japan, but unfortunately they haven't provided us with any additional information. I'm sorry to come up empty-handed for you.

That's a pity

Well, the road map does say 2013 OR Later. So it has probably been moved to another year.


I gave up after that...


ANOTHER YEAR????????

This has been from 2007 and maybe before???

Bloody ridiculous

Ditto with the Kenko and the 18-135 Pentax (was going to sell the Kenko until I got that lens as it does not work with the 55-300!)
John

My Kenko works AF with the 55-300. IQ not brilliant though. Good with the DA*300.

Steve - I've got that Kenko. IQ is good with DA*300. What features did you find better with the 1.7?

I feel like that sometimes being mainly a wildlife photographer. There is a 400mm zoom on the roadmap. Maybe that will come first. My biggest bug bare is focus speed. Its been discussed ad nauseum but my K30 can't quickly lock on a flying bird unless pre-focused with any lens including HSM. Earlier Canons and Nikons beat it. I'm fed up being in a hide and everyone nodding when someone says "did you get that?" and I sit there in silence!
Dave