DA 560mm

http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/k-mount/DA-560mm-F5.6.html

But apparently it's ridiculously expensive. $8,000

Even worse in £


£5999

Let's see what happens when SRS get it in stock..........

Makes it a straight choice between the Bigmas in K-mount or Nikkor 600 for that money..

Another factor is portability, if it requires its own 2-wheeled transport then that will be off-putting......

well the Sigma 500mm F4.5 APO EX DG Lens - Pentax Fit @ SRS is £4,000. That's a whole £2,000 less

at 500mm long you could strap it to your leg ?

Come on pentax where is a quality mid range zoom for the masses, like the Sigma 100-300 F4

SMC Pentax-DA 55-300mm seems to fit the bill. :

Quote: "Since its unique telescope-type optics requires fewer optical elements than conventional lens optics",

Then why is it so expensive??

It looks quite long, so I wonder if it's a long focal length length of the traditional type rather than a telephoto design. If so, it may well need less elements.

It will need a very rigid barrel and overall high quality contruction and it won't sell vast numbers, so it will be expensive.

Just a re-badged Tokina 80-400mm would do

£6k is ridiculous for what is supposed to be
just a telescope

Exactly, Pentax users need reasonable priced long zoom lens (and probably around 400mm good prime at comparable price), similar to what other systems have (80-400mm, or 100-400mm, or around), not a specific lens with such price, not sure who were they aiming at with this.
Btw, according to american online shops its weight is just around 3kg, pretty light then...

Sometimes I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

We need a supertelephoto lens!

It'll be expensive...

The supertelephoto lens is too expensive, we need a long zoom...

It'll be expensive...

We need a mirrorless camera!

It's too small, why can't we have a k-mount one?

Wow that K mount mirrorless is big and boxy... we need a smaller mirrorless...

Pentax need s pro-spec camera.

Blimey, that 645D is expensive, Pentax should make a FF camera!

It'll be expensive...

Does the phrase "you cannot win" ever come to mind?

K.

Womble, in this particular case you are wrong. Should Pentax actually had full lens portfolio then it would be a great addition, but as they lack for so many years in good, long telephoto zoom (something longer and better IQ than anyway great 55-300) and instead of sort this out they add something that probably 1% of Pentax users are going to buy, it just doesn't make a sense.
Myself and as far I know some number of Pentax users would seriously consider 80-400, 100-400 or so lens, that would be comparable to similar offering from Nikon, Canon, Sony. I don't think many of us will seriously consider paying that much for such a lens. Lets get back on the ground, which Pentax users are they trying to please with such a product?, ones that keep talking that all that is needed is manual focus? (they will not buy this lens anyway), those that could considering moving to Pentax, but will not as they don't find lens they may need here?, 1% others that may have this cash to spend?.

@ Womble. I'm with you on this one

What's that I hear? Ah yes. The deafening sound of many chords being struck.

But then again, I have no interest in a long tele