FA* lenses.

FA* lenses. Possibly Pentax's best range behind the Limiteds, yet no longer made.
They are fairly recent, so have computer aided design, users have raved about their ability (especially the 85mm), so why can't Pentax reintroduce them?
They have the blueprints, they may still have the tooling, but nothing.....
Ideally they would have sealing and mogtor drive, but of course that would cost, but would be cheaper than re-creating old A* F* K M mount lenses, which would need a total redesign with the latest glass, but the FA*?

Can you imagine the following back on the list

85mm F1.4 FA*
80-200mm F2.8 FA*
24mm F2 FA*
250-600mm F5.6 FA*
28-70mm F2.8 FA*

Please Please Please Pentax, start making these lenses again, you cannot find them anywhere. I know that the 55mm DA* has the "equivilent" field of view as the 85mm on APS-C, but I want an 85mm, not a 55mm!
If people buy them, then you can invest in making them weather sealed and motor drive, and we will then buy those. I know I would.

250-600 - Drool!!

I've wondered that myself...
Its understandable for the case of the FA*, since they would be the top of the range, they'd want to redo them with SDM and WR, which naturally requires some more work. But other FA lenses... or maybe the tele-zoom... Just mask the outside, since the research for the insides is done.
Pentax could have come out very strong with a wider range by basically keeping FAs on the market for longer.

Totally agree. There are some dogs in the old FA line-up (FAJ 28-80 for instance), but on the whole there are some gems in the FA line-up and the FA* range are the pinnacle, along with the still made Limiteds.
It is a crying shame that the FA* lenses were stopped so soon. I know that they came in, in 1991 and gone in 2004, but, they could have been the Pentax rivals to the Canon L, and indeed, the Nikkor G lenses. And even today they would have held their own against the top rivals.

I have the FA*80-200 f2.8 and the FA*28-70 f2.8 and I can assure you, they are exemplary lenses for IQ. There is something about the look of the images that come from those lenses that is different to every other lens. Hard to put my finger on, but all I can say is that the IQ is fantastic.

One aspect of these two lenses that I also like is the power zoom feature. Rather than having to twist the zoom ring through a large range for most other manual zooms, all that is required with these two lenses is a small twist of the zoom ring and the lens zooms. There are 3 speeds to the zoom that can be selected, slow, medium and fast just depending on how far you turn the zoom ring. It really works very well when you are zooming and trying to keep your subject in the frame, all very descrete and smooth. With a manual zoom, you can/may lose your subject simply because you may need to twist your hand around the lens barrel when zooming.

Anyway, if Pentax ever reintroduced the FA*80-200 f2.8, I am sure it would be a big hit. The FA*28-70 f2.8 is a bit of an odd-bod range for APS C, but it would be fine on a FF Pentax.

I think there was talk that the reason they are not re-introduced is because they use lead in their elements and this is a no-no in this modern era. Why, I have no idea as I hardly think lead mixed in glass would be harmful to anyone. Don't they still put lead in crystal glassware that we drink out of.

A SMC Pentax-FA* 200mm Macro would be top of my list.

I was reading down the posts in this thread with exactly the same thought.
Make it weatherproof and I would be there like a shot.

They have redone one FA* lens to a DA*, that is the DA*200 f2.8. It is optically the same design. I don't know if the others are suitable for re-incarnation with new glass materials, nor if Hoya feel they would be economically viable. What some fans wish for is another matter!

It would probably cost around £2500 based upon Hoya's recent pricing structure!

Still want one?

I would pay around that if it was weather sealed.
I probably wouldn't tell the wife though.

Even that is not bad if you ignore the wobbling and the rotating front element! It's sharper wide open than previous Pentax 28-80mm zooms. That's quite important as these lenses are not fast. It's wonderfully light as well, if you like light things.

Me too. I wouldn't tell my wife either, I'd tell her "I've borrowed Mike's, you can ask his wife if you don't believe me."

Me too. I wouldn't tell my wife either, I'd tell her "I've borrowed Mike's, you can ask his wife if you don't believe me." [/quote]It might not be £2.5K AS the Nikon 200mm F4 micro is £1100 and that has motor drive (no sealing though) and the Canon 180mm F3.5 is £1230 slightly shorter length but faster. So Around the £1100 mark would be closer, any more and Pentax would shoot themselves in the foot!
Mind you we are dreaming, but if Pentax are watching, c'mon guys, give us these lenses......

Now about that 250-600mm. That would be expensive!

They already did so why didn't you buy them?

To be honest though those lenses are quite big and heavy, would like to see them redesigned for APS-C sensor.
DA*250-600 f/5.6 would be a nice lens but most likely there is a DA*400 f/5.6 lens coming, let's hope I'm wrong though

I didn't have a Pentax SLR until 2001 (Had a Praktica) and I was poor then (still poor now after spending money for all those lenses of mine.....:lol Still it would be nice to have the 80-200 and 85 at least, rather than going the 3rd party route. Plus it would show that Pentax would mean business again. C'mon admit it, you look at all that Canon beige and think, "i wish Pentax still made glass like that", I know I do.