Aftermarket lenses and Olympus/Pentax

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Rich - 04 Sep 2005 00:39 GMT

Why support for Pentax DSLRs and not Olympus?
I figured Olympus sells at least as many bodies
as Pentax.
Is this because they simply slap a new mount on
their (the aftermarket producers) lens bodies whether the camera
is a Canon, Nikon or Pentax and they'd actually have to
make a new lens to conform to 4/3? I guess they figure based
on the volume they perceive as being available, it's not
worth it?
-Rich

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Peter A. Stavrakoglou - 04 Sep 2005 03:08 GMT

> Why support for Pentax DSLRs and not Olympus?
> I figured Olympus sells at least as many bodies
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> worth it?
> -Rich

Perhaps I'm wrong but don't some manufacturers have the AF motor in the
camera body rather than the lens? This would preclude using the same lens
for every brand of body.

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Fred McKenzie - 04 Sep 2005 19:02 GMT

> Why support for Pentax DSLRs and not Olympus?
> I figured Olympus sells at least as many bodies
> as Pentax.

Rich-

There may be a perception that the Olympus is a short-lived design that
will soon be replaced by something having a larger sensor. As a long-time
Olympus user, that is the main reason I wouldn't buy their current DSLRs.

In the case of Pentax, there is also a market consisting of users of film
bodies that take the same lenses. However, I am not finding an abundance
of Pentax lenses and accessories available. The only source seems to be
old stock from the few local dealers that are still in business, or from
the mail-order dealers like B&H.

Fred

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Paul Mitchum - 04 Sep 2005 21:45 GMT

> > Why support for Pentax DSLRs and not Olympus? I figured Olympus sells at
> > least as many bodies as Pentax.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> old stock from the few local dealers that are still in business, or from
> the mail-order dealers like B&H.

Consider that you can still buy new Adaptall lenses from Tamron, who can
also sell you a Pentax K/A mount adaptor. But they don't have an Olympus
3/4 adaptor.

Whether this is a market-size determination on Tamron's part, or a
design incompatibility issue is something I don't know.

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Tony Polson - 04 Sep 2005 22:03 GMT

>Consider that you can still buy new Adaptall lenses from Tamron, who can
>also sell you a Pentax K/A mount adaptor.

The Tamron Adaptall II Pentax KA mount adapter is best avoided, as it
is not especially reliable. Better to use the K mount adapter instead,
although this cuts down the exposure mode options on Pentax DSLRs.

Personally, I believe that is a price worth paying.

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Paul Mitchum - 05 Sep 2005 01:01 GMT

Tony Polson <tp@nospam.co.uk> wrote:

> >Consider that you can still buy new Adaptall lenses from Tamron, who can
> >also sell you a Pentax K/A mount adaptor.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Personally, I believe that is a price worth paying.

What reliability problems have been reported?

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Tony Polson - 05 Sep 2005 17:03 GMT

>Tony Polson <tp@nospam.co.uk> wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
>What reliability problems have been reported?

The A electronics are at the root of the problem.

I understood that Tamron had stopped making the Adaptall II mount for
Pentax KA several years ago as a result of these problems.

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no one - 08 Sep 2005 01:23 GMT

> Why support for Pentax DSLRs and not Olympus?
> I figured Olympus sells at least as many bodies
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> worth it?
> -Rich

Canon, Nikon and of all things Minolta get aftermarket support from just
about everyone.

Pentax gets SOME aftermarket support, but my experience is the really
desirable goodies are only available in Nikon & Canon mount.

Olympus 4/3 system is an also-ran (marketing wise).

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