Ultra-wide, WR Pentax Zoom

mtgmansf · 04-26-2015, 08:33 AM

I am starting a thread, in anticipation of purchasing a Pentax K3II, calling for Ricoh-Pentax to produce a weather-resistant, ultra-wide zoom. Several people have mentioned something about a new 12-24mm - and 15-30mm- from Pentax in the new Pentax time line. However, since I have noticed that I shoot more often than not below 12mm on my current Sigma 10-20mm, Pentax mount, a Pentax 12-24mm would not be terribly desirable for me! The very lowest I would consider going for all my crop sensor cameras, is 11mm, but would much prefer a lens that goes to 9 or 10mm!

Having done much research on the subject, I have determined that there are really only two APS lenses -possibly three, with the new Tokina 11-20mm - which does not look like it will make it to a Pentax mount- on the market that have any kind of sealing, and the sealing they have may be limited only to the lens mount. These include the Tokina 11-16mm and the old Nikon 12-24mm. My research has also shown, many or most of APS, landscape photographers like to practice their craft in wet, dusty, moist, sandy, and changing weather conditions! In my particular situation, 85% of my best work as been done just before, during, and right after a big storm!

Of course, I am hoping that Ricoh reads this thread, or someone in the know can copy my thoughts to the powers-that-be at Ricoh-Pentax. At the same time, opportunity knocks - where Ricoh-Pentax still has the golden opportunity to be the very first manufacturer on block with a true weather-resistant, ultra-wideangle zoom for their loyalists as well as potentially new, outdoor, adventure, and landscape photographers who want to "buy in" with a great, new K3 or K3II, or start out with the very, very capable K50 or Ks2.

I now have a K30, K5II, and K5IIs and the following WR lenses: 18-135mm, 18-55mm, and 55-300mm, besides numerous primes from both Pentax and Samyang,and many film cameras to boot! However, the lens I use the most - more than 60% - is my outdated Sigma 10-20mm zoom that thankfully has not given out, despite being used in minus 20 weather, exposed to rain, dust storms, etc. I am sure this lens will meet it's doom sometime in the near future, and I would be most grateful to have a great and very wide, Pentax WR ultra-wide zoom to replace it! Frankly, it is ridiculous that none of the manufacturers, including RIcoh-Pentax, has addressed this market niche for the APS, crop-sensor shooters. I note that Fuji and Tokina have recently come out with new ultra zoom lenses that, once again, fall short of the WR mark! (or fall short in the marketplace!) Further, many of us are simply not looking forward to a big and heavy FX bodies with a huge 15-30mm or 14-24mm lens attached to it. The new K3II technology seems to provide ground-breaking advancements that really scream for this lens I am craving for...and yes, I am begging, since even the best camera cannot make up for a lack of specific, high quality lenses! Lastly, I am willing to pay hundreds more for such a new, WR lens...

Last edited by mtgmansf; 04-26-2015 at 09:05 AM. Reason: added additional commentary

condor27596 · 04-26-2015, 08:51 AM

As a kinda related side note I've been curious how much it costs to design, manufacure, and bring to market a new lens. It must be crazy money.

mtgmansf · 04-26-2015, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by condor27596

As a kinda related side note I've been curious how much it costs to design, manufacure, and bring to market a new lens. It must be crazy money.

Yes it must cost crazy money, but look at all the duplication efforts/multiple options, updates Ricoh-Pentax has made in the 16-135mm lens range, without any effort in a very, very long time in the very important, landscape range of 10-30mm. I believe that in the past, they have teamed up with third party, manufacturers with the 10-18mm fisheye zoom (Tamron?), so a total and complete redesign for WR may not be necessary! (Tamron also makes a non-fisheye, 10-24mm!)

condor27596 · 04-26-2015, 10:15 AM

I was saying in general. I used to be in manufacturing engineering and cost analysis. I now work in the hardware area of equipment used for human performance testing. It's about $1500 an hour to keep the place going as an average. But actual testing time is near 7500 an hour. It's not broken out like that of course as it is a fixed price contract.

I'm not trying to high jack this thread lol. I am just always curious about costing.

So you make a new lens. You get economies of scale on previous models. People are already emoyed that is a semi sunk cost. They might as well do something. Maybe the lens stuff can be made once and used in different ways. Etc etc.

The point being is no company can just decide to make an unlimited amount of lens designs without very significant transfer of past work. And each new lens presumably needs new tooling and manufacturing stuff.

sterretje · 04-27-2015, 06:34 AM

If I recall correctly, there is a 12-30 on the roadmap; might well be WR.

mtgmansf · 04-27-2015, 09:07 AM

Originally posted by sterretje

If I recall correctly, there is a 12-30 on the roadmap; might well be WR.

Thanks but...as before and as stated 12mm is not wide enough to be satisfactory! (when everyone else starts at either 10mm or 11mm!)

04-26-2015, 08:33 AM	#1
mtgmansf Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 321	Ultra-wide, WR Pentax Zoom I am starting a thread, in anticipation of purchasing a Pentax K3II, calling for Ricoh-Pentax to produce a weather-resistant, ultra-wide zoom. Several people have mentioned something about a new 12-24mm - and 15-30mm- from Pentax in the new Pentax time line. However, since I have noticed that I shoot more often than not below 12mm on my current Sigma 10-20mm, Pentax mount, a Pentax 12-24mm would not be terribly desirable for me! The very lowest I would consider going for all my crop sensor cameras, is 11mm, but would much prefer a lens that goes to 9 or 10mm! Having done much research on the subject, I have determined that there are really only two APS lenses -possibly three, with the new Tokina 11-20mm - which does not look like it will make it to a Pentax mount- on the market that have any kind of sealing, and the sealing they have may be limited only to the lens mount. These include the Tokina 11-16mm and the old Nikon 12-24mm. My research has also shown, many or most of APS, landscape photographers like to practice their craft in wet, dusty, moist, sandy, and changing weather conditions! In my particular situation, 85% of my best work as been done just before, during, and right after a big storm! Of course, I am hoping that Ricoh reads this thread, or someone in the know can copy my thoughts to the powers-that-be at Ricoh-Pentax. At the same time, opportunity knocks - where Ricoh-Pentax still has the golden opportunity to be the very first manufacturer on block with a true weather-resistant, ultra-wideangle zoom for their loyalists as well as potentially new, outdoor, adventure, and landscape photographers who want to "buy in" with a great, new K3 or K3II, or start out with the very, very capable K50 or Ks2. I now have a K30, K5II, and K5IIs and the following WR lenses: 18-135mm, 18-55mm, and 55-300mm, besides numerous primes from both Pentax and Samyang,and many film cameras to boot! However, the lens I use the most - more than 60% - is my outdated Sigma 10-20mm zoom that thankfully has not given out, despite being used in minus 20 weather, exposed to rain, dust storms, etc. I am sure this lens will meet it's doom sometime in the near future, and I would be most grateful to have a great and very wide, Pentax WR ultra-wide zoom to replace it! Frankly, it is ridiculous that none of the manufacturers, including RIcoh-Pentax, has addressed this market niche for the APS, crop-sensor shooters. I note that Fuji and Tokina have recently come out with new ultra zoom lenses that, once again, fall short of the WR mark! (or fall short in the marketplace!) Further, many of us are simply not looking forward to a big and heavy FX bodies with a huge 15-30mm or 14-24mm lens attached to it. The new K3II technology seems to provide ground-breaking advancements that really scream for this lens I am craving for...and yes, I am begging, since even the best camera cannot make up for a lack of specific, high quality lenses! Lastly, I am willing to pay hundreds more for such a new, WR lens... Last edited by mtgmansf; 04-26-2015 at 09:05 AM. Reason: added additional commentary

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04-26-2015, 08:51 AM	#2
condor27596 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC, USA Posts: 870	As a kinda related side note I've been curious how much it costs to design, manufacure, and bring to market a new lens. It must be crazy money.

04-26-2015, 09:42 AM	#3
mtgmansf Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 321 Original Poster	Originally posted by condor27596 As a kinda related side note I've been curious how much it costs to design, manufacure, and bring to market a new lens. It must be crazy money. Yes it must cost crazy money, but look at all the duplication efforts/multiple options, updates Ricoh-Pentax has made in the 16-135mm lens range, without any effort in a very, very long time in the very important, landscape range of 10-30mm. I believe that in the past, they have teamed up with third party, manufacturers with the 10-18mm fisheye zoom (Tamron?), so a total and complete redesign for WR may not be necessary! (Tamron also makes a non-fisheye, 10-24mm!)

04-26-2015, 10:15 AM	#4
condor27596 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC, USA Posts: 870	I was saying in general. I used to be in manufacturing engineering and cost analysis. I now work in the hardware area of equipment used for human performance testing. It's about $1500 an hour to keep the place going as an average. But actual testing time is near 7500 an hour. It's not broken out like that of course as it is a fixed price contract. I'm not trying to high jack this thread lol. I am just always curious about costing. So you make a new lens. You get economies of scale on previous models. People are already emoyed that is a semi sunk cost. They might as well do something. Maybe the lens stuff can be made once and used in different ways. Etc etc. The point being is no company can just decide to make an unlimited amount of lens designs without very significant transfer of past work. And each new lens presumably needs new tooling and manufacturing stuff.

04-27-2015, 06:34 AM	#5
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	If I recall correctly, there is a 12-30 on the roadmap; might well be WR.

04-27-2015, 09:07 AM	#6
mtgmansf Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 321 Original Poster	Originally posted by sterretje If I recall correctly, there is a 12-30 on the roadmap; might well be WR. Thanks but...as before and as stated 12mm is not wide enough to be satisfactory! (when everyone else starts at either 10mm or 11mm!)