[K-Three]

Any rumors that some of the current lens line will get upgraded with the DC motors?
I've been shooting a lot lately with my 55-300HD, and while I like it for size, and range, I had the 18-135 back on the camera for a shoot,
It is a much nicer, snappier, lens in focus speed and accuracy, and the quiet is nice too.

No idea how much it would take to change/add the motors in the old lens designs, but it would be nice upgrade, and in the 55-300 they'd have a winner of a lens at the size, quality and price point. Assuming you could keep all of those features in an upgraded, quieter, faster lens, it would make a real nice package with the 18-135 if both were DC motored.
Just a thought....

[jatrax]

No idea how much it would take to change/add the motors in the old lens designs, but it would be nice upgrade, and in the 55-300 they'd have a winner of a lens at the size, quality and price point.

Likely a complete redesign, which I think we will see, eventually. But the 55-300 was released in 2008, making it quite modern in the Pentax lineup. And refreshed in 2013 with new coatings and WR. So I would bet it will be quite a few years before they refresh it again. And most likely next time it won't be a refresh but a completely new lens. Possibly with the old screwdrive 55-300 staying in the line as the kit lens. Unless they ditch all screwdrive lenses of course. But if you want ultimate reliability, screwdrive is the way to go. Any motor will fail, eventually, so I doubt very much we will be still using our DC motor lenses 30 years down the road like we do with screwdrive.

With the FF coming out I think Pentax's focus will be filling out the FF line up for the next few years. I don't foresee many new APS-C lenses for some time. Just MHO.

[Adam]

I think upgrading the AF in the 55-300mm would be a good thing, but I wouldn't expect it to happen in the near future.