The current problem with the Pentax lens lineup is not just the (few, in my mind) holes left to fill, it's the proliferation of appellations with inconsistent meaning.
I've thought (and maybe said) this before, but I'd love to see Pentax have 3 lens lines--DA (or DFA, as warranted), the * series, and the Limiteds...and the DA L, if you must. (They basically DO have this, of course, to varying degrees of completeness and consistency.)
DA/DFA- Weather resistant (WR)
- Quick Shift
- SDM/DC optional for this class
- Distance scale
- Variable or constant aperture zooms OK
- Hood included, no pouch
DA L- No WR
- No QS
- No distance scale
- No hood
- No pouch
- Plastic mount
* Series- All Weather (AW), tank-like construction
- Fast aperture if prime, constant/fast if zoom
- Quick Shift
- SDM/DC required
- Distance/DOF scale
- Highest quality of optics, sharp and meant for pro use (whatever that means to you)
- Hood/pouch included
Limited Series- All metal construction
- Compact size, modest aperture
- High quality optics, but room for character, pixie dust, starbursts, etc etc
- Distance/DOF scale
- Hood/pouch included
The shift from SMC to HD, terrible as it is from a branding perspective, is underway. (Why oh why did they throw away 40+ years of a distinctive moniker for a throwaway generic meaningless one?! Call it SMC+ or something, sheesh...) I see all lenses ultimately getting the HD treatment when they are due for a refresh. This may take some years to make its way through the line.
Within this rubric, the DA 35mm, 50mm, and 40mm XS would be reclassified as DA Ls, as the 35mm is often erroneously labeled by some anyway. DA L zooms, lacking WR, would only be bundled with non-WR bodies, eg K-S1. The only DA L I would add is a 24/28mm f/2.8 for, say, $250-300ish...and maybe an 85/2.8 too.
I would like to see the DA 14/2.8 and DA 12-24/4 updated into * caliber lenses. They're almost there, anyway, IMHO. Or do that new wide zoom that's on the roadmap as a *, and keep the DA 12-24 and lower its price commensurate with a standard DA lens.
* primes would be 14/25/35/55/85, at f/1.4 for the last three.
Limiteds are pretty well rounded out, IMHO.
If you made it this far, thanks for indulging me. How would you change or add lenses? I know this is just dreaming for a company of Pentax's marketshare right now, but they do seem to just improve and add constantly so far under Ricoh's aegis.