[builttospill]

DFA 35★ is the next logical prime lens addition, but I wrote 'don't hold your breath' as to its delivery in the next 6-12 months.
I suppose one prime will come together with a new camera, though, and most likely DFA50★. But this is just a conjecture.

They currently stock the FA 35 and the FA 31. I'd be surprised if they are researching another 35. Instead, I'm hoping for a good 135mm, and dreaming of an aperture of f/1.8.

[Reed]

Could it be that we optically have the Tamron G2 24-70mm from the beginning - when Pentax showed and wanted their coatings and engineering exclusively on that very lens - but did not let Tamron to use it. Just to deliver it in it the Pentax way for Pentax only. G2 version is just now squishing in the extras cpu:s, shake reduction and double focus-motors for the Canicons . Pentax perhaps just locked in their science on that very lens - leaving Tamron with a long face - now trying to be save it?

Pentax has the know how - and used it - but didn't sell it - just wanted it to be used on a lens that was VERY GOOD - for themselves - making it better.
Saved a lot of money and time in the run as well as Pentax simplified it as well when removing the in lens stabilisation. .

If so - there will be no 24-70mm series II - and will not be needed.
We already have Pentax HD and the other Pentax optical engineering in that very lens?
Not to be used by others in plain production.

I would rather say they did cut a deal with them for using the older design because its very reliable,and well tested among the marked. And they could not make any mistake like the 16-50SDM first batches was. The stabilization module inside that Tamron re-badge is intact, only part is just missing the side switch and proper firmware.Full removal would need a serious optical formula changes. As far as I'm aware(I've seen one partialy dissasembled) this is exact tamron product of g1 24-70/2.8, with minor exterior chassis changes. Ricoh says the glass formula used and coatings are theirs but without a Tamron copy to test on a same reference camera- its hard to prove. SDM labeled on the lens, is definitely a Tamron USD drive, that is the same tech and mechanics behind Canon ring type motors. In my opinion any generation of Tamron 24-70 is a better mechanical/material design than Nikon current and previous generation counterpart.

I'd rather Pentax produce lenses which don't need a tune up. I understand there are variances in manufacturing, but I think the dock gives an excuse for loose tolerance. None of my FA* and FA Limited lenses have ever needed adjustments; they are sharp, as they should be.

Not at all. You are missing the point here. Older lenses, especialy primes, are not as prone to focusing issues, that because they don't use the stepper motors to drive AF. Currently designed lenses are made exactly the same for every mount, and only thing that change-is the mount itself, contacts and firmware. Older design like for example FA limited, rely simply on in camera focus hashing, with screw drive motor being only a method to move lens to exact point in the distance scale. Screw drive lenses when focusing will offten move wole lens assembly(all DA limiteds ,most F/FA Lenses, FA Limiteds-fixed rear, front part moving, most zooms-front group can be extended but is still fixed, moving rear group) and thats is very easy to tune up- just set the stop on infinity mark-if properly assembled, anything cant go wrong, if the lens feature a hard stop at infinity and minimal distance -that's even easier. For current designs- manufacturer needs to make a field for focus motor to brake from its pace,there is no hard stop. That is the field when adjustments comes into place. Most adjusts are easy to be done within the camera itself. But for zoom lenses-you offten have to adjust both the wide and tele side. The dock is a feature, for people who want to achieve more precise focusing for their needs.

[robjmitchell]

They currently stock the FA 35 and the FA 31. I'd be surprised if they are researching another 35. Instead, I'm hoping for a good 135mm, and dreaming of an aperture of f/1.8.

Ricoh seem to be targeting FF users from the other brands with the most popular standard focal lengths, rather than filling in holes in the line up. So 35/50/85 it is (probably)

[surfar]

So 35/50/85 it is (probably)

Definitely, 35mm has been mentioned a while ago by Ashaai man...

It wouldnt surprise me if these 3 and a 18/20/24(one of these FL) all showed up around the same timeish...meaning within a 6 month period.

That would provide a good spread between UW/superwide and 100mm Macro...all WR or AW

Just leaving 135/150, considering the 200/300/560mm

A FF TC is due too!

[thibs]

The 35mm has been recently mentionned by Kenspo too if I'm not mistaken.

[surfar]

Yes,he did mention it...I remember now

[zapp]

Funny discussion from the beginning. Tamron will not sell the latest design to Pentax. Pentax will not replace a lens that was just presented. Simple answer, Pentax will not go for an update within the next couple years. Too much non-Pentax glass is also not the best solution for a large apeture lens - 2.8/24-70 is one of the most prestigious lenses in a lineup. You can reuse a third party design ones, but not for long. D-FA 24-70 and D-FA 15-35 need to be replaced by Pentax * designs ar some point in the not too distant future.
New primes. Sorry, but Sigma covers the 1.4/35 slot even for Pentax. I expect a wider lens, something not competing with Sigma. Even Nikon did not renew its 1.4/85 (Sigma ARt 85 is available for Nikon), they rather presented a 1.4 lens not covered by Sigma recently (1.4/105). Canon is up for competition and showed the 1.4/35 after the Sigma Art and now they present the 1.4/85. Pentax is quite brave to present a 1.4/50 and hopefully 1.4/85 from scratch here. No direct competition with others as Sigma is not offering the 50/85 Arts for Pentax, but the lenses will be judged across companies - Pentax wants to attract more potential customers, these lenses must shine.
A 135 would be a dead lens, other lenses will come first. Look at implemenatation strategies by other manufacturers.

Anyways, the D-FA50 will come next, maybe closely followed by a D-FA85. Everything else takes TIME in Pentax land.

[disconnekt]

A 35mm lens is a given to be released next. For wideangle, I'd say a 16mm & 24mm prime lenses would be after. As for telepboto lenses, a 135mm would be a good choice.

[Zygonyx]

...
Anyway, the D-FA50 will come next, maybe closely followed by a D-FA85. Everything else takes TIME in Pentax land.

Yup, for sure

[xmeda]

If you take a look at Ricoh FF sales, there is declining tendency right after first 1/2 K1 production year. Demand was saturated quite quickly. Is it a good idea to invest way more money into another parts of suicidal FF project? Maybe it will be discontinued like another marketing fail - the Q series.

It will be better from marketing point of view to get rid of old DA* Sudden death line and rebuild DA*16-50/2.8II + some DA*50-150/2.8 and add the new DA* wide angle zoom. Place these with K3 replacement on market and create income. There are many pentaxians with K5 or K3 waiting for something new comparable with competitors.
Then they need to back up the K70 line to keep all those hundreds of thousands low-cost users with camera and 1-3 lenses, who have nothing to loose if they switch to canon, nikon, m3/4, fuji or sony.

And after all these steps are established, then they can focus on specific FF lenses and maybe even try to make another FF camera entering lost battle with incompetitive pricing of lenses and nearly zero 3rd party support...


Btw. somebody mentioned that we have FA35/2.. nice, but that lens is showing all kinds of optical problems when used on high resolution sensors. It is qute sharp and has good contrast, but purple fringing and horrible hexagonal bokeh also. And it is NOT comparable to modern 35/1.4 lenses, whose closed to F2 beat the crap out of the old FA35/2. Only (+) are the small size and weight. Not to mention rather weak AF precision & reliability. And yes, I've done many thousands of pictures with FA35/2 having it since 2009...

Proper DFA*35/1.4 and new cheap DFA35/1.8 would both be big plus for pentax lineup, as this focal length is perfectly usable both on FF and APS-C body.