Originally posted by Kunzite I'm sorry, but "failure to understand" is not something that happens to me often.
Almost always, the simplest explanation is the truth. What I see in the picture? A Limited-like lens, with a single ring - that would be the focusing ring as it has the distance scale, and which protrudes quite deep inside the lens mount (thus not being fully K-mount compatible, but designed for the mirrorless range. Maybe it could work on future APS-C DSLRs, too - not sure of that). We can start making assumptions, but that's IMHO the simplest explanation: we have what we're seeing, and nothing more.
Where is it on the roadmap, as it doesn't seems to fit anywhere? Again, the simplest explanation would be: this lens is not on the K-mount roadmap.
The lens is a limited mock up of some sort. It is difficult to tell a lot of things about it from a single pic. However, your simplest explanation does nothing to explain how a lens can operate with a k-mount at 2 different registration distances. You finally admit the Road Map is just a plan and isn't 100% guarantee.
Originally posted by Kunzite There are 3 questions you should ask yourself:
- does it really make sense to have a nice focus ring, but zoom by twisting the barrel itself?
Makes as much sense as a skinny focus ring when going manual focus. Originally posted by Kunzite - where is the collapsing/extending mechanism? How is it operated, how about barrel travel - since the lens is so short?
The Mechanism would be internal. It would be short when collapsed. Plus, the focus & zoom could be a one touch design. Originally posted by Kunzite - does it make sense to have a collapsible wide prime? Taking the picture as a reference, you'd have the barrel extends (with the lens set to infinity) by as much as the protrusion, maybe more. It would easily be longer than the 70mm (which is remarkably short, without the lens hood)
It would make sense if they were trying to keep the K-01 and successors close to pocketable when not in use.
That is the same concept behind the Oly 14-42mm, Pany 14-42mm X and the old Leica 50mm collapsible lenses on the rangefinders.
Now ask yourself 2 questions that you keep avoiding. 1) What is the purpose of the rear element of the prototype in the pic so deep inside the body? 2) How does this effect the registration distance?
Remember, the registration distance of the k-01 and K-5 and every dSLR every made by Pentax (or Asahi Optical) is 45.46 mm. Sure they could change it. However, if this lens has a different registration distance, it will not work on the K-01
OR any other dSLR by Pentax. This prototype has the k-mount flange. Like I have said half a dozen times, it is just a guess.