[TrueFocus]

I was sort of expecting some new lenses, because over here I have experienced quite a shortage in Pentax lenses in shops lately.

I really like the new design, much better than the old one. Especially I like the aperture/mm at the base. Everyone has their own taste, I guess.
Speaking of optical qualities, let's wait until some real world tests come in.

[Eagle_Friends]

old design looks better

[maxfield_photo]

Sorry, I don't agree with you. While I do agree that the HD coating is better the difference just will never be noticeable on the final photo in all but the most demanding conditions. Also, the HD coating is not as good as the "Aero Bright" coating as per Pentax.

I thought it was just the opposite, HD replaced the Aero Birght coating (ABC). From the footage at... (was it CP+ a year ago?) the HD coating seemed to offer near-perfect reflection resistance. It doesn't sound like a lot, but internal reflections create veiling flair which has a significant impact on contrast, and therefore sharpness. With the rounded aperture blades, I think these new limited are going to set a new standard by which all other APS-C optics are judged.

[robbiec]

Hahaha, this place really does have some characters. Some don't like the change from green to red, others not liking the move from SMC to HD, others still complaining about an unannounced price increase and others yet complaining that the 'faithful' have not been satisfied. Hmm, are there any happy people left here? I kinda like the new font in place of the cheap looking Pentax + Lens size, I am interested to see how the rounded blades will have an effect on the returned image, improvements in coatings is also to be expected. Follow the 50 f/1.4 line for an example. No one is mentioning the revised flashes? Ohh the sky is falling, Pentax is doomed, Ricoh will rebrand us... ( bolded area is sarcasm btw)
S! and regards!

[seventysixersfan]

Not necessarily. The new lenses will kindle more interest in the limited series, but if the new ones are priced too highly then demand for the first gen ones and hence prices second-hand could easily increase. Since Pentax seem to be pricing their lenses rather imaginatively these days, such a scenario isn't entirely unlikely - "great lens but at this price the real bargain is buying the older green-band examples second-hand, etc, etc."

I agree with this speculation. It all depends on how much they ask for the new limited lenses. I don't think this will depress the prices of the second-hand market for the green-band DA limited lenses, unless the optical performance is so much better, and the price of the new red-band line is not totally out of reach for people.

[snake]

With the rounded aperture blades, I think these new limited are going to set a new standard by which all other APS-C optics are judged.

I think that's a bit bold. The lenses are good, but we don't have to overdo it.

It would be nicer for Pentax to somehow come up with a fast 24 that will be a "new standard".

I can guarantee the differences will be minimal, but I'll be betting on folks like yourself that need to upgrade ASAP to get the new lenses. Then we'll have a spike in fleabay and forum marketplace listings so I could get a DA40.

Pentax should also be refining the coatings on the FA series. I know they've updated them over the years, but they still don't see to be optimized for digitial just yet.

[Na Horuk]

What I gather from this HD is that Pentax is planning on announcing a camera with a high pixel density (higher than current cameras), which needs the best resolution. And HD coatings are part of that. But these are still APS-C lenses.
I am glad they are improving their products, shows the company is not stagnating

[siamthai]

Hahaha, this place really does have some characters. Some don't like the change from green to red, others not liking the move from SMC to HD, others still complaining about an unannounced price increase and others yet complaining that the 'faithful' have not been satisfied. Hmm, are there any happy people left here? I kinda like the new font in place of the cheap looking Pentax + Lens size, I am interested to see how the rounded blades will have an effect on the returned image, improvements in coatings is also to be expected. Follow the 50 f/1.4 line for an example. No one is mentioning the revised flashes? Ohh the sky is falling, Pentax is doomed, Ricoh will rebrand us... ( bolded area is sarcasm btw)
S! and regards!

Look is important

[Kunzite]

I thought it was just the opposite, HD replaced the Aero Birght coating (ABC). From the footage at... (was it CP+ a year ago?) the HD coating seemed to offer near-perfect reflection resistance. It doesn't sound like a lot, but internal reflections create veiling flair which has a significant impact on contrast, and therefore sharpness. With the rounded aperture blades, I think these new limited are going to set a new standard by which all other APS-C optics are judged.

No, AeroBrightCoating is not replaced by HD; it's still reserved for their best and most expensive lenses.

[infoomatic]

I don't mind whethere there is a green or a red line. But I don't like that Ricoh uses its R&D and production resources for lenses that did not need an update. I would have been happier about one of the missing lenses (85/1.4, 24/1.8 ... discussed elsewhere)

[snake]

I don't mind whethere there is a green or a red line. But I don't like that Ricoh uses its R&D and production resources for lenses that did not need an update. I would have been happier about one of the missing lenses (85/1.4, 24/1.8 ... discussed elsewhere)

It's nearly certain these were on the cards under the previous ownership.

Even if under Ricoh, minor updates like this are relatively inexpensive, sometimes, in the case of coatings, denote new techniques, cost measures, availability of raw materials, etc.

You so know that there isn't one SMC coating for instance, right? Coatings are constantly updated, often silently.

Resources devoted to this are minimal and the production likely has been in the pipeline for at least 2 years. You know how long it takes to form and prepare glass lenses, for instance?

[Kunzite]

There isn't much R&D in updating the lenses with a new coating and rounded aperture. As for the production capacity, if they sells that's not exactly an issue

[Raffwal]

Well, it is nice that they are improving the lens coatings. But I'm sure that most users would be more enthusiastic about really new lenses.

It is also worth noting that after the endless rumors and threads of a FF camera, what Pentoh releases is updated versions of APS-C lenses.

[LFLee]

Ricoh can make everyone happy with this move if they sell it cheaper than the current price.

[theperception2008]

What I gather from this HD is that Pentax is planning on announcing a camera with a high pixel density (higher than current cameras), which needs the best resolution. And HD coatings are part of that. But these are still APS-C lenses.
I am glad they are improving their products, shows the company is not stagnating

Well with the D800 and then Nex 7, it showed that older lenses that were not optimized for digital exhibited flaws. This was inevitable I think as sensors get better. Maybe Pentax engineers wanted to wait on the 24mp sensors until lenses were developed to match or exceed the sensor resolution.

It makes sense now as to why Pentax held onto the 16 MP sensors for an additional 18 months in the flagship camera. About 36 months of R&D for lenses to be designed and production started.