[RockvilleBob]

i wish they would hurry up the TC

My sentiments - exactly!

When announced it will back ordered for a long time. An instant best seller.

[bdery]

Well, on that....am I alone in longing for the days when a "kit lens" meant a "high quality, fast 50mm", and not "a piece of plastic to throw at eBay as soon as possible"?

Pentax' kit lenses are far from throwaway items, they are not the best, but they are reliable and perform well enough. Given that my Sigma 17-70 was in repairs for most of the summer, I lived with the WR kit lens for that time and managed quite well (of course my 60-250 and primes saw more action but when in need of a convenient all-purpose, the kit filled the gap nicely).

[Quicksand]

A rather "low profile" up-date.

Considering the 2011 or 2012 needs / expressions of the PENTAX Forums readers :

No more fix focal ambitions, whilst competitors continue rushing to fast primes and pancakes ?

No more FF body whereas it is said to be still under development ? Or will it not be K-mounted ?

Let's hope they have kept the best for later, but not years on.

One thing I think we can learn from this updated roadmap -- in which the HD Limiteds suddenly appeared at the same time they were formally announced -- is that we can stop looking for subtle clues about FF and other changes of direction.

If they don't want us to know about it, it won't be represented in the roadmap.

[DeadJohn]

At least Pentax reserves "macro" for true 1:1 lenses. Sigma smacks that word onto lenses with as little as 1:4 magnification.

[Jean Poitiers]

At least Pentax reserves "macro" for true 1:1 lenses. Sigma smacks that word onto lenses with as little as 1:4 magnification.

Good point about Sigma (and it's true for others) ... and don't look at things like the SMC M 50/4 Macro, the SMC M 100/4 Macro or ... J

[lytrytyr]

SDM and DC are incompatible (and I assume that one is "better" than another?)

DC works better,
but SDM is better when it works?

[Fogel70]

One thing I think we can learn from this updated roadmap -- in which the HD Limiteds suddenly appeared at the same time they were formally announced -- is that we can stop looking for subtle clues about FF and other changes of direction.

If they don't want us to know about it, it won't be represented in the roadmap.

Anything else would be foolish and would risk them ending up with less sales. So info that might affect sales on existing lenses will not be on the roadmap. If they FI had Pentax put HD DA Limited on the roadmap a year ago, the sales on SMC DA Limited might have suffered quite a bit.

[Barry Pearson]

Anything else would be foolish and would risk them ending up with less sales. So info that might affect sales on existing lenses will not be on the roadmap. If they FI had Pentax put HD DA Limited on the roadmap a year ago, the sales on SMC DA Limited might have suffered quite a bit.

There is a "DA Wide Zoom" [sic] on the roadmap that may supersede the DA 12-24mm f/4.

There is a "DA Zoom" [sic] on the roadmap that may supersede the DA 17-70mm f/4.

[Fogel70]

There is a "DA Wide Zoom" [sic] on the roadmap that may supersede the DA 12-24mm f/4.

There is a "DA Zoom" [sic] on the roadmap that may supersede the DA 17-70mm f/4.

The details on them is to vague to really tell, at least the "DA zoom" can be anything from a f/2.8 zoom to a new kit lens. And a normal zoom is not something you will want to wait too long to get. The "DA wide zoom" might be a mistake to have on the roadmap as it's most likely an updated version on DA 12-24/4.

[glanglois]

A

My understanding:

WR = Weather resistant. Pentax description mentions splash resistance but nothing about dust. A matter of damning with faint praise, methinks.

* = "sealed". Whatever that implies. Pentax mentions dust resistance and uses stronger language when describing * glass.

AW = All weather? Perhaps a somewhat different approach owing to the engineering necessary to make a lens of the size and nature of the 560.

None will automatically get replaced in the event of water or dust damage. I don't know which criteria Pentax uses for this part of the warranty.

[glanglois]

You know, it's been almost a year since they fixed the SDM flaws...

No, I didn't know that. Can you point me (at least) to the source?

[Mazhe]

No, I didn't know that. Can you point me (at least) to the source?

It was announced right here in a interview with PentaxForums at photokina 2012:
Pentax Engineer on SDM Failure and Pentax DC - Photokina 2012 - PentaxForums.com

[Mistral75]

My understanding:

WR = Weather resistant. Pentax description mentions splash resistance but nothing about dust. A matter of damning with faint praise, methinks.

* = "sealed". Whatever that implies. Pentax mentions dust resistance and uses stronger language when describing * glass.

AW = All weather? Perhaps a somewhat different approach owing to the engineering necessary to make a lens of the size and nature of the 560.

None will automatically get replaced in the event of water or dust damage. I don't know which criteria Pentax uses for this part of the warranty.

WR = weather resistant (rain, mist, water splashes or spray)

AW ("All Weather") and DA* = dustproof and weather resistant. The DFA 645 are AW.

[D1N0]

How bad can it get for a single lens, HD Pentax-D FA* L WR Macro Limited AW 18-35mm F1.8-2.0 ED AL [IF] SDM XS? My god, I'd buy that for the name alone. On a second thought they ruined it with the plastic mount.

Well if they would make one...

[phansu]

They are totally screwing things up no one needs the same wine in a different bottle. Even the flash upgrades are a joke and rip-off. Pentax is looking more like Microsoft (no - innovation ) where else CanNikon are like Google and Apple at this point.