[VisualDarkness]

The roadmap clearly shows a zoom passing the 80 mark. A 18-85 or better a 16-85, would be a great all purpose zoom.

16mm seems to be the hard thing to integrate in a normal zoom. Just look at the optical performance of most normal zooms that goes that low. Pentax 16-50 won't get extra sales from reviewers due to some optical compromizes, Sony got troubles with their lenses that starts from 16mm and worst of all is the Tokina 16.5-135mm.

Well, if they manage to do it well it's great but the empirical facts tells another story.

[Fogel70]

The roadmap clearly shows a zoom passing the 80 mark. A 18-85 or better a 16-85, would be a great all purpose zoom.

The lens released might not be exactly as specified on the road map. The fading on the ends of the focal length bar on the road map probably indicate that focal length is just a approximate.

[Supernaut]

It's a variable all purpose ~18-85 or a constant 24-70/2.8 on the road map imo.
A normal zoom for aps-c with constant f/2.8 would indicate that there will never be a K-mount FF. No use to get such a pro lens to the market if the pro body in the future will be FF.

[woodywesty]

Basically, I see this zoom as replacing the DA 17-70 f/4, rather than a DA* 16-50 replacement.

This would be a great walk around lens, but is there any indication form any source that Pentax is actually going to introduce any hardware yet this year. I am simply astounded by the way this company operates. "Lets keep everything a secret so our dedicated customers finally give up and switch brands"....

Frustrated Bob....

[D1N0]

This would be a great walk around lens, but is there any indication form any source that Pentax is actually going to introduce any hardware yet this year. I am simply astounded by the way this company operates. "Lets keep everything a secret so our dedicated customers finally give up and switch brands"....

Frustrated Bob....

Actually the best gear is always one step around the corner. A fact of life. None of it is Ricoh's fault.

[woodywesty]

Actually the best gear is always one step around the corner. A fact of life. None of it is Ricoh's fault.

You're so right but.... would it hurt the company to actually comunicate with its customer base a little better than vague roadmap graphics and statements like Pentax is in it for the long term? I myself don't care about a FF Pentax but there sure are a heck of a lot of serious photographers who do. Why not just tell them "yes or no" about the future of a FF camera? But no, Ricoh just lets its dedicated customers spin in the wind. I think that Ricoh understands building/providing products for commercial customers (printers/copiers) but doesn't have a clue how to work with consumer product customers.

"Frustrated Old Pentax Fart", Bob

[Ishpuini]

I'm just one voice in the crowd of course, but if a new (pro-grade?) standard zoom is to replace my DA*16-50/2.8, it should start at 16mm. To be honest I care much less about the long end...

Wim

[johnmflores]

You're so right but.... would it hurt the company to actually comunicate with its customer base a little better than vague roadmap graphics and statements like Pentax is in it for the long term? I myself don't care about a FF Pentax but there sure are a heck of a lot of serious photographers who do. Why not just tell them "yes or no" about the future of a FF camera? But no, Ricoh just lets its dedicated customers spin in the wind. I think that Ricoh understands building/providing products for commercial customers (printers/copiers) but doesn't have a clue how to work with consumer product customers.

"Frustrated Old Pentax Fart", Bob

They are doing what every company does-hold future releases close to the vest so as not to harm current sales levels.
The day Pentax announces a FF camera is the day K-5 and DA lens sales take a nosedive as people start second-guessing purchase decisions.

[goubejp]

I'm just one voice in the crowd of course, but if a new (pro-grade?) standard zoom is to replace my DA*16-50/2.8, it should start at 16mm. To be honest I care much less about the long end...

Wim

a f2.8 70 mm has sense for portraits

[LFLee]

They are doing what every company does-hold future releases close to the vest so as not to harm current sales levels.
The day Pentax announces a FF camera is the day K-5 and DA lens sales take a nosedive as people start second-guessing purchase decisions.

Somehow I guess people already doing that.... and buying other brand as well.

I have that new DA* on my wish list but after they remove the *, no longer interested.
The Sigma 18-35, however, is on my list. The interesting lens remain on the roadmap is the "Limited zoom", will see how it compete with the Sigma.

I don't understand why PENTAX want to make a DA 18-85, when they already have 18-135? Doesn't make sense....too many overlaps in focal length in similar range... unless they will use it as the 'kit lens' that replace 18-55, that will beat other makers camera+lens combo offering...

[Ishpuini]

a f2.8 70 mm has sense for portraits

Of course you are correct. I just wrote that for me (my personal style of photography) the wide end is more important. Besides, for portraiture I rarely go wider than 50mm but I do frequently go longer than 70mm, so the DA*50-135/2.8 is already perfect for that kind of photography for me (again speaking strictly personally).

Wim

[Aristophanes]

I have that new DA* on my wish list but after they remove the *, no longer interested.

Could be WR + DC motor based on the success of the 18-135. Who needs the * anyway?

You have to look at these lenses as kit lens options as well.

[johnmflores]

Somehow I guess people already doing that.... and buying other brand as well.

For sure, but can anyone can say with certainty which tactic affects the bottom line less? Very few companies lay out their product map for everyone - consumers and competitors - to see. Those that do are often so new that they don't have risk of cannibalizing their own sales (i.e., RED, BlackMagic) and often have to manage the news that delivery dates are being missed.

And right about now somebody is going to quote Steve Jobs with that thing about it's better to cannibalize your own sales than for someone else to do it. If that's the case, then show me Apple's product map for 2014.

Pentax is not unusual in this regard.

[seventysixersfan]

I don't understand why PENTAX want to make a DA 18-85, when they already have 18-135? Doesn't make sense....too many overlaps in focal length in similar range... unless they will use it as the 'kit lens' that replace 18-55, that will beat other makers camera+lens combo offering...

Yeah, I was wondering that too-- but maybe the new DA 18-70/85 is engineered for top-notch optical quality, or at least better than the 18-135 zoom. Which is why I thought maybe this is just to replace the DA 17-70, but with the addition of WR and maybe the new HD coating. I would definitely appreciate a faster aperture, though, even if it was variable. Although any f/2.8-4.0 zoom in that range would probably be more expensive than the Sigma 17-70 contemporary, the addition of WR and the Pentax brand name on the lens may well entice more Pentax users to buy it over the Sigma, as well as over the DA 18-135 assuming the optical performance is better and it is a faster lens throughout the range as well.

[cali92rs]

Could be WR + DC motor based on the success of the 18-135. Who needs the * anyway?

You have to look at these lenses as kit lens options as well.

For me, i dont need constant 2.8, but i would not be interested in one at a 5.6 like the 18-135.
WR + DC + 2.8-4 would be a real winner