Originally posted by Cannikin Why is there some requirement on a Pentax FF to have a huge and complete lineup of brand new lenses, something that does not seem to hold back any other manufacturer?
I did not say huge or complete, take a look at the Nikon catalog. I count 18 FX zooms alone, not even looking at the primes, that's huge and complete.
For Ricoh, the primes are already there just need new coatings and updates. But no way they can release a viable camera system with only primes. And there are NO FF zooms available unless they start making old FA designs again. Which would be a huge mistake, and one they will not make. I have a good number of old Pentax F and FA zooms. Some of them are quite nice, very few hold up to modern lenses even on the k-3, no way they are good enough for a modern FF sensor and all are screwdrive.
I am confident we will see a FF system from RIcoh, just as soon as they can also release a set of lenses that will make it a viable purchase to people beyond the group hanging on to old F and FA glass hoping for a miracle. It might be at this year's Photokina, it might be at the next Photokina. At this point there is no reason to rush to market, any opportunity they had to rush into the market and save their FF user base vanished years ago. Those who needed FF already left. There are lots of reasons to wait until the full system can be ready.
Who knows, maybe people in the factory are stuffing them in the boxes as we type.