[bhairavp]

Who else makes a 20-40 or 60-250? Apparently Fuji just announced an 18-135, otherwise that would be a Pentax exclusive and the only other 55-300 I could find is made by Sony. It's called market differentiation.

Nikon makes a 55-300 VR lens for their crop cameras.

[pinholecam]

Don't see why there is so much negativity to this lens.
Here is a lens that covers wide landscapes/cityscapes at 16mm, go street and candids at 18-50mm and portraits at 85mm. (ie. FF equivalent of 24mm, 28mm-75mm, 127mm)
My go to kit on aps-c is the DA15, FA31ltd, 77ltd.on FF, I use the K24, A50, K85, usually enough to cover most things I want to take on my travels.
So the focal length this lens offers is really good.
Of course we'd all like it to be f4 or f2.8, but often, smaller size is a very understated thing too.

[DennisH]

Don't see why there is so much negativity to this lens.

Because it was announced.

[jatrax]

Don't see why there is so much negativity to this lens.

So the focal length this lens offers is really good.

Focal length is excellent. If it was constant f/4, and the high standard of IQ that would imply I think everyone at least some, would be happy. But f/3.5-5.6 implies a low end lens with no more than adequate IQ. I don't need that, and that's why I personally am disappointed. Cannot speak for anyone else, but the 18-135 already gives you 85mm @ f/5.6 if you don't like the IQ beyond 85mm ignore it. So why another low end zoom with a focal length that is already covered?
I do not see any place for this in the line up except as a replacement for the 18-55 kit lens on higher end bodies. As such I am sure it will be a good lens, and a good move on Ricoh's part as they do need a better kit lens especially for the k-3.

[afan137]

The lens roadmap is updated with the picture of this 16-85mm . http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/products/lens/images/K_Mount_Lens.pdf
The other two prototypes will be on the Photokina also, but the release is still tentative according to their site: Reference Exhibit at Photokina 2014 ?RICOH IMAGING

And the last UWA lens is still unknown.

[audiobomber]

Who else makes a 20-40 or 60-250? Apparently Fuji just announced an 18-135, otherwise that would be a Pentax exclusive and the only other 55-300 I could find is made by Sony. It's called market differentiation.

You've missed the point. 16-85mm isn't an unusual focal length, Nikon makes one and so does Canon (15-85, 1.6X crop), but not f2.8 aperture because that would be too large. No one makes a 17-70mm f2.8 for the same reason. It would be smaller than 16-85 f2.8, but still too big to be practical.

[mee]

1) Standard zoom lens Product Name: HD PENTAX-DA 16-85mmF3.5-5.6ED DC WR (tentative name)
And high-performance multi-coating "HD coating" of their own to increase the recruitment and imaging performance 5.3 times zoom lens drip-proof structure and easy-to-use high quality is a compact and lightweight design
Autofocus drive and sale time quiet and smooth due to the lens within Motor: 2014 winter schedule around

??????????????????????? 2014????????????RICOH IMAGING

translation courtesy of Google hehe

[Des]

The standard zoom will be a HD PENTAX-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

The bit I like is DC and WR. If the IQ is in the same park as the current Sigma 17-70, it should be a winner.

The comments here can be as depressing as playing my whole Leonard Cohen collection.

No-one died, people. It's a lens. if you don't like it, don't buy it.

[Aristophanes]

How many slow zooms can they produce?

Ones that sell. Priced right, functional FL's, and likely more compact than the competition.

---------- Post added 09-16-14 at 12:13 AM ----------

I don't understand this. It needed to be a premium lens, f2.8-4 or constant f4. The lower tier is more than adequately covered with the 18-55 and 18-135 WR kit lenses.

For those who were expecting 16-85mm f2.8, please show me anyone who makes such a lens for APS-C. That is no accident, it is not practical.

Massive size when the main competition for APS-C is starting to be mirrorless.

[boriscleto]

The comments here can be as depressing as playing my whole Leonard Cohen collection. .

Give me a Leonard Cohen afterlife.
So I can sigh eternally.

[Alizarine]

it's DC-AF, it's WR, and most probably much cheaper than the DA20-40 Limited zoom. I'm thinking of getting this 16-85 to replace my 18-55 WR. This will be a great, light lens for small corporate events.

[noser]

Blah blah blah 85mm yadda yadda yadda f/5.6 gorp gorp gorp me-too lens.

[jimr-pdx]

I should get one for my K-s1 to ensure that nobody will borrow or steal the hideous pair

[LightBug]

FYI, we now know the tentative name of at least one of Pentax's three new lenses from the roadmap. The standard zoom will be a HD PENTAX-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR:

Press release & details:

Three New K-Mount Lenses Coming - Photokina 2014 | PentaxForums.com

Product photos are expected tomorrow.

16-85 seems like a very useful range. Speed is not too bad. For most family vacation photos, I always use F8+ anyway, and with pop-up flash as fill flash, I stop down even more to get under the 1/180s.

[filoxophy]

Judging by the tiny image on the roadmap posted above, it appears to be no smaller, and possibly a bit larger than the 18-135. And IF Canon's, Nikon's, and Sony's analogous lenses are any guide, this thing will be $600-1000. For example Canon's 15-85 is $800, its 18-135 is $500. Sony's 16-80 is $1000 (but f4.5 on the long end), its 18-135 is $500. Who knows how Pentax will position this, price-wise.

Well, it's got WR going for it. But the IQ had better be there, because the recent past shows that Ricoh is not interested in competing aggressively on price.