[Cynog Ap Brychan]

With so much delay they could surprise us all and make this lens & FF mirrorless!

I sincerely hope not!

[bertwert]

FF mirrorless

The FF will not be mirrorless, anyway no one wants it to be mirrorless...

[Kunzite]

Not that again. People, Ricoh clearly said it will be a K-mount FF DSLR.

[D1N0]

goodbye @zzap

[filoxophy]

I would honestly not be surprised if this lens never saw the light of day. I also wouldn't be surprised if the FF ended up cancelled.

Riiight...

[mohb]

Perhaps all these delays just go to show that it's not as simple as some seem to think to start a FF camera line when the other makers already have 'mature' products and your camera has to at least match theirs.

[rullrich]

C'mon everybody, don't behave like children (even though christmas is not far away). Is it really likely that:

1. you officially declare there will be a FF
2. you already delivered two new FF lenses
3. you show a prototype at some shows
4. you introduced a new domain (pentax.com) for ff

and then you either produce a mirrorless or cancel the FF completely? I know there are people on PF who think Ricoh does not know how run a company, but that would be completly suicidal so it will not happen! Keep cool, people!

[D1N0]

Now we know the reason:

Sorry,new lens Body.
Or lens housing.
Most of the test users had a Problem with the tripod Mount,it is to Close to the camerabody.
I had a Problem to hold it longer time with different cameras,cause my fingers are to Close at the collar.
It was the only negative Point after month ot lens testing.
The optical Formular seems to be very good.
Best regards

[Ranitomeya]

With so much delay they could surprise us all and make this lens & FF mirrorless!

I think (and hope) you are halfway right. The lens will be mirrorless.

[Zygonyx]

Now we know the reason:

I'm buying that, given the genetics of perfect ergonomy Pentax has to comply with.

[biz-engineer]

If the lens is not released now, it's not because of a technical reason. Optically this lens design started long ago together with the DFA150-450, the DFA150-450 was released, the DFA70-200 was going to be released soon after. Regarding the hypothesis of the AF optimization of the DFA70-200, it does not make sense to optimize one lens only and release other lenses , because DSLR is a system to accommodate multiple lenses. The reason for the delay is most likely a business reason... either it will be a different lens outsourced to a third party (like the DFA24-70), or there is another business reason for not releasing that lens now... (strategic decision from Ricoh HQ ?). However, now that Pentaxians have been able to wait 4 or 5 years, it should not be a problem for them to wait a few more months to finally save their k mount investment or anything else.

[Zygonyx]

Tripod mount >< technical reason ?

[Madaboutpix]

Yes, product delays can be frustrating. But by choosing the star designation for the upcoming lens, Ricoh have set the bar for themselves deliberately high. As Roger Cicala hinted in one of his teardown articles I recall, fast FF 70-200 AF lenses are among the most demanding to design and reliably produce. Ricoh must know that, a lot of credibility for the FF system will rest on that lens alone, and it seems they want to make it count.

I'd prefer their perhaps a little over-cautious approach any day to them going down the quick-and-dirty road, as that would be even more detrimental to the Pentax brand. Whether it is a far-reaching design issue or just an optimized tripod collar, who is in a position to tell? Asahiman the oracle perhaps (no offence intended). As long as they can offer their 70-200 together with the FF, I don't know what all the fuss is about. I bet they will finally deliver, and the result will be pretty awesome.

[biz-engineer]

Tripod mount >< technical reason ?

yes, a tripod mount is super difficult to redesign, can you imagine they have to redesign the whole lens!

---------- Post added 17-12-15 at 22:08 ----------

Yes, product delays can be frustrating. But by choosing the star designation for the upcoming lens, Ricoh have set the bar for themselves deliberately high.

Yes, it's well known, a star less is difficult to design, even competitors don't have star lenses... (but they have L and fluorite lenses ah ah oh oh !!! , no just kidding)

[zapp]

It is readily apparent both the camera and the lens will be officially announced and shown at CP+. Both will ship in early April, as Ricoh has officially stated (Spring 2016). It is evident Ricoh has reworked the design or perhaps resourced components of the 70~200, and perhaps changed the ship date for marketing reasons.

We should pay attention to Ricoh Japan's official statements, not 'insider' rumors (no matter how reliable they have been in the past) nor even to Ricoh Imaging NA indicated ship dates (as revealed by availability dates on retailer websites). It is just as reasonable to speculate Ricoh is swamped with pre-orders for both and is taking extra time to build product inventory as it is to speculate they're having technical difficulties.

Relax. We'll all know soon enough. Just sayin'

The lens was announced Feb 2015.
Rumors without speculation are not rumors.