[Alex645]

I think Chuck Westfall from Canon has said in the past they've never granted licences to anyone.

Yet Yongnuo make clone flashes and even a copy of the venerable 50mm f1.4! (I nearly bought one, but went with a genuine nifty fifty Canon f1.8)

As most of the world are signatories to the Patent Cooperation Treaty, my understanding is that most patents expire in 10-20 years (depending on when it was filed) whether weʻre talking about hardware or firmware. Litigation can probably cost a company more than the loss of sales from reverse engineered third party clones or the fringe benefit of its effect on their overall sales of their system.

I know for years, Sony as an innovator learned the hard way that proprietary patents do not always benefit the bottom line when you look back at their video formats.

[pres589]

The Yongnuo situation is crazy with how close they seem to want to emulate the look and feel of some lenses like the Canon 50 1.8. I'm surprised that Canon's legal team hasn't sued them into the earth. Probably easier said than done and maybe Canon doesn't care much about losing market share in an area where they probably make no money anyway.

[Na Horuk]

The Yongnuo situation is crazy with how close they seem to want to emulate the look and feel of some lenses like the Canon 50 1.8. I'm surprised that Canon's legal team hasn't sued them into the earth. Probably easier said than done and maybe Canon doesn't care much about losing market share in an area where they probably make no money anyway.

Yeah, it is remarkably similar! But it apparently has a different optical formula.
But keep in mind the Horus Bennu 50mm lens. It take a lot of Pentax symbols: HorusBennu 50mm F1.7 MC (PK) Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
It has a *, it says Limited, the overall look reminds of M 50mm f1.7.. so "replicas" are not that new, and Pentax was a victim of this before Canikon

I know for years, Sony as an innovator learned the hard way that proprietary patents do not always benefit the bottom line when you look back at their video formats.

Sony tried this with so many technologies. Disks, recording devices, flash hotshoe,.. they were always hated for it. I don't know about their bottom line, but I definitely prefer to see universal technologies. Makes things much easier for consumers, instead of expensive proprietary cables, adapters, special software,... and it is better for competition, innovation, and even the environment (instead of a cable for each device, you only need one USB cable, for example. much less material and waste overall)

[mee]

The Yongnuo situation is crazy with how close they seem to want to emulate the look and feel of some lenses like the Canon 50 1.8. I'm surprised that Canon's legal team hasn't sued them into the earth. Probably easier said than done and maybe Canon doesn't care much about losing market share in an area where they probably make no money anyway.

My understanding is those patents expired.. and motor wise they are awful and not copies of the actual Canon. The Yongnuo lenses are LOUD and kind of slow. The Canon ones are much quieter.

[dcpropilot]

So, when's the new 50 going to be released? Any word at all on a release date, or is my extended warranty on my K-1 going to be expired by then?

[RonHendriks1966]

So, when's the new 50 going to be released? Any word at all on a release date, or is my extended warranty on my K-1 going to be expired by then?

Well there is no real information. So maybe at the end of this year.

[Winder]

Well there is no real information. So maybe at the end of this year.

Yeah. Ricoh is pretty slow at everything they do. I would not expect to see any new glass until late this year. Hope I'm wrong.

[mee]

So, when's the new 50 going to be released? Any word at all on a release date, or is my extended warranty on my K-1 going to be expired by then?

Think closer to September/October. Forget anything soon. Then you won't be disappointed when it doesn't come soon. Corporate deadlines are meant to be broken, not kept.

[zapp]

Think closer to September/October. Forget anything soon. Then you won't be disappointed when it doesn't come soon. Corporate deadlines are meant to be broken, not kept.

50 in October also implies 85 in mid 2018?
Presenting one lens per year is not funny after presenting a FF camera.

50 was a mock up, so you are probably correct. I would be happy to play with the 85 today and not just in a years time.

[D1N0]

50 in October also implies 85 in mid 2018?
Presenting one lens per year is not funny after presenting a FF camera.

50 was a mock up, so you are probably correct. I would be happy to play with the 85 today and not just in a years time.

This is all pure conjecture

[asahi man]

50 in October also implies 85 in mid 2018?
Presenting one lens per year is not funny after presenting a FF camera.

50 was a mock up, so you are probably correct. I would be happy to play with the 85 today and not just in a years time.

Pentax K-1 was also only a mock-up at first show and behind the certain in first production run.
If Pentax and Nikon tells you,there is a lens or camera in development,than its normally in pre production and a real thing
It's possible that the 50 is in target end of this year and 85 spring/summer next year.
The 3 new lenses are definitely not only rumours.
Best regards

[Reed]

Is there anything else to surprise us beside k-3ii successor and new high grade primes on the horizon?

[pres589]

Is there anything else to surprise us beside k-3ii successor and new high grade primes on the horizon?

Where was a K-3II successor mentioned? I must have missed this.

[Reed]

Just assumed in other thread about k-3 successor Nothing official

[k1man]

Not at all an interesting lens when you consider the 55 F1.4 I have and works great on FF, that said the 85mm F1.4 and a 135mm F2, one is a dream come true already got the money previewed for that just gotta see about a 135 lens. Hope Ricoh/Pentax take notice, kind regards to all who read. Ian