Originally posted by repaap Except this lens is still quite old..that design. Toleranses are little different that pentax has to deliver. So not the same thing..
That lens is just an illustration, but better old than nothing.
---------- Post added 12-22-17 at 07:46 AM ----------
Originally posted by BROO It sounds like a great business strategy!
They invested in developing a camera and zoom lens line up and then went about the business of selling it. Maximizing income with little further development costs.
I have a suspicion here that Ricoh know a thing or two about what they are doing.
Now-presumably- they are funding new product development from sales revenue and not relying on huge cash injections from the parent company. Hence the conservative approach.
---------- Post added 12-21-17 at 05:40 PM ----------
I was also thinking the same thing and it sounds like a good strategy on paper but there is a catch.
Sales were much lower than expected and that slowed down new lens releases to the unacceptable level.
I am from a small EU country but with a few decades of Pentax tradition and a decent number of Pentax users.
We still have a regular shops here selling Pentax equipment with K-1 and all D-FA zooms currently in stock.
I've got some sales figures and in short selling of K-1 is miserable and D-FA zooms sales are total disaster.
Honestly I've expected 10x more sales when K-1 came out.
Pentax equipment is selling at the same shop side by side with Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus.
People are watching Pentax but very rarely buying K-1 and never buying those D-FA zooms except 28-105.
After this Christmas, for the first time in decades probably won't be Pentax equipment in stock anymore, just internet orders.
So no more touch&try for me and other Pentax users.
As a conclusion that was a great strategy by Ricoh which failed miserably, at least in my country.