[pres589]

I like what Norm wrote.

[BigMackCam]

The cause of all the cerfuffel is that camera gear is a trust businesses. Your investment (time & money) hangs on the continued development of the product line.

Pentax is terrible at managing trust and expectations because they barely communicate. A steady release of new products is important even when you're not buying them.

You could argue that photography might be approaching a commodity phase where everything is good enough for most people and new releases become minority upgrades.

Thanks for that - it makes absolute sense. I clearly don't fall into the category of owners who think that way, though... When I bought my Hasselblad HV, the writing was already on the wall for A-mount (and, indeed, for the HV itself!), but I was happy that I could obtain lenses to suit my needs and keep me going for many years to come. However, my motivation for buying it was, I accept, quite different than that of K-1 buyers. Still, though, if Ricoh / Pentax were never to release another lens, I wonder how much of a real problem that would be for existing owners... I mean, a problem that would prevent them from getting full value and full use from their cameras?

[Kunzite]

Mike, what I'm actually waiting for is the ultra wide-angle from the roadmap - and this, mostly because I want to avoid getting the 15-30.
I hope after CP+ I'll have an idea about their pace, and decide to further wait or get something else.

Of course, it's not the equipment that prevents me from taking good pictures. And while I would've preferred a nice set of high quality f/1.8 primes, I accept the D FA*s as being very important for the K-mount. Introducing ring-type SDM is not done on budget lenses; same for re-gaining their reputation as a lens maker.

[BigMackCam]

Mike, what I'm actually waiting for is the ultra wide-angle from the roadmap - and this, mostly because I want to avoid getting the 15-30.
I hope after CP+ I'll have an idea about their pace, and decide to further wait or get something else.

Of course, it's not the equipment that prevents me from taking good pictures. And while I would've preferred a nice set of high quality f/1.8 primes, I accept the D FA*s as being very important for the K-mount. Introducing ring-type SDM is not done on budget lenses; same for re-gaining their reputation as a lens maker.

OK, thanks - I get this too So, you have a genuine requirement for UWA, but don't want the 15-30 because it's excessive in size / weight / focal length range. And, if the UWA lens doesn't look like it'll materialise early enough, you'll then look at other options.

Great, that makes sense

[jlstrawman]

I like what Norm wrote.

Me too.

[robjmitchell]

Norm just wants Ricoh to produce lenses that fill out his needs in a system that was never aimed at him. The K1 is a professional level camera and Ricoh are choosing to release professional lenses to match so they can get professional shooters from other brands to buy into the Pentax System. The 6 month delay is logically related to the introduction of the ring type SDM, an area that Ricoh clearly needed to address.
Its also clear from the lens map that Ricoh intends to release consumer level lenses such as 70-300 and maybe the ultra wide. Presumably they will also release a consumer orientated FF camera to match at some point. The F4 Lenses that Norm craves are the lowest priority since they are effectively covered by the APS-C F2.8 zooms at lower resolution. Something that Canon and Nikon dont produce.

[BROO]

I didn't know this lens has been delayed? What happened?
So it's not going to be released within the financial year?
Damn.I was so looking forward to CP+

[Kunzite]

Delayed as in delayed until spring 2018. You can still look forward for a CP+ announcement.

[ffking]

As I've said before - in so many words - I think Pentax needs this lens more than I do - more than many of us do - but it needs top quality modern primes to be the premium brand it aspires to be, whatever the actual sales figures are. I happen to think that when people start seeing results from the lens, acute LBA will kick in hard for those who have the cash to afford it - and many who don't.

[surfar]

WR 20mm ƒ4 PLM

This is what would interest me too.

[BROO]

Delayed as in delayed until spring 2018. You can still look forward for a CP+ announcement.

I thought CP+ was in spring!
And from what point of reference is delayed?
My point is.......there is no delay.

[Kunzite]

Well, people hoped for it to become available in the calendar year 2017 (as it first appeared on the roadmap as "2017 or later"). But we know now that it will be launched this spring - this is official information.
CP+ starts in March 1st this year.

[BROO]

The F4 Lenses that Norm craves are the lowest priority since they are effectively covered by the APS-C F2.8 zooms at lower resolution. Something that Canon and Nikon dont produce

I just don't understand why people who want a compact DSLR with a wide angle fixed prime lens can't buy a Pentax KP and 15mm DFA f4.0 and be done with?

[Dan Rentea]

Still, though, if Ricoh / Pentax were never to release another lens, I wonder how much of a real problem that would be for existing owners... I mean, a problem that would prevent them from getting full value and full use from their cameras?

It's not about getting full value and full use from current Pentax gear. We have available the new f2.8 zoom lenses for K1 if we need to deliver great results for clients. That doesn't mean that I don't want good alternatives for these new lenses.

I really don't want/enjoy to:
- use manual focus lenses
- use big and heavy zoom lenses
- use lenses with terible chromatic aberation and with slow af (old lenses have these kind of problems)
- etc.

knowing that there are 2 other brands who make DSLRs and another few others who make mirrorless cameras that can provide me what I want. I know that cameras and lenses are only tools, but we (I to be more specific) want to enjoy also shooting with them and get better results than I get with the old ones. And by better results I don't need DXO charts to tell me which lens can resolve the resolution from cameras with lots of mp (K1, D850, 5Ds, etc.). If the subject is in focus, I can make it look sharper in Photoshop if needed. If a new FA77mm f1.8 lens would be released tomorow and if DXO will tell me that the old FA77mm is by 20% sharper than the new one, but the new one has a lot less chromatic aberation and a lot faster af, I would buy the new lens without blinking.

I really want to enjoy the benefits of the new technology and for K1 we do have the new zoom lenses that would do the job better (opticaly speaking) than the film era lenses. I would not enjoy the weight, but if Pentax would not release another lens, I would buy the new lenses instead of the old ones.

I don't say that a new 50mm isn't needed (even if I don't use 50mm primes) and I understand the ones that will buy it as soon as it will be available. It's just that Ricoh for sure is not in a hurry of releasing new lenses and I think that also the lack of third party manufacturer's support makes the Pentax "situation" look not so promising for some.

[BROO]

Originally posted by normhead
WR 20mm ƒ4 PLM
This is what would interest me too.

This would be good. Maybe as a limited?