Originally posted by jatrax Define 'regular'. I think introduction of new products is going to slow dramatically from all vendors, at least the traditional ones. I think the days of many new bodies and lenses each year are gone forever.
The market is shrinking. And the way to survive in a shrinking market is play safe and never overextend. One win at a time with limited investment risk. Sounds like what Ricoh is doing actually.
I’d be more concerned to define “refresh”. That word sounds to me like a small change to an existing product or group, such as the move from SMC to HD coatings in the DA lenses. There are several of those still to be changed, BTW, but the move to KAF4 is another, and even that seems to be paused while the D FA lenses are slowly rolled out.
Completing the move to HD coatings (and rounded aperture blades, though I recognise some prefer starbursts to bokeh rendering) would involve minimal production process change, and could be programmed to occur with each lens as the previous batch is completed. Converting to KAF4 would involve greater manufacturing change, but still less than with a completely new lens design.