[BigMackCam]

Agreed on Pentax coatings being better than the Tamron coatings, but how is the WR any different? I didn't think there were any more gaskets or similar hardware differences between Pentax & Tamron labeled units in this way.

The G2 Tamron lenses have better dust and moisture resistance than the first gen models - at least, that's the claim (in reality, this might simply amount to one or more additional or better designed foam rings internally). The Pentax D FA24-70 f/2.8 was based on the G1... but I don't believe Ricoh would have released it as a WR lens unless, at the very least, it equalled the WR capabilities of other lenses in the line up... and, since I don't believe Tamron's G2 lenses are any more weather resistant than Pentax WR spec, I view the Pentax lens as equivalent to a G2 minus the VC...

[clickclick]

Honestly not sure what their warranty period is here in the U.S.. I know I've read lots of reviews in the past where we were 1 year, and Europe was 2 on warranties, but I can't say those were Tamron products.

I just took a quick trip over to B&H to check out the Nikon variant, and it shows a 6 year "limited" warranty. Hhhmmmmm

Tamron 70-210mm f/4 Di VC USD Lens for Nikon F AFA034N-700 B&H

[luftfluss]

Folks (well, some of them) also want to dictate on Ricoh's behalf how much cost was attributed to the collaboration with Tamron, including cosmetic re-branding, lens coatings, WR materials / components (if different), focus limiter and firmware optimisation / testing etc.; plus, how much Ricoh should be allowed to profit from each lens after those costs

As I said in an earlier post, we'd all like the lens to be cheap or given away for free, so far as our own personal benefit is concerned. Looking at the bigger picture, though, we should want Pentax to remain a profitable and viable concern for Ricoh. There's a balance to be found...

We're in a curious situation with this lens, because the lens upon which it is based has been available for so long and aggressively discounted.

Looking at the DFA* 50/1.4 vs the Tokina Opera 50/1.4, there is only a 10-20% premium for the Pentax version. (USA prices)

The Pentax 15-30 and Tamron 15-30 G2 are currently the same price, the Tamron G1 is about 25% cheaper.

I think the huge price disparity between the new Pentax 70-210/4 vs the Tamron original is just an aberration. IMO folks are justified with griping about the price differential, but the Pentax price will drop eventually and I don't believe this is necessarily indicative of how things will be going forward.

[monochrome]

May very well just be varaiability in production causing these results. Or maybe they just enhanced production over time. I do not expect Pentax to sell their coating to Tamron without any notice.

Why do you think that? Asahi Optical silently licensed at least parts of the SMC technology* to virtually every lens maker save Leica (who claimed multi-coating wasn’t necessary but quietly adopted it once patents expired). It was a massive revenue source. In fact the demise of Asahi can largely be tied to the end of royalty payments associated with SMC when the patents expired.

* Asahi did not invent lens multi coating, they bought the process from a California industrial lab. Lens coating is an industrial process. Think of SMC not only as the actual coating formula, but the techniques and technology to apply it cost effectively, which is where many patents were licensed. source: Flare Control in Multi Coated Lenses of the Seventies

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Last edited by monochrome; 01-22-2020 at 01:09 PM.

[bladerunner6]

To all the people commenting about warranties- buy the lens with a credit card that extends warranties. Our Costco Citi card adds two years.

[WorksAsIntended]

Why do you think that? Asahi Optical silently licensed at least parts of the SMC technology* to virtually every lens maker save Leica (who claimed multi-coating wasn’t necessary but quietly adopted it once patents expired). It was a massive revenue source. In fact the demise of Asahi can largely be tied to the end of royalty payments associated with SMC when the patents expired.

* Asahi did not invent lens multi coating, they bought the process from a California industrial lab. Lens coating is an industrial process. Think of SMC not only as the actual coating formula, but the techniques and technology to apply them cost effectively, which is where many patents were licensed. source: Flare Control in Multi Coated Lenses of the Seventies

Indeed. If they would share tech with Tamron, Tamron would have renamed the coating on this lense at least. Also it just has a different color than the Tamrons I have seen.

[monochrome]

Because they put the coatings and fine-tuning of the Pentax now also in their own v2.

That's what I was thinking - they apparently increased the quality of the aspherical elements, which could be the reason the Pentax 70-210 shows extra marketting fluff on those. Let's see how it tests in the end.

It is entirely feasible to think Ricoh collaborated in designing part of the manufacturing process for the G2 as to coating the elements, thus obtaining rights to later market the lens as a Pentax product. Sort of the converse of the Tokina Opera 50/1.4.

[thibs]

It’s not useless. When half the people commenting on a newly announced product click that they own it, you know the comments are all completely fictional

-Eric

That's what I meant, somehow

[thibs]

Tamron does reverse engineering for the other mounts, not the K-mount. That's what I said.

Afaik Tamron does NEVER reverse engineer mounts.

[BigMackCam]

Afaik Tamron does NEVER reverse engineer mounts.

On the Nikon Rumours website, 30 April 2019, interview with Tamron:

Q: Do you have plans to create lenses for Canon RF and Nikon Z?

A: Yes, we’re also looking at that area. We have to do a lot of research and development into the reverse engineering, because they don’t disclose the details of their systems, so it’s a really hard job for us.

[clickclick]

To all the people commenting about warranties- buy the lens with a credit card that extends warranties. Our Costco Citi card adds two years.

I was only looking at mandatory warranty periods as an explanation for higher costs in Europe versus the U.S., but since Tamron has a 6 year warranty here, that wouldn't seem to explain it.

[Mistral75]

Announced at 10pm UTC as anticipated:

Ricoh unveils HD Pentax-D FA 70?210mm F4 ED SDM WR telephoto zoom lens | Digital Photography Review

€1,199 / $1,099.95 / £1,199.

[phoebus]

SRS Pentax 70-210 pre-orders

Only £1199....

[Mistral75]

HD PENTAX-D FA 70-210mmF4ED SDM WR - RICOH IMAGING EUROPE S.A.S

Same seals as the Tamron version.

[RobG]

The lens was announced by Pentax Australia this morning on Facebook.