[aurele]

It's a believable scenario. Tamron today is a different beast than 10 -15 years ago. It's turning out some really excellent glass, and build quality has improved significantly. I have a few fairly recent Tammies for my Sony A-mount gear... In particular, the 70-200 f/2.8 USD (G1) and 150-600 (G1), and I couldn't be happier with them. Reviews say the G2 versions are even better, which I find amazing given how well my first generation examples perform.

Agreed ! I'm pretty confident the lens will be really good. So far the level of the DFA lenses are way higher than what Pentax did before Ricoh.

[BigMackCam]

So why wasn't the cheapest and easiest course of action to update the 60-250 with HD, new SDM, and baffle removed?

As others have sort-of indicated, just because the 60-250 works on FF with the baffle removed doesn't mean it performs to Ricoh's wishes in that application (resolution, vignetting, etc.). To make it do so would be a considerable R&D exercise compared to striking a deal with Tamron for a lens that's 90% (or more) ready to go with Pentax. Coatings, firmware, maybe some minor internal tweaks (or maybe not) and it's good to rock 'n' roll...

[Riddler]

The New 70 210 is full frame?

[BigMackCam]

The New 70 210 is full frame?

Yup. All the way from the centre to the corners, and back again

[clickclick]

As others have sort-of indicated, just because the 60-250 works on FF with the baffle removed doesn't mean it performs to Ricoh's wishes in that application (resolution, vignetting, etc.). To make it do so would be a considerable R&D exercise compared to striking a deal with Tamron for a lens that's 90% (or more) ready to go with Pentax. Coatings, firmware, maybe some minor internal tweaks (or maybe not) and it's good to rock 'n' roll...

The 60-250 also needs a serious AF speed update to make it competitive in today's world. I like it very much with the baffle mod on my K-1 II, but AF speed is enough of an issue I can see buying the new 70-210. I won't be in the first round of adopters, but I can tell you what has a good chance of being on this upcoming year's Black Friday shopping list!

[Mistral75]

Yup. All the way from the centre to the corners, and back again

Do you mean this is a lens that causes rolling shutter?

[Paul the Sunman]

The 60-250 also needs a serious AF speed update to make it competitive in today's world. I like it very much with the baffle mod on my K-1 II, but AF speed is enough of an issue I can see buying the new 70-210. I won't be in the first round of adopters, but I can tell you what has a good chance of being on this upcoming year's Black Friday shopping list!

Makes sense. I might have been in the market for it if I didn't already have the DFA* 70-200 f/2.8. Actually, I wasn't even in the market for that lens, but when an insanely good deal for it popped up, I couldn't say no. The f/2.8 is one hell of a lens; let's hope the new 70-210 f/4 is a worthy alternative.

[sundown]

It could be that the Pentax D-FA 50-300mm F/4.5-5.6 is coming up soon too and it will cost around 500-600, hence 70-210/4 will cost ~1000.

[mee]

Even more important: The 35 1.4
100-400 should be covered by the DFA 150-450 in my opinion.

The f/1.8 lenses, along with the 100-400, aren't just about the range covered. Those lenses are also about being smaller and lighter than their f/1.4 or f/5.6 counterparts.

The 35 f/1.8 is about half a pound and an inch lighter/smaller. Also it has a shorter MFD and larger mag ratio over the f/1.4

The 100-400 is literally half the weight of the 150-450mm albeit it has a slower aperture, no focus limiter, and is likely a bit softer at faster aperture.


Horses for courses.

[WorksAsIntended]

If you want light and well build you can go for a FA31 Limitied or 35 F2 as an cheaper option, if you want a 30-35mm with 1.4 you need to get the Sigma.

[BigMackCam]

The 60-250 also needs a serious AF speed update to make it competitive in today's world. I like it very much with the baffle mod on my K-1 II, but AF speed is enough of an issue I can see buying the new 70-210. I won't be in the first round of adopters, but I can tell you what has a good chance of being on this upcoming year's Black Friday shopping list!

For the focal length range concerned, I adore the 60-250 - at least in term of its optical rendering (I've only used it on APS-C, but it renders superbly). The two big issues for me are the AF (both speed and potential unreliability, though mine has been A-OK so far), and vicious focus breathing at short range. Since the new 70-210 is also an internal focusing design - many of which are prone to some focus breathing - I'm interested to see how it fares for close-in work. If it's considerably better, then I might end up in next year's Black Friday queue

[Ray Pulley]

So why wasn't the cheapest and easiest course of action to update the 60-250 with HD, new SDM, and baffle removed?

Redesigning a lens for FF coverage and changing the focus mechanism = basically a new design.

Having spent many years managing electronics manufacturing operations of various kinds, I daresay that most don't have a clue what redesigning something entails. There are literally hundreds of parts, many of which are molded/tooled, and any such parts that will not work in the new design have to be redesigned, then re-tooled from scratch, which is a long and expensive process.

Added to that would be new focusing mechanisms which have to be fitted mechanically, extensively tested, then sourced and of course programmed to work in the new design.

Lastly, and certainly not least would be the optical design, which is actually probably closer to first in the design timeline. The lens elements and focusing groups dictate the size and position of the glass, which dictates the overall size and then dictates the places that sensors and motors have to go to drive the focus, zoom rings and aperture, and that dictates tooled/molded parts needed to make it all work.

It is far simpler/faster/cheaper to take an existing design and re-tool the mount parts, develop the firmware for the new body protocol and specify what coatings you want. Look at the comparo of both lenses above and you can see how little of the tooled/molded parts had to change: basically none except any associated with the mount. The same is undoubtedly true of the optics, focusing mechanism and aperture control as well.

[mee]

If you want light and well build you can go for a FA31 Limitied or 35 F2 as an cheaper option, if you want a 30-35mm with 1.4 you need to get the Sigma.

Both of the Pentax lenses you mentioned are black and decker screwdrivers from an age long past and never coming back. Plus they have no weather sealing.


The Tamrons have an ultrasonic motor and are sealed in the front, at the front and rear of the focus ring, and at the rear mount.

That said, you bring up a point you didn't meant to mention. With them spending time and money 'updating' the 35 f/2 (lipstick), I doubt they will spend even more on a 35 f/1.8

[WorksAsIntended]

Both of the Pentax lenses you mentioned are black and decker screwdrivers from an age long past and never coming back. Plus they have no weather sealing.


The Tamrons have an ultrasonic motor and are sealed in the front, at the front and rear of the focus ring, and at the rear mount.

That said, you bring up a point you didn't meant to mention. With them spending time and money 'updating' the 35 f/2 (lipstick), I doubt they will spend even more on a 35 f/1.8

I know there are reasons to update the lense, but still there is at least an option available.

[Rondec]

Looks like a straight rebadge to me. Probably with Pentax coatings, but I doubt anything else different. The proof will be when we see where the lens is manufactured. The DFA 15-30 and 24-70 are "Made in Japan," unlike Pentax lenses which are manufactured in Vietnam.

On the bright side this means that the launching price is going to drop considerably. The Pentax DFA 24-70 f2.8 is selling for 940 on Amazon and the Tamron 24-70 f2.8 is selling for 1200 and the Tamron 15-30 for Nikon is selling for 1200, the same as the Pentax DFA 15-30. I know you can often find the Tamron for 50 to 100 less than the DFA versions of the lens, but when the Tamron 70-210 f4 is selling for 600 dollars, it seems unlikely that the final price will be over 725 to 750.