[reh321]

The 24-70 is a good lense and quite cheap to get.

However I NEVER heard anybody saying the Tamron 24-70 is on the same level as the 24-70/2.8 by Sony, Z or F mount 24-70/2.8 by Nikon or the two Canons, the new one even at f2.0.
They are all generally better in optical quality and much more expensive, so it is ok.
The Tamron suffers from bad bokeh rings (the reason I do not use it).

The area in focus is what causes me to purchase or not purchase a zoom lens.

[WorksAsIntended]

The area in focus is what causes me to purchase or not purchase a zoom lens.

Well, I am interested in the whole image.

[Rondec]

This lens has it all.
Ring type KAF4 motor.
"This lens features PENTAX’s latest HD Coating.* ". (As if Pentax was going to resurrect older coatings for a new lens.)

A second fast focusing telephoto to go with the DA 55-300 PLM. Electronic diaphragm and all.
All that speculation about how it could be less than a modern up to date lens for nothing. Once again, apart from the slowness of the release all that worry about Pentax producing inferior product using old tech. or whatever was nothing but anti-Pentax negativity.

How many times do you have to be wrong, before you clue in?

However, the lack of a 2x TC is still concern, along with the price.

I think the point about the coating is that it is Pentax's rather than Tamron's coating.

[luftfluss]

The 24-70 is a good lense and quite cheap to get.

However I NEVER heard anybody saying the Tamron 24-70 is on the same level as the 24-70/2.8 by Sony, Z or F mount 24-70/2.8 by Nikon or the two Canons, the new one even at f2.0.
They are all generally better in optical quality and much more expensive, so it is ok.
The Tamron suffers from bad bokeh rings (the reason I do not use it).

I don't know about the 24-70, but the Tamron 15-30 cited by @biz-engineer certainly tested well compared with its oem rivals, according to Lenstip:

You can argue long and loudly whether it is easier to design a 15-30 mm or a 14-24 mm lens. You can also discuss passionately what is more important: one millimeter at the wide end or six millimeters at the long one. One thing is true: both the Tamron 15-30 mm and the Nikkor 14-24 mm are lenses difficult to produce and they got in our tests similarly high results. If I had to choose a winner of that duel I would point at the Tamron but I have to say it was only slightly better. Its advantages consist not only of the good test results; its price, compared to that of the Nikkor, is better, it features optical stabilization and it comes with a five-year long warranty period.

When it comes to the duel with the Canon EF 16–35 mm f/2.8L USM II the Tamron wins hands down. The Canon was able to compete successfully only in the frame centre, on the edge of the frame it was definitely worse. Still it is possible to use filters with it, a quite important asset in this class of parameters.
To sum up the boasting of Tamron about the superior quality of their new lens proved to be true. The company managed to present a device which compares favourably with its rivals, is cheaper, has optical stabilization and a 5-year warranty period - it would be difficult not to recommend it. Independent producers have been proving for some time that they are no longer specializing in cheap equivalents of brand name lenses. The Tamron 15-30 mm is an excellent example of that strategy.

[WorksAsIntended]

Right, the 15-30 is more competitive in that manner.

[Wheatfield]

I think the point about the coating is that it is Pentax's rather than Tamron's coating.

If Pentax is flogging the coatings as being their coatings, then the coatings are Pentax. Ricoh is not about to get caught up in a legal quagmire about false advertising. I really can’t believe that this is even a topic of conversation.

[ZeljkoS]

Looks like a whole bunch of people are salty because good quality lenses are expensive.

I would personally buy this lens if I had a use for it, and if I could rationalize the expense. However, it would require also a body upgrade, and I'm not ready to part with my K-5IIs just yet.
Perhaps when the new K-? comes out, and I save up some extra cash, it would be a nice present from myself to myself.

[monochrome]

I guess Ricoh guys know how to select a lens better than me. They eventually have an optical test bench to measure lenses that I don't even have. So far, the 15-30 and 24-70 are no slouch. In fact , there are a number of reviewers said those Tamy are as good as or outclass some of the Canikon own lenses. Ricoh haven't chosen the cheapo Tamron for the K1, they'd chosen to rebardge only the best of the Tamron zoom lenses. Honestly, if a third party lens design was as good as the one from leading brands, I would even bother designing my own at the risk of it not being as good. The funny thing is the complain about a lens being originally designed by Tamron.. do you want the Tamron glass with lightning fast AF motor (and cost of development mostly paid by customers of other brands), or you want a Pentax own design with slow AF motor at double the price?

Considering Hirakawa Jun managed their design department for a decade might have something to do with that.

[reh321]

Looks like a whole bunch of people are salty because good quality lenses are expensive.

I would personally buy this lens if I had a use for it, and if I could rationalize the expense. However, it would require also a body upgrade, and I'm not ready to part with my K-5IIs just yet.
Perhaps when the new K-? comes out, and I save up some extra cash, it would be a nice present from myself to myself.

I wouldn't even think of it unless I were purchasing a "FF" camera. For them it looks like a good deal, but for me, I will stick with my 55-300mm PLM lens + 1.4 X TC.

[reh321]

do you want the Tamron glass with lightning fast AF motor (and cost of development mostly paid by customers of other brands), or you want a Pentax own design with slow AF motor at double the price?

There is no reason to assume Pentax engineers will produce a lens with slow AF. The 55-300 PLM auto focuses very fast.

[Kunzite]

There is no reason to assume Pentax engineers will produce a lens with slow AF. The 55-300 PLM auto focuses very fast.

Well, there's a choice of 3 motors: DC, PLM and ring-type SDM - thus a matter of which one they'd be using for a particular lens.
For stills at least, they have everything they need to make fast focusing lenses.
The future appears to be PLM-like variations (eventually adapted for heavy focusing groups, and/or dual/multiple focusing groups). They still don't have these.

But indeed, I don't expect them to make a lens with slow AF. A decent, not as fast as others - surely possible, particularly if they'd be using the DC motor. Slow? The SDM micromotor days are ancient history.
A Pentax-made 70-200 f/4 likely would have been a DC lens.

[repaap]

The 24-70 is a good lense and quite cheap to get.

However I NEVER heard anybody saying the Tamron 24-70 is on the same level as the 24-70/2.8 by Sony, Z or F mount 24-70/2.8 by Nikon or the two Canons, the new one even at f2.0.
They are all generally better in optical quality and much more expensive, so it is ok.
The Tamron suffers from bad bokeh rings (the reason I do not use it).

I'm hoping for DFA*24-70/2.8, more expensive, yes.

[normhead]

Well, there's a choice of 3 motors: DC, PLM and ring-type SDM - thus a matter of which one they'd be using for a particular lens.
For stills at least, they have everything they need to make fast focusing lenses.
The future appears to be PLM-like variations (eventually adapted for heavy focusing groups, and/or dual/multiple focusing groups). They still don't have these.

But indeed, I don't expect them to make a lens with slow AF. A decent, not as fast as others - surely possible, particularly if they'd be using the DC motor. Slow? The SDM micromotor days are ancient history.
A Pentax-made 70-200 f/4 likely would have been a DC lens.

Likely or unlikely depending on your perspective.

[Kunzite]

Likely or unlikely depending on your perspective.

Well, the DA* 11-18mm is a DC lens...

[luftfluss]

Likely or unlikely depending on your perspective.

A quick look at the latest DFA zooms shows that the Pentax-designed models have the DC designation while the Tamron-designed models are SDM.