[davidsladek]

I think we can be confident that Ricoh/Pentax won't throw any optical half bake into the * line, they have increased the standard of the STAR line to unparalleled levels

[reh321]

The Tamron version of this lens is 400$! The optics are fine! What more could they hope to achieve with an optical redesign? It would perform better. But then they would have to hike the price too. A barrel redesign, along with the newer HD coatings, would be awesome! They could just install a removable plastic baffle, that's user removable! With the new 70-210 out and about. Everyone has forgotten, how amazing the 60-250 is. And it's better built. That's why it's heavier

Why install a “plastic baffle”? Why not just construct a DFA lens?
And Pentax has proven their ability to provide in-lens AF motors in recent years.

But they can design only so many new lenses right now.
Right now they need to focus their attention {and so do we} on the DA* 16-50,
so there will be an appropriate ‘normal’ lens to kit with the K-3iii.

[BigMackCam]

I will look forward to that, probably some time around 2030...

All in good time, Jonathan... All in good time

[taks]

But they can design only so many new lenses right now.

Wasn't there a rumor at one point that 70-200 f4 lens on the road map was delayed/abandoned to allow development of the DA*16-50 mk2? (I can't find the source) About a year later we got a tammy based 70-210. Anyway I'm looking forward to trying out the plm on the DA*

[mlt]

Wasn't there a rumor at one point that 70-200 f4 lens on the road map was delayed/abandoned to allow development of the DA*16-50 mk2? (I can't find the source) About a year later we got a tammy based 70-210. Anyway I'm looking forward to trying out the plm on the DA*

Not sure about that rumor, but I think the * and Limited series lenses are going to take precedence over future plain DA or D-FA lens developments for the next couple of years.

[house]

Not sure about that rumor, but I think the * and Limited series lenses are going to take precedence over future plain DA or D-FA lens developments for the next couple of years.

In the video they did say that more compact and affordable lenses were on the way.

[mlt]

In the video they did say that more compact and affordable lenses were on the way.

That would go along with the Limited vs * lens releases. I didn’t take that to mean they were referencing plain DA or DA-L type designs for a more “affordable” line. The APSC line-up is already pretty well covered.

[SunnyG.]

... and the eye-watering focus breathing... and the weight... and others are right that a new motor would require a barrel or optical re-design.

Back on topic, I understand the focusing design for the forthcoming HD DA*16-50 has changed to allow use of PLM for AF (PLM wouldn't have been strong enough for the old model). It's not a minor tweak to the lens, but essentially a whole new model that happens to cover the same focal length range...

This lens does looks promising! Like the new 11-18

[torge]

how about a re-take on the optically excellent 50-135mm?
It would benefit greatly from a faster, possibly PLM, motor.
I assume, it would also have to be redesigned to allow for the use of a lighter focusing group?

[Mistral75]

how about a re-take on the optically excellent 50-135mm?
It would benefit greatly from a faster, possibly PLM, motor.
I assume, it would also have to be redesigned to allow for the use of a lighter focusing group?

Yes, it would.

[MegaPower]

how about a re-take on the optically excellent 50-135mm?
It would benefit greatly from a faster, possibly PLM, motor.
I assume, it would also have to be redesigned to allow for the use of a lighter focusing group?

If they want to focus faster, they better get a lighter focusing group.
Hopefully, not a lot more of lenses and heavier weight.

[torge]

development will take it's time then however

[Mbaez]

Looking at the speed Pentax moves 2030 sounds reasonable.

I will look forward to that, probably some time around 2030...

[Rondec]

how about a re-take on the optically excellent 50-135mm?
It would benefit greatly from a faster, possibly PLM, motor.
I assume, it would also have to be redesigned to allow for the use of a lighter focusing group?

I would think a DC or ring motor would be fast enough and very feasible for the DA *50-135 version 2. Optically it's great, but the motor is slow. It would need a total redesign to get it to be a PLM lens (if that was even possible).

[repaap]

I would think a DC or ring motor would be fast enough and very feasible for the DA *50-135 version 2. Optically it's great, but the motor is slow. It would need a total redesign to get it to be a PLM lens (if that was even possible).

I suppose that there has been quite a bit of redesign with DA* 16-50 too. Why not with 50-135 too. Looking at recent lenses they certainly have got what it takes to do so