Originally posted by Sandy Hancock But why do people feel that we *need* new stuff?
Subconsciously programmed, educated, to be a consumer animal.
---------- Post added 26-02-21 at 11:35 ----------
Originally posted by Kunzite I think I would have been happy with words on the D FA 21mm's launch, some lens from the roadmap presented "under glass", and a new lens on the roadmap.
That's not in their plans. The attention/communication slot was taken for the HD FA limited. Communication must remain simple to have an impact, too many messages dilute the effect, so they keep it simple, one product line at a time. They didn't decide to make HD FA limited last month, this is something they've been planning for sometime like a year or more. Vietnam plant has been working on lens elements and the machining of aluminium bodies, and the coating, and the assembly, more than 6 months ago, otherwise, how do you think Ricoh would be having those new HD limited lenses in retail stores in the coming weeks? D-FA21 is probably being worked on currently, and they'll promote it later. What should be understood is that Pentax have a mix of old traditional customers (especially in Japan) who has an emotional attachment to the Pentax tradition, and younger photographers who are looking at top-noch ultra-corrected big glass like the new D-FA zooms, the D-FA*50 and the D-FA*85. So what do Ricoh do? Well, they alternate between the top-notch heavy expensive glass and the "vintage" glass, so that to satisfy their two types of customers. In Japan, there are a lot of old time Pentax customers who have a collection of vintage Pentax lenses and have no intention to even use computers for their photography, some guy convert their raws in camera and print directly, they rely on Pentax styles and traditional lens rendering, it's old school, but it's a significant market for Pentax.