[Mistral75]

Ricoh Imaging has quietly released a new version of the roadmap, dated November 2022:

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/products/lens/images/K_Mount_Lens.pdf

The differences from the August 1 version are as follows:

- The 'Macro Lens' of the '2022 or Later' segment has been embodied in the HD Pentax-D FA Macro 100mm f/2.8 ED AW in the 'Current Line Up', where it replaces the smc Pentax-D FA Macro 100 mm f/2.8 WR

- Three other lenses have disappeared from the 'Current Line Up':

• smc Pentax-DA 14mm f/2.8 ED [IF]
• smc Pentax-DA★ 200mm f/2.8 ED [IF] SDM
• smc Pentax-DA★ 60-250mm f/4 ED [IF] SDM

On the Japanese Ricoh Imaging website, they had been listed as 'Discontinued Lenses' by mid-October.

Curiously, the upcoming lenses segment is still titled '2022 or Later' and not '2023 or Later'. Oversight or hint of an upcoming announcement?

[Adam]

Interesting about the 60-250. Perhaps with the 70-210mm it's been made mostly redundant?

[thibs]

Interesting about the 60-250. Perhaps with the 70-210mm it's been made mostly redundant?

I believe so.

[pres589]

I imagine in the case of all three of those lenses, they hadn't been in production line flow in some time, and back stock was reduced to such a level as to be considered discontinued unless they ran another batch of each.

I think the most missed will be the 60-250. I'm hopeful that Ricoh updates this lens with usual improvements + whatever is needed for it to be considered full frame compliant.

[jersey]

Interesting about the 60-250. Perhaps with the 70-210mm it's been made mostly redundant?

Most likely that is how Ricoh sees it, but I think for DA shooters it is not really a replacement. It is 15 and 60mm difference in FoV between ends for both lenses. Though I doubt we we see true replacement in either FA od DA form as announced telezoom will have variable aperture and cannot be considered replacement for star lens.

I am glad I got this lens when it was still freely available.

Still it is an update, even if we already expected or knew about it. Better this then nothing

[FozzFoster]

Ricoh Imaging has quietly released a new version of the roadmap, dated November 2022:

Thanks for keeping us posted!

[deus ursus]

[...] Though I doubt we we see true replacement in either FA od DA form as announced telezoom will have variable aperture and cannot be considered replacement for star lens.
[...]

The road map doesn't say anything about it being a variable aperture lens. It just states it's a zoom lens.

[bladerunner6]

Interesting about the 60-250. Perhaps with the 70-210mm it's been made mostly redundant?

That is exactly my thought. In this vastly contracted camera market there is not much room for redundancy.

[simon_199]

So the previously rumored 50-135 PLM, as a redesign of the current lens, is not on the roadmap...

[jersey]

The road map doesn't say anything about it being a variable aperture lens. It just states it's a zoom lens.

Ok, it would be better to say that it is a guess, but look at this thread: HD Pentax-D FA 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 ED PLM WR SR & HD Pentax-DA★ 50-135mm f/2.8 ED PLM - PentaxForums.com

[Kevin B123]

So the previously rumored 50-135 PLM, as a redesign of the current lens, is not on the roadmap...

Updates to existing lenses typically don't make it onto the road map, they just appear one day out of the blue.

[simon_199]

Updates to existing lenses typically don't make it onto the road map, they just appear one day out of the blue.

Hope you are right. If it was the case for the 16-50 (was it the case ? don't remember the exact timeline) then we can expect as much for the 50-135.

[Kevin B123]

If it was the case for the 16-50 (was it the case ? don't remember the exact timeline) then we can expect as much for the 50-135.

I don't recall as I didn't follow that lens, but the limited's were updated that way and I think the 55-300 PLM just turned up too.

[Des]

I don't recall as I didn't follow that lens, but the limited's were updated that way and I think the 55-300 PLM just turned up too.

Makes sense, because they don't want to kill sales of the old models prematurely.

A new version of the DA*50-135 with HD coatings and superior AF would fill a hole as a companion for the new DA*16-50 and for the K-3iii.

I would like to see a new version of the DA*300mm f4 that can take full advantage of the improved AF of the K-3iii. One of the main selling points of the K-3iii is as a wildlife/sports camera so this is arguably the biggest hole in the DA lens lineup at present.

I'd love to see Ricoh work with Tamron on a rebadged 150-600 too (get Jun Hirakawa back working on K-mount!) but that's probably not going to happen.

BTW we haven't heard any of Asahiman's delphic pronouncements for a while have we? Last prediction I recall (a couple of years ago) was for some new TCs.

[Mistral75]

Updates to existing lenses typically don't make it onto the road map, they just appear one day out of the blue.

Hope you are right. If it was the case for the 16-50 (was it the case ? don't remember the exact timeline) then we can expect as much for the 50-135.

Based on past events, the rule, if there is one, is as follows:

• lenses with improvements in coatings or mechanics only, appear 'out of the blue': 100mm Macro WR, HD DA Limiteds, 55-300mm WR, HD FA 645 35mm f/3.5, HD 35mm f/2, HD fisheye, HD FA Limiteds
• lenses with improved optics are first introduced on the roadmap, albeit with a generic name: 'DA Standard Zoom Lens' (--> HD DA★ 16-50mm f/2.8 ED PLM AW), 'Macro Lens' (--> HD D FA Macro 100mm f/2.8 ED AW)

Concerning the latter, the time span between roadmap introduction and lens announcement varies greatly from one example to another:

• the DA Standard Zoom Lens was introduced on 28 February 2019 and the HD DA★ 16-50mm f/2.8 ED PLM AW was announced on 15 July 2021 (almost two and a half years)
• the Macro Lens was introduced on 1 August 2022 and the HD D FA Macro 100mm f/2.8 ED AW was announced on 20 October (less than three months)