[Unregistered User 8]

There was no equivalent video from Pentax showing the process of manufacturing the Pentax-DA 560mm F5.6 ED AW, but this Canon video would represent a very similar picture of start to finish methinks. The initial R&D of designing the lens, the manufacturing of all the non-glass components inside and outside the barrel, the glass itself and then the final assembly show where the money goes for high end lenses.
The video goes for about 14 minutes, but it didn't seem that long for me.

You Tube

You Tube

[Stefan Jr]

Very interesting indeed.

[yucatanPentax]

Very interesting! The two big takeaways for me, beyond the complexity of the overall process, was that

1) 100 or so compounds may go into the glass composition. That's some real fine-tuning. I'm sure people who understand optical design better than me would know how certain substances affect the passage of light through each individual lens component, but I simply find the complexity amazing!

2) the plastic jigs or "handlers" used to position and apparently tighten the individual lenses into place. Seems they'd need a tray of these tools for each lens type made. Maybe some cheaper lenses are mass produced, but just all the "extras" like that needed ... what an amazing job. It would be like solving a complex jigsaw puzzle over and over, but add in ultra-cleanliness and precision.

I think this explains a lot about why it takes awhile to come out with new lenses for any manufacturer. Handmade lends itself to the phrasing "workshop like" or whatever it was that Pentax said regarding their future plans. It seems that's what happens anyway, at least for more costly lenses. They were probably speaking from their area of expertise, rather than from the general public's viewpoint of photographic manufacturing.

[Roam Redway]

Very interesting. I was a bit surprised that there was nothing mentioned about “clean room” conditions to reduce the opportunities for dust to enter the lens during assembly.