Originally posted by Skodadriver maybe they can again
D-FA15-30/2.8 and D-FA 24-70/2.8 - just how much of each is Tamron building and then Pentax finishing?
Ultimately with Tamron responsible for two of Pentax's flagship zooms (not *, please note), it's down to whether Ricoh Imaging thinks there's a place for an APS-C 18-400 in its lineup. If so, it might be willing to negotiate with Tamron for a Pentax-branded build or design licence. However, with the 55-300 PLM lens relatively fresh in the market, I don't see them rushing to anyone else's door for a lens (even a superzoom) which would compete with the long end of that.
IF - a big if - they felt the 18-270 was becoming sufficiently long in the tooth, then we might hear something about it. But I suspect they will be waiting for a bit longer to see how PLM performs in the real world, and then any superzoom which they bring out would probably incorporate it from the start.This would potentially mean a substantial redesign to the Tamron unit, with all the costs that involves. Plus, talk of a successor (especially one that promises more than the original) tends to kill sales for any lens dead, and among the amateur market news of an upcoming PLM WR 18-400 would probably wipe out sales for several of Pentax's current offerings.