Source from Pentaxforum:
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/...2-great-news-da-18-55-wr-kit-lens-come-4.html
Pentax representatives has officially stated in interviews that Pentax will release a new lens serie with the same optical design as the current serie. Now, why release a new lens serie without optical changes, and what changes are made in those new lenses if the changes are not to the optics?
Answer is simple - the new lens serie will have weather sealing and improved in-lens autofocus motors for the improved AF in the new and coming bodies. No optical changes because it would cost too much to change the optics, it does not cost really as much - and does not take as long time doing - to add weather sealing to existing lenses.
Of course those new lenses needs a new name in order to avoid confusing with the existing serie.
A 18-55 II with weather sealing is a logical choice, it will also match the weather sealed new in-between camera - the camera in-between the new K-7 and the existing K-m. And it will bring down the price of the new K-7.
The K-m has the DA L-lenses, without weather sealing.
The new and coming weather sealed lenses will match the new and coming weather sealed bodies well.
The 18-55 is just the beginning. I'm confident that the 17-70 will be updated soon with weather sealing also, and with improved in-lens AF for the enhance functionality in the new K-7.
For the 18-55 II, adding SDM might be too much of a job.
It will of course take some time for Pentax to add weather sealing to existing lenses, and they will not add weather sealing to all of them.
No weather sealing to the Limiteds, and no SDM to them.
I see the 55-300, new 18-250 zoom, and 12-24 as the most logic candidates to be released in updated versions after the new 18-55 and 17-70.
Oh, the 30 f/1.4 will come - it was removed from the roadmap beacuse it isn't part of the current DA or DA Star lens serie. It is part of the new WR and SDM serie. Name as yet unknown.
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/...2-great-news-da-18-55-wr-kit-lens-come-4.html
Pentax representatives has officially stated in interviews that Pentax will release a new lens serie with the same optical design as the current serie. Now, why release a new lens serie without optical changes, and what changes are made in those new lenses if the changes are not to the optics?
Answer is simple - the new lens serie will have weather sealing and improved in-lens autofocus motors for the improved AF in the new and coming bodies. No optical changes because it would cost too much to change the optics, it does not cost really as much - and does not take as long time doing - to add weather sealing to existing lenses.
Of course those new lenses needs a new name in order to avoid confusing with the existing serie.
A 18-55 II with weather sealing is a logical choice, it will also match the weather sealed new in-between camera - the camera in-between the new K-7 and the existing K-m. And it will bring down the price of the new K-7.
The K-m has the DA L-lenses, without weather sealing.
The new and coming weather sealed lenses will match the new and coming weather sealed bodies well.
The 18-55 is just the beginning. I'm confident that the 17-70 will be updated soon with weather sealing also, and with improved in-lens AF for the enhance functionality in the new K-7.
For the 18-55 II, adding SDM might be too much of a job.
It will of course take some time for Pentax to add weather sealing to existing lenses, and they will not add weather sealing to all of them.
No weather sealing to the Limiteds, and no SDM to them.
I see the 55-300, new 18-250 zoom, and 12-24 as the most logic candidates to be released in updated versions after the new 18-55 and 17-70.
Oh, the 30 f/1.4 will come - it was removed from the roadmap beacuse it isn't part of the current DA or DA Star lens serie. It is part of the new WR and SDM serie. Name as yet unknown.
