Last year, there were rumours that Pentax was working on a new 50-135mm f/2.8 lens. Now it looks like that rumour might finally be coming true. There’s been no more info about a new lens, but the existing one looks like it’s on the way out.

Japanese retailer Camera Sakuraya is listing the smc PENTAX-DA★ 50-135mm f/2.8 ED [IF] SDM lens as discontinued. Well, technically it translates to “Production completed”, but same thing. Popular US-based retailer B&H also lists it as “No Longer Available”.

The most current model was released in 2007. So, at fifteen years old, it’s already well past its retirement. This made last year’s rumours seem more plausible. Now, though, with the existing model over and no news of a successor on the horizon, users might be in for a wait to see a new one.

The availability of the lens doesn’t seem all that consistent anywhere at the moment. Japanese and American retailers are either listing it as discontinued or have removed listings completely. UK retailer WEX, on the other hand, still lists it as being available, albeit as a “special order”.

There do appear to be a handful of new ones floating around on Amazon, but I don’t expect those to hang around forever. So, if you want to get one of these before they go – and you don’t want to go used – you’ll probably need to hurry.

It’s not showing as discontinued on the Ricoh/Pentax website, but maybe this is just a formality. Hopefully, if it is on its way out, this means that last year’s rumoured lens announcement might finally come.

[via Asobinet]