An interesting note to the Tokina rumor (Hoya-Pentax involvement?)

Image on top: The Hoya-Pentax 17mm f/2.0 Micro Four Thirds lens patent

Two days ago I posted a rumor about Tokina making two new Micro Four Thirds lenses which should be unveiled at the PMA show in November. The two lenses are the 17mm f/2.0 (or faster) and the 8-16mm/3.5-4.5 (or faster and with the body quality of the current [shoplink 19059 ebay]Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens[/shoplink]). Now we just noticed a very interesting “coincidence”. In recent years, Tokina has become a partner of Pentax, division of Hoya Corporation and jointly developed some lenses. And thanks to a discussion we had with one of our readers it came in our mind that a few months ago Pentax-Hoya fulfilled a patent for a 17mm f/2.0 Micro Four Thirds lens (Source: Egami). So if 1+1 makes 2 can we conclude that Pentax and Hoya are interested in joining the Micro Four Thirds world as lens maker (under the Tokina brand)? It looks like the answer is yes. But the one million dollar question is: Will this partnership go further and will Pentax join the MFT coalition? Probably not….or no? :)