[clnhlzmn]

Because to control the autofocus motor and other features it makes sense to have a microcontroller in the lens. If you have a microcontroller in the lens you have software in the lens and if you have software in the lens you're going to need to update it.

You could argue that the camera should do firmware updates but the manufacturers for (semi) open mounts like the ones Tamron is making lenses for don't want to have to design a protocol to do updates for third party lenses through the body when the lens manufacturer can just slap a USB port on the lens and call it a day.

The port is also useful for customizing the lens functions. For third party lenses the camera can't be expected to manage those functions.

[kamranjon]

There have been plenty of motorized lenses in the past that relied on the micro-contoller inside the camera body for control. What does having the controller live on the lens permit that the pattern we've used for years doesn't afford?

[Gigachad]

You don’t _have_ to update lenses. The updates pretty much just fix edge case autofocus issues usually with specific cameras and settings. Before update mechanisms you just had to deal with it or buy a new lens.

[Kirby64]

> If you have a microcontroller in the lens you have software in the lens and if you have software in the lens you're going to need to update it.

No, no you shouldn’t. There’s no reason why a microcontroller should ever need its firmware updated. The only reason why you would need to update the firmware is to add features, which I guess is mildly interesting for the tamron, but like I said… you could handle all extra fancy focusing things in the camera body itself. Just give me a dumb lens that does exactly what the body tells it to do.

[makeitdouble]

> Just give me a dumb lens that does exactly what the body tells it to do.

It's hard to convey, but for instance you can reverse the fo us ring rotation, which probably only resonates with people who had to deal with it daily.

Or you can adjust the ring travel.

Or make the focus ring work as an aperture ring instead. Or straight disable annoying buttons.

Up until now you'd have to go hunt the perfect lens where the maker was 100% on board with your preferences. Or adjust your whole shooting style to every gear you use.

Sure a camera body could handle every single settings of third party lenses. But given what we've seen these 2 last decades, I don't think there was any chance of that happening. Tamron is partly Sony owned and they still did it on their own.

[formerly_proven]

Most third party lenses reverse-engineer the AF protocol. They're going to need updates.