Pentax lenses: reviews and description

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Pentax was founded in 1919, and in 2008 it was taken over by the large Japanese corporation Hoya. Now Pentax is a trademark under which they offer high-quality optical equipment. In the world, the company ranks fourth among firms producing SLR cameras and accessories. Pentax lenses are traditionally in great demand both among professionals and among beginners and amateurs.

Brand markings

Pentax lenses are marked as follows:

1. DA - for APS C format digital camera.
2. DA L - simplified kit with plastic mount. Recently sold, other models are equipped with metal parts.
3. DA Star, FA Star - professional products protected from dust, water.
4. SDM - focus works on ultrasound.
5. IF is equipped with a front lens block that shifts inside the design.
6. FA, F - Provides auto focus at full frame.
7. A - Equipped with auto iris but no auto focus.
8. M - design,controlled exclusively by hand. The aperture is adjusted by the lens.
9. Without an aperture ring, full-frame shooting is carried out by Pentax FA J lenses.
10. Waterproof and dustproof products marked WR.
11. The SMC symbol stands for the multilayer coating developed by Pentax engineers. The system includes a coating that reduces light loss at the air/glass interface. Brand development, all Pentax products are equipped with it.
12. Products marked with SP are more resistant to contamination.
13. The brand marks low dispersion glass with ED symbols. Lenses made of this material provide better color reproduction as light is broken down into its components.
14. Aspheric designs denote AL. They cope with various distortions while minimizing the size. Such products are compact, have high performance.
15. Products with increased luminosity, enclosed in compact cases - this is Limited. In the range of brands are represented by two types: FA, DA. Suitable for both crop and full frame.

Compatibility

To use Pentax lenses on Canon, you must have an adapter ring. The product ensures the correct transmission of information through the bayonet to the body of the camera. Simplified designs are presented: they do not transmit data, but only serve as adapters from one type of attachment to another.

Adapters are different

Choosing Pentax lenses for Canon,Please note that adapters without electrical contacts cannot support the following functions:

• autofocus;
• auto iris.

Such products work correctly if the camera is set to manual mode or aperture priority is set. You need to set up the mechanism yourself, adjusting the result by the value of exposure on the carcass. Since autofocus is not supported, focusing is only possible manually. The advantage of such adapters is an affordable price.

Adapters support shooting: crop, full frame.

To simplify photography and work with automatic programs, you need an adapter with electrical contacts. When choosing a product, check whether the adapter ring is compatible with a particular camera.

Whale "Pentax": the best choice

The cheapest Pentax lenses are those that are included in the camera starter kit. It is believed that they are significantly better than the whale specimens offered by Canon, Nikon and Sony. Package included:

• lens;
• hood window;
• hood;
• instruction;
• protective cover;
• back protective cover.

The hood of the kit kit is made of plastic. As evidenced by the reviews available on Pentax lenses, it holds tightly and is easily mounted even with one hand. Package advantage: a window that allows you to use filters of gradients, polarization.

Whale "Pentax" means minimal tolerances, complete elimination of looseness and reliable materials. The focusing rings are finished with corrugated rubber, and a distance scale is presented on the cut in front. The bayonet is attached with metal components, the product is protected from moisture, dust. Frame quality is guaranteed by multilayer coating. The proprietary coating makes it easy to clean the glass and prevents dust and dirt from sticking.

Auto Focus

In whale goods, autofocus has positive and negative sides. Quick mode change is the main advantage. As an automatic, you can use the manual focus ring.

Reading about Pentax lenses (description of focusing, in particular), it becomes clear that the weak side is the lack of a motor in the system that would provide autofocus.

Another disadvantage: the ring rotates during auto focus. It is located quite conveniently, however, at times it comes under the arm. On the other hand, almost all kit lenses, regardless of brand, are equipped with rotating auto focus rings.

For professional

For demanding photographers, Pentax offers lenses with "stars". The series was launched in the 90s of the XX century. The first models had automatic focus, shot on film, and supported focal lengths of 31/1.8, 43/1.9, 77/1.8. They are produced according tothis day and are in demand among connoisseurs.

Design solutions are valuable:

• high glare protection;
• backlit;
• optical quality.

Professional series "Pentax" has fast auto focus systems. The sharpness of the image is achieved even when the aperture is open to the maximum, it is maintained over the entire area of the frame, including the corners. The manufacturer has solved the problem of chromatic aberration.

Star series products are:

• metal case;
• backlash exclusion;
• small size.

Summing up

When choosing a lens for your camera, a photographer should not immediately rush to the most expensive lens on the market. Analyze your needs: what are the usual shooting conditions, what is the nature of the shot.

Light weight, exceptional aperture is needed by those who photograph events. For portrait shooting in everyday life, the Pentax whale is enough. A lens with an "asterisk" will come in handy for a professional photographer who requires impeccable frame quality. The brand offers a wide range of products, with an adapter that works perfectly with cameras from other manufacturers.