Pentax DA 18-55mm & DA 50-200mm lenses

Press Release:

Pentax UK is pleased to announce the launch of two compact, lightweight zoom lenses: the smc Pentax DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR, and the smc Pentax DA50-200mm f4-5.6 ED WR. Featuring a newly designed, simplified weather-resistant construction, these zoom lenses offer excellent reliability in various outdoor conditions — particularly rain, fog and mist.

Main features:

1. Simplified weather-resistant construction
These new zoom lenses feature a simplified weather-resistant construction designed to minimise the intrusion of water and moisture into the lens barrel. Mount on Pentax weather-resistant digital SLR camera bodies, assures the user of improved durability and reliability during shooting in rain, fog or mist.

2. SP coating to block dust and dirt
The front surface of these lenses is treated with Pentax-original SP (Super Protect) coating, which applies a special fluorine compound to the lens surface through a vapour deposition process. This SP coating not only repels dust, water and grease, but it also makes it easy to wipe off fingerprints and cosmetics.

3. Digital-SLR-exclusive optical design
Pentax has optimised the characteristics of these lenses — including lens coating, curvature and positioning of optical elements — to reproduce the finest possible digital images. As a result, they are practically free of flare and ghost images, and bring out the best in the Pentax digital SLR camera bodies they are used with. Their image circle is also perfectly proportioned to the size of the image sensor used in Pentax digital SLR cameras, helping to reduce the camera’s overall size and weight and guarantee outstanding cost performance.

4. Quick-Shift Focus system for instant AF/MF switching
After the subject is captured in focus by the camera’s AF system, the unique Quick-Shift Focus system allows the photographer to instantly switch to manualfocus operation for final pin-point focus adjustment.

5. Other features
1. Durable, dependable metallic lens mount
2. Lens hood with a PL (polarising filter) window included as a standard accessory

Overview of the smc Pentax DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR lens
This standard zoom lens covers focal lengths from 27.5mm wide angle to 84.5mm moderate telephoto (in the 35mm format). Incorporating a high-performance aspherical (AL) optical element and a super-low-dispersion glass optical element in its optics, it ensures outstanding image resolution and remarkable brightness, even at the edges, while effectively compensating various aberrations.

Overview of the smc Pentax DA 50-200mm f4-5.6 ED WR lens
This telephoto zoom lens covers focal lengths from 76.5mm moderate telephoto to 307mm super telephoto (in the 35mm format). Incorporating an extra-low dispersion (ED) glass optical element in its optics, it assures excellent description of the subject in various telephoto applications, including portraiture, sports/action and landscape, while effectively compensating chromatic aberration over the entire zoom range.

The smc Pentax DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR & smc Pentax DA 50-200mm f4-5.6 ED WR Specifications:

	smc Pentax DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR	smc Pentax DA 50-200mm f4-5.6 ED WR
Lens mount	Pentax KAF mount	Pentax KAF mount
Lens Construction	11 elements in 8 groups	11 elements in 10 groups
Angle of View	76 - 29° (with PENTAX D-SLR camera body)	31.5 - 8.1° (with PENTAX D-SLR camera body)
Aperture control	Automatic	Automatic
Minimum Aperture	F22-38	F22-32
Number of Diaphragm Blades	6	6
Minimum Focusing Distance	0.25m (0.82 ft.)	1.1m (3.6mft.)
Filter size	52mm	49mm
Maximum Magnification	0.34x	0.24x
Dimensions (Maximum Diameter x Minimum Length)	68.5mm x 67.5mm (2.7 inch x 2.7 inch )	69mm x 79.5mm (2.7 inch x 3.1 inch)
Weight	230g / 8.1 oz. (with hood 255g / 9.0 oz.)	285g / 10.1 oz. (with hood 325g / 11.5 oz.)
Lens Hood	PH-RBC52mm	PH-RBD49mm
Tripod adapter	-	-

For more information please visit the Pentax website.