Novice, basic lens questions?

A very novice question about Pentax lens in general – what does the following mean or signify the prefix DA and the affixes ED, (IF), AL, SDM, and what is the meaning of the gold band and are there any other colour bands, if so, what do they mean. And last does limited mean just that, limited.

Jackie,
There's some great info here: http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/technology/lens_terms.html

DA = Digital format. Probably won't work correctly on film bodies
ED = Extra low dispersion elements (see link)
(IF) = Internal focus (see link)
AL = Aspherical elements (see link)
SDM = Supersonic Drive Motor (if I remember correctly). Some SDM lenses are SDM-only (like the DA17-70). Others have both body-drive focus & SDM (e.g. DA*16-50, DA*50-135)

Limited lenses = no expense spared

Have a good search around on http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/index.html

Hope that helps a bit!
Matt

Most of this has been discussed before but
DA is The latest in a series of pentax lens designations
K - the oldest Manual focus (MF) bayonet mounting lenses (this is not actually marked on the lens but is a commonly used description
M - MF lenses from the early 80s onwards, deliberartely compact in desgn (M indicated 'miniature' and matched the M serie bosies, MX, ME etc.)
A - MF lenses with an A setting for the aperture (so that the aperture could be controled by the camera body. Went with the cameras from the Super A unwards which had program mode.
F - the earliest generation of Auttofocus lenses - generally have a dark grey finish and ornage marking.
FA Next generation autofocus lenses designed for film cameras. Rather more restrained in outward appearence.
FAJ AF lenses designed for film cameras without an aperture ring - so aperture has to be contoled from the camera body
D-FA Same as FA but specifically designed for digital cameras. Nevertheless they have an aperture ring and a big eneough image circle to work with film cameras
DA lenses designed to work with digital cameras only. No aperture ring and if used on a film body they may 'vignette' create images with dark corners.

SDM refers to the Supersonic Drive Motor (or somesuch) found in some Pentax AF lenses which means the AF motor is in the lens and is virtually silent

The limited lenses are all prime (fixed focus lenses) which are made of metal and of anything from very good to astonishing optical quality. There are both DA and FA limited lenses. Things of great beauty... I don't have any (yet....)

ED is just a reference to a special type of low dispersion glass. AL refers to the use of aspherical lenses (both of these help sharpness). IF means internal focus (ie focusing moves elements within the lens and hence the lens does not change length as you focus). The gold band is used on the latest DA* lenses. Pentax has produced lenses with a * rating (M* A* etc). to indicate a lens of particularly high quality (& price). Other Pentax lenses currently have a green band on them.

I Think that covers everything.....

Thank you I am sure that will help. Ashamed that someone who has had a 35mm from the 1970s still does not really understand about the lens on offer and what (except by personal recommendation) I should be thinking of buying. Consequence of this is I have a number of lens in my draw that I do not like much and therefore do not use, If I am to buy more I think it is time I got it right.

Why don't you offer the lenses you don't like in the Classifieds section? Someone might have a need for them and you could get something towards your new lens purchases.

What I had in mind, thing is, I need to know what I am going to buy before I know what I wish to get rid of, although I do not think they are going to bring in much as it has taken me about 30 years to learn that the quality of the lens really does matter.

Been having a look and think it may be Sigma lens I will be getting rid of. Have two Pentax lens that have a sort of collar that if you move will show the legend ‘Power Zoom’, seem to remember this was operative on one of my 35mm cameras.

Off now to look at the links I have been given, thanks.

[quote:3496ace15f="amilner"]
The limited lenses are all prime (fixed focus lenses) [/quote

?????

You have more chances of finding a fixed focus lens on a Kodak Instamatic than on a Limited lens. I think you mean fixed focal length. Not exactly the same thing.

I think at one point Pentax made a pan focal lens which was fixed focus, but not recently.

Fixed focal length is what was meant I feel

A Pan Focus lens is usually one with the focusing fixed on the hyperfocal distance. There was a Pentax 110 18mm Pan Focus, but that's the only one I can recall.

The Power Zoom will work on your K20D too, though not your DS.

Will it, can't remember how to operate them but there are times it would be of use, can you or someone else tell me please?

If you pull the zoom ring to reveal the words Power Zoom then operating the zoom control becomes motorised.

Press the botton on the lens and a focal length is stored. Return to the same focal length at any time by pressing the button again.

Set the switch on the lens to AS or P (?) and you can Image Size Track and do other tricks but just offhand I can't give you the details of those - check the manual!

I see John, a case of if in doubt read the manual, would this be the lens manual, if so I do not have it

I don't think those extra functions work on the later cameras John. I believe only the power zooming function works. Those functions were included in the Z range of cameras (I have a Z20 and a 100-300mm power zoom lens) but were omitted on the later models. I don't think these functions worked on the MZ-S either, but I can't remember.