Pentax has announced the new HD Pentax-FA 35mm f/2 AL lens, an update to the smc Pentax-FA 35mm f/2 AL lens, the new lens is compatible with full-frame and APS-C Pentax DSLRs.
Posted: 31/01/2019 - 08:47
Pentax has announced the new HD Pentax-FA 35mm f/2 AL lens, an update of the SMC Pentax-FA 35mm f/2 AL lens, a full-frame lens that works on full-frame Pentax DSLRs as well as APS-C DSLRs.
The new 35mm f/2 AL lens features an updated exterior design to match current cameras and lenses. The lens has gone through a complete review of the "entire lens coating process."
The new HD coating reduces ghost images, and improves anti-reflective performance, giving improved light transmission. There's a fluorine coating on the front surface of the lens, to protect the lens and repell water and grease, as well as dust, water drops and oils. It should also make it easier to clean the lens. The lens also features an aspherical element at the rear of the lens.
The lens will be available from February 2019, with an RRP of £399.
Pentax has shared a number of full-size images from the new lens, taken by Keita Sasaki, with the Pentax K-1 Mark II:
HD PENTAX-FA 35mm f/2 AL Other Sample Images
From Pentax: A single-focus, wide-angle lens for use with K-mount digital SLR cameras, featuring latest lens coatings to further upgrade image quality.
London, 30 January 2019 - RICOH COMPANY, LTD. and RICOH IMAGING EUROPE S.A.S. are pleased to announce the launch of the HD PENTAX-FA 35mmF2. Despite its compact dimensions, this high-performance wide-angle lens covers the full-frame image circle of PENTAX K-mount digital SLR cameras.
This new lens is based on the smc PENTAX-FA 35mm F2 AL — a very popular multi-purpose, wide-angle lens used on film-format SLR cameras and is introduced following a thorough review of lens coatings. The high-grade, multi-layer HD Coating applied to the optical elements produces high-contrast images with edge-to-edge sharpness, free of flare and ghost images. Whilst, the highly stain-repellent SP Coating applied to the front surface improves the lens’ usability outdoors. The redesigned exterior matches the design of latest PENTAX K-mount digital SLR models, while its compact, portable body makes it perfect for everyday use.
HD Coating to enhance imaging power
After a thorough review of the lens coatings applied to the popular smc PENTAX-FA35mm F2 AL, PENTAX applied the latest HD Coating* to this lens.
Compared to conventional multi-layer coatings, this high-performance, multi-layer coating reduces average reflectance and improves light transmittance to deliver extra-clear, high-contrast images free of flare and ghost images, even in demanding lighting conditions such as backlighting.
* HD stands for High Definition.
SP Coating to repel stains
Applied to the lens’s front surface, the SP (Super Protect) Coating is highly repellent to water and grease, making it easy to wipe off any stains. This frees the photographer from worries in outdoor photography.
New exterior design to match latest digital SLR models
While retaining the overall size of the original smc PENTAX-FA35mm F2 AL, this lens features a totally new exterior design, similar to that of the latest DA- and D FA-series lenses. This new appearance makes this single-focus lens a perfect partner for latest K-series digital SLR models.
Since this lens retains the aperture ring, it also accommodates many of the functions provided by film-format SLR cameras and older K-mount digital SLR models, making it possible to enjoy photography using a greater range of cameras.
Easy-to-use standard lens
When mounted on a PENTAX digital SLR camera body, this lens provides a moderately wide 35mm angle of view with a full-frame model, or a standard 53.5mm angle of view with an APS-C-format model. Since it provides a natural perspective similar to that of the naked eye, it can be used as a multi-purpose standard lens in a wide range of applications, including snapshooting, scenic photography and portraiture. It also features a minimum focusing distance of 0.3 meters.
Compact, portable design
Weighing approximately 193 grams and measuring a mere 44.5 millimeters in length, this lens has been designed to be extremely compact and highly portable for carefree photography at any location and on every occasion.
Hybrid aspherical optical elements
The lens incorporates hybrid aspherical optical elements to effectively compensate for various aberrations. Thanks to these elements, it delivers extra-clear, high-contrast images from the minimum focusing distance to infinity, and edge-to-edge sharpness even at open aperture.
Price & Availability
HD PENTAX-FA 35mm F2 - RRP 399.99
Available: February 2019
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594 posts
15 years
Dear Pentax Commercial and Product Strategists,
This lens looks great and we all know that Pentax lenses are truly wonderful lenses for sure; however why can’t you spend money and time on giving us decent hi-speed autofocus, tracking and buffering so we can better use the lenses for action, wildlife and other forms of high speed photography, whatever it may be.
Just one body that can handle birds in flight for example or high speed sport is all that is needed.
There’s always rumours about the precarious position of the Pentax brand but in my view it is not about lens quality; we are simply not able to compete against Nikon (in particular) and Canon when it comes to action and wild life photography.
I have bought a 2nd hand Nikon D 500 just for birding but I wish I could have bought a Pentax with the same capability to track and buffer high speed continuous shooting so I could use my big Pentax lenses on BIF and other fast moving wild life.
The Nikon D500 is a medium priced APS DSLR not a horrendously expensive hi-tech marvel.
Having used it for a couple of months I am quite sad I bought the entire Pentax FF range of lenses and two bodies ovet the last three years .
I feel I can’t go on clinging to the hope we will get a Pentax that could just keep up with even this modest Nikon in the field.
I can ‘t see it happening and for wildlife I see Pentax going so far behind it will really accelerate their demlse which will be a very sad day for me.
I beleive this is a hole you should fill before we get anymore lenses.
I for one want to keep this brand and it’s wonderful glass alive going forward into the long term future.
Wake up Pentax the gap is getting wider and wider.
Daronl