Pentax was founded in 1919, and in 2008 it was swallowed by a major Japanese corporation, Hoya. Pentax is now a brand under which they offer high-quality optical equipment. In the world, the company ranks fourth among firms manufacturing SLR cameras and accessories. Pentax lenses are traditionally in great demand both among professionals and beginners and amateurs.
Brand marking
Pentax lenses are labeled as follows:
- DA - for an APS C digital camera.
- DA L - a simplified configuration with a plastic mount. On sale recently, other models are equipped with metal components.
- DA Star, FA Star - professional products protected from dust, water.
- SDM - Focus works on ultrasound.
- The IF is equipped with a front lens unit that moves within the structure.
- FA, F - at full frame provides automatic focus.
- A - equipped with an automatic iris, but does not have auto focus.
- M - design, controlled exclusively by hand. Aperture adjust the lens.
- Without a f-stop, Pentax FA J lenses perform full-frame shooting
- Moisture and dust resistant products are marked WR.
- The SMC symbol stands for Pentax multi-layer enlightenment. The system includes a coating that reduces light loss at the air / glass interface. Brand development, all Pentax products are equipped with it.
- Enhanced pollution protection is provided for products marked SP.
- The brand disperses low dispersion glass with the symbols ED. Lenses from this material provide better color reproduction, as the light is decomposed into components.
- Aspherical structures denote AL. They cope with various distortions while minimizing size. Such products are compact, have high rates.
- Products with increased aperture, enclosed in compact cases, is Limited. In the assortment of the brand 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 transfer of information through the bayonet mount to the carcass 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
When choosing Pentax lenses for Canon, remember that adapters that are not equipped with electrical contacts cannot support the following functions:
- autofocus;
- auto iris settings.
Such products work correctly if you set the camera to manual mode or set the aperture priority. It is necessary to adjust the mechanism independently, adjusting the result with the exposure value on the carcass. Since autofocus is not supported, focusing is only possible manually. The advantage of such adapters is their affordable price.
Adapters support shooting: crop, full frame.
To simplify photography and work with automatic programs, an adapter with electrical contacts is required. When choosing a product, check if the adapter ring is compatible with a specific camera.
Pentax Whale: The Best Choice
The cheapest Pentax lenses are those included in the starter kit of the camera. It is believed that they are significantly better than the whale specimens offered by Canon, Nikon and Sony. The package includes:
- lens;
- hood window;
- a hood;
- instruction;
- protective cover;
- back protective cover.
The whale set hood is made of plastic. As evidenced by the reviews available on Pentax lenses, it holds fast and can be easily mounted even with one hand. The advantage of the configuration: a window that allows you to use filters of gradients, polarization.
Pentax Whale - minimized tolerances, complete exclusion of looseness and reliable materials. The focusing rings are treated with corrugated rubber, a distance scale is presented on the front slice. The bayonet is fixed with metal components, the product is protected from moisture, dust. The quality of the frames is guaranteed by multilayer enlightenment. The proprietary coating simplifies glass cleaning and prevents dust and dirt from sticking.
Auto focus
In whale products, autofocus has positive and negative sides. A quick change of regime is the main advantage. As an automatic, you can use the manual ring adjust the focal length.
Reading about Pentax lenses (a 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 drawback: with auto focus, the ring rotates. It is located quite conveniently, however, sometimes it comes to hand. On the other hand, almost all whale lenses, regardless of brand name, are equipped with rotating auto focus rings.
For a professional
For demanding photographers, Pentax offers star lenses. The series was launched in the 90s of the XX century. The first models had automatic focus, filmed, supported focal lengths 31 / 1.8, 43 / 1.9, 77 / 1.8. They are produced to this day and are in demand among experts.
Structural solutions are valuable:
- high glare protection;
- back light;
- optical quality.
The Pentax Professional Series has fast auto focus systems. Image sharpness is achieved even when the aperture is open to the maximum, and is preserved over the entire area of the frame, including angles. The manufacturer has solved the problem of chromatic aberration.
Star series products are:
- metal case;
- exclusion of backlash;
- small dimensions.
To summarize
Choosing a lens for his camera, the photographer should not immediately rush to the most expensive product on the market. Analyze your needs: what are the usual shooting conditions, what is the nature of the frame.
Light weight, exceptional aperture are needed for those who photograph events. For portraiture in everyday life, the whale Pentax is enough. A lens with an "asterisk" will fall to the place of a professional photographer, requiring impeccable frame quality. The brand offers a wide range of products, with an adapter that works perfectly with cameras from other manufacturers.