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| Click photo for larger views of the new Pentax lenses. |
Pentax has released details on the new line of high-end digital SLR lenses that the company announced at Photokina in September 2006. The smc Pentax-DA* series will debut in spring 2007 with a wide-angle zoom and a telephoto zoom. Both weatherproof lenses have Pentax KAF2 mounts and are designed to work exclusively with Pentax digital SLRs.
The smc Pentax-DA* 16mm-50mm F2.8 ED AL[IF]SDM has a 35mm-equivalent focal-length range of 24.5mm to 76.5mm and a 0.3-meter minimum focus distance. It incorporates two ED (extra-low dispersion) elements and three aspherical elements to reduce optical flaws. In addition, its front element has Pentax's SP coating to repel dust, water, and grease.
The smc Pentax-DA* 50mm-135mm F2.8 ED [IF]SDM telephoto zoom has a 35mm-equivalent focal-length range of 76.5mm to 207mm and a 1-meter minimum focus distance. It includes three ED elements, and its front element has an anti-ghosting coating to minimize reflections inside the lens.
Both lenses have f/22 minimum apertures and automatic aperture controls. They also share Pentax's SDM system, which uses a supersonic motor for quieter and smoother autofocus, and a Quick-Shift Focus system, which allows fast switching between autofocus and manual focus.
The wide-angle zoom will be priced at $899.95 and the telephoto zoom at $999.95.
In today's other Pentax news, the company has announced the 10-megapixel Optio A30 and the waterproof Optio W30.
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