Pentax has announced the launch of two compact, lightweight zoom lenses: the smc PENTAX-DA18-55mmF3.5-5.6AL WR, and the smc PENTAX-DA50-200mmF4-5.6ED WR. Featuring a newly designed, simplified weather-resistant construction, these zoom lenses offer excellent reliability in various outdoor applications — especially in rain, fog and mist.

Major Features

1. Simplified weather-resistant construction
The new zoom lenses feature a simplified weather-resistant construction designed to minimize the intrusion of water and moisture into the lens barrel. With these lenses mounted on PENTAX weather-resistant digital SLR camera bodies, the user is assured of improved durability and reliability during shooting in rain, fog or mist and at locations subject to a spray or splash of water.

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 vapor deposition process. This SP coating not only effectively 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 optimized 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 coupled 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 lets the photographer instantly switch to manual-focus operation for final pinpoint focus adjustment.

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

Overview of the smc PENTAX-DA18-55mmF3.5-5.6AL 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 assures outstanding image resolution and remarkable brightness, even at the edges, while effectively compensating various aberrations.

Overview of the smc PENTAX-DA50-200mmF4-5.6ED 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.