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Best Pentax K Mount Lenses – Top 5 Telephoto Lenses

Best Pentax K Mount Lenses

Pentax K mount lenses are also popular as PK-mount lenses. They are bayonet mount lenses that were launched in 1975 to enable users to mount photographic lenses on SLRs. Today, they are also used for DSLRs. 

A Brief About Pentax K Mount Lenses

Over the years, Pentax K mount lenses have seen quite a bit of evolution. They started as standard or basic K mount lenses but today, you will see multiple variations as well. The original K mount lens came into the market with K series cameras. It was meant to be used with these cameras only. It just launched as a simple connection and came with 3 tabs. It mounted with a 70-degree turn in the clockwise direction. 

The variations of these lenses include KF mount, KA mount, KAF mount, KAF2 mount, KA2 mount, KAF3 mount, KAF4 mount, and partially fully-enabled mount.

Best Pentax K Mount Lenses

We are now in the most interesting section of the article. Here, we will speak about our favorite Pentax K mount lenses available on the market today. This list will help you zero in on the right lens for you based on your requirements. Let’s begin.

1. Pentax DA 200mm SDM Lens

Pentax DA 200mmThis particular lens is compatible with Pentax KAF. It is a high-performance lens from the DA series with a focal length of 200mm. It has the following features:

  1. The telephoto lens comes with an SDM system to ensure that you focus smoothly and without unnecessary noise.
  2. It has a dust-resistant and weather-resistant body.
  3. The lens also has a quick-shift focus system to enable you to switch from autofocus to manual and back very swiftly.
  4. The photo filter thread size is 77mm.
  5. The aperture is f/2.8.
  6. It has a special coating that protects the lens from chromatic aberrations.
Pros
  • Good photo clarity
  • Works as expected
Cons
  • You may experience purple fringing

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2. HD PENTAX 50mm Lens

HD PENTAX-D FA50mmF1.4This particular Pentax K mount lens is compatible with Pentax KAF. It has a focal length of 50mm with an aperture of f/1.4. Below are a few more specifications:

  1. This is a standard lens with in-camera shake reduction.
  2. These lenses have been designed to deliver excellent imaging and resolving power.
  3. Each lens comes with an aero bright coating II and high grade HD coating. Together, they ensure that you produce high contrast images without the fear of ghosting or flare.
  4. This is an all-weather lens with dust-proof properties.
  5. It is considered as one of the best Pentax portrait lenses, allowing a superb defocused background. It also works well for indoor photography and low-light shots.
  6. The lenses have a ring-type ultrasonic wave motor. It produces more torque than the standard models.
Pros
  • Excellent bokeh
  • Very good picture quality
Cons
  • Not versatile because you can’t take wide-angle or zoom shots

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3. HD PENTAX-D Lens

PENTAX-D FA 70-210mmThe HD PENTAX-D Lens is known to be an amazing telephoto zoom lens that is compatible with most DSLR cameras. It works well with Pentax KAF and Pentax KAF4 mountings. Let’s take a closer look:

  1. The lens has a minimum focal length of 70mm, which can go all the way to 210mm.
  2. The telephoto lens has in-camera shake reduction to produce high quality and stable images.
  3. There are 3 glass elements along with 2 low dispersion elements that reduce chromatic aberration and help you click sharp images.
  4. You can focus well up to a distance of 0.95 meters.
  5. The HD coating on the lens helps produce high contrast images without ghosting or flaring. The sharpness is excellent as well.
  6. The lens has another coating called the SP coating, which is a Pentax technology. This makes it resistant to dust, grease, water, etc. 
  7. It has a ring SDM design for high torque and quiet operation.
Pros
  • Very good image quality
  • Professional quality glass
Cons
  • Focusing mechanism won’t work if you use a multiplier

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4. Pentax HD D Telephoto Zoom Lens

Pentax HD D FA 70-200mmThe Pentax HD D FA Lens is compatible with the Pentax KAF and has a focal length of 70mm. It can increase to 200mm. It has an aperture of f/2.8 and multiple other features such as the following:

  1. Like most other Pentax lenses, this one has the in-built shake reduction feature to help you click stable pictures.
  2. It is a Pentax Star Series Lens known to be a high performer. The resolving power and photo quality are exquisite.
  3. This all-weather lens stays protected from dust, natural elements, and grease.
  4. Its rounded diaphragm has nine blades. This particular feature helps you defocus for natural bokeh.
  5. It also has the Pentax original coatings – Aero Bright Coating II and HD coating for high contrast images.
  6. With its quick-shift system, moving from autofocus to manual focus and back is swift and smooth.
Pros
  • This is a pro-level lens
  • Focusing is accurate and fast
Cons
  • Expensive

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5. Pentax 100mm SMC Macro Lens

Pentax 100mmThe last Pentax K mount lens on our list is the Pentax SMC Macro Lens, which has a focal length of 100mm and an f/2.8 aperture. It has quite a few features that we are sure you will appreciate. Here are a few of them:

  1. The telephoto lens has a weather-resistant design and can be used with all DSLR bodies that are also weather-resistant.
  2. It is a macro lens with 1:1 magnification ratio. Please note that you do not have the zoom option here.
  3. It has a full-frame design that works with DSLRs and film cameras. It is optimized very well for digital imaging.
  4. The lens also has rounded aperture blades that enable you to take beautiful bokeh shots.
  5. Its super-protect coating keeps smudges, stains, and fingerprints at bay.
Pros
  • Affordable
  • High contrast on various shooting distances
Cons
  • Aesthetics are slightly plain

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People Also Ask (FAQs)

To round off, let’s take a look at some common questions we receive about Pentax lenses.

Are Pentax Lenses Good?

Yes, Pentax lenses are very well known for their excellent quality and features. The only thing that you may not like about them is that you don’t have as much choice as you do with other brands such as Nikon and Canon.

Are All Pentax Lenses Interchangeable?

Yes, you can use the SDM lenses with all DSLR bodies available today. A few, however, may not work with older DSLRs.

Is Pentax Better Than Nikon?

It depends on the model, to be honest. A few Pentax lenses are indeed better than Nikon.

Can I Use my Old Pentax Lenses on a Digital DSLR?

Yes, you can because Pentax lenses will work well with all K-mount lenses.

Can I Use Pentax Lenses on a Canon?

You will need an adapter, most likely. But, yes, you can.

Conclusion

Pentax K mount lenses are among the best today because of their photo quality and sturdy build. Make sure you choose the best based on your photography needs. If you need further help, please contact us.

About JACOB CRONE

Jacob Crone has spent too much time on researching and finding the best stuff for my Canon DSLR, and this led him to make bestcanonflash.com. As he found that millions of cameras are sold every year, and photographers like me are looking for cool and useful stuff for them all the time. So he wanted to make a site dedicated mostly to camera owners to help them get better results.

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