Skimpy Day (and, Pentax Lenses)

Today's that day I warned you about...cardiologist this morning and eye doctor this afternoon! In different cities (towns?). So TOP will be a little skimpy today. I'm already a little late.

But, in the meantime, does anyone even know of a comprehensive list of the lenses Pentax makes and sells new now, and the cameras they fit and work with? I tried to disentangle a list from various sources and I think I've failed so far. I'm not talking about the vast sprawling mess of all the historical lenses, which would require a Pentaxian version of the indefatigable Erwin Puts to catalogue. Just the ones you can buy new for new cameras. I think it's at least a challenge to make sense of it all. Assuming it can be done.

Gotta get going,

Mike

UPDATE noon: Got a clean bill o' health from the cardiologist. Blood pressure 112/62, EKG is fine, no changes since two years ago, no issues. "Keep doing what you're doing" was doctor's advice. One small annoyance: BMI is 26 and it should be 25 or below. To quote Snidely Whiplash (always loved that name), "Curses, foiled again!"

So take a look at Tex's long comment about Pentax lens information below. Looking over Pentax's offerings it seems like they tend to have small sets of lenses for every sort of camera, which each make internal sense, and then, when they have more it quickly becomes somewhat chaotic—almost like a new guy is put in charge of the lens lineup plans every two or three years, makes a bunch of changes and introduces a few lenses, and then he vacates and a new guy takes over and starts all over again. I guess that's what happens when you make lenses for almost every conceivable film and digital format from 110 to 6x7 over many decades. If you want the K3 III, for instance, you almost have to like the 21mm Limited or the 35mm Macro as your normal prime, or am I missing something?

Now I've got 14 minutes before I have to leave for the eye doctor's. That's an hour and a half in the car with an appointment sandwiched in the middle. Living in a rural area does have its consolations though: there was a headline in the free local newsletter this morning saying COVID cases are up...from one or two new cases daily to "three, four, or even five." Yesterday there were four new cases. I'm not saying that's good or anything like that; zero would be the best number, obviously. All I'm saying is, could be worse.

UPDATE late afternoon: Got a big pass and pat on the back from the eye doctor too. My partial cornea replacement is doing well and my vision has improved—"easily correctable to 20/20" quoth the newly-married Dr. Zoschg  (pronounced "zosk"). I got new driving glasses and plan to get new computer glasses too. Although the old ones still serve, the prescription has changed. I don't wear glasses most of the day unless I'm reading.

Only one more appointment tomorrow and I'm done with my busy week. The whole week has been good—best of all was Tuesday, with the tax lady, and the news is: TOP survived another year! I was tremendously relieved, as I'd been worried and stressed about it. As all you professional photographers well know, those self-employment taxes can be murder. My income was down sharply through the COVID year, but that meant the taxes were lower too. TOP marches on!  :-)

Book o' this Week:
Accidentally Wes Anderson, the group-sourced book of the Instagram trend, endorsed by the director. Go read about it! <—This is a portal to Amazon; also available at the Book Depository for global delivery with free shipping.

Original contents copyright 2021 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Tex Andrews: "Here's the list at Ricoh: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/lens/index_list.html

"Here's the Feb 2021 roadmap: https://pentaxrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pentax-K-mount-lens-roadmap.jpg

"And: https://pentaxrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pentax-K-mount-lens-roadmap-2.jpg

"In the first one there's color coding down on the lower right. DFA and FA lenses are fully compatible with FF, while DA lenses are designed for crop. The second chart I think is showing how some DA lenses can work with FF.

"DFA lenses are weather resistant or weather proof. Lenses with a star are special high end lenses, and then there is the Limited series, both in DFA and DA which are a quirky Pentax thing, and only primes.

"There have been some lens announcements this year: a 21mm Limited lens for FF coming in the fall we thing, and there is a new DA zoom lens (16–50mm I think) to coordinate with the new K3 III camera about to hit the streets now, and there's word that this lens may be part of a kit with that camera. Also, some of the Limited series lenses will be updated with new coatings.

"Here's the list for medium format: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/lens/index645_list.html

"FA and DFA cover FF medium format, and DA supposedly only covering crop frame digital medium format (although there's a bit of argument about that—the 21st century 25mm lens that was produced for a few years may only have been a hood issue—fixed metal hood)

"Here's the last 645 roadmap: https://pentaxrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Pentax-645-mount-lens-roadmap-2016.png

"This is the best I could find in a hurry. On PentaxForums.com there is a complete listing of all lenses, including legacy lenses: https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/

"Here's the most complete list of third party lenses (I think...): https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/

"This last might be missing several lenses—the third party Chinese manufacturers still are coming out with new stuff that may not be in there yet.

"I'm now a forums mod over there. FYI, we keep a close eye on your website, as you've always seemed a 'friend,' which in our world means 'not openly or snarkily hostile.'"

Mike replies: Thanks, Tex. And, jeez, I'd better behave!

Comments

[Wiley]

PentaxForums has pretty well developed resources:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/
with a search tool:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/lenssearch/
DA is APS-C, D FA is modern 35mm, everything else (FA, A, M, etc) is legacy 35mm.

[Wiley]

Excuse me, while the other two pages are great for browsing the used market, I should have just linked this one for the question (lenses currently in production):
https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/current-pentax-lenses/

[Markku Kolkka]

The official source is Ricoh Imaging: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/lens/index_list.html
The current (and near future) lens lineup poster: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/products/lens/images/K_Mount_Lens.pdf
Lens compatibility information: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/lens/suit_lens.html
See also the Pentax Forums comatibility checker: https://www.pentaxforums.com/compatibility/

[Andrew Kochanowski]

Look at the B & H listings, the DA lenses are APS-C crop, the FA are full-frame. The Limited series DA's are all APS-C except for the legacy 31/1.8, 43/1.8 and 70/2.4, which work with the APS-C bodies on a 1.5 crop.

I think Pentaxforums has a comprehensive lens database.

You won't get a new AF 35mm equivalent lens still, though you can get an 24/2 MF to be a 36mm lens if you care to focus yourself. I think there are also some older AF 24/2's out there.

But the 21/3.2 Limited is soooo nice, you can always trim off the little extra on the sides....now they've re-released it with super-duper HD coating ...

And they're re-releasing the 31/1.8 in the same style... you know you want all of this, don't you?

[grigoris]

https://www.pentaxforums.com/lenssearch/
I believe that nowadays only hd coated versions are produced (the rest except the two kit lenses 18-55 and 18-135 being already made and to be replaced like the 3 limiteds with a new hd model)

[Neven F]

Basically, it boils down to availability.

Any DA and DFA lens would work just fine, with all the bells and whistles. Most DA-series lenses (for APS-C sensors) are still in production, with one notable exception - DA16-45/4 is out of production, apparently, it got replaced with DA17-70 and/or DA16-85.

Wikipedia link had up-to-date list of lenses - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_(lens)#List_of_lenses_in_production

[Roger Bradbury]

Mike,
Pentax Forums has comprehensive lists.

Here's their list of current lenses:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/current-pentax-lenses/

This is their list of every Pentax DSLR:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/camerareviews/pentax-k-mount-dslrs-c1.html

This is the Pentax K-01, which isn't in the list above because of course it's not a DSLR:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/camerareviews/pentax-k-01.html

The entry for each camera has a grey tinted specification panel with blue subject headings. Lens compatibility is where you might expect, under "Lens Mount".

This is their description of the various versions of the K-mount:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/articles/photo-articles/evolution-of-pentax-k-mount.html

Regards,
Roger

[Joseph Reid]

Figuring the odds are you are already aware of this, but just in case:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/

[John Holmes]

Best list of new Pentax lenses for sale is B&H.

[Alex Sarbu]

Current lenses? I guess the easiest is to look at their lens roadmap: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/products/lens/images/K_Mount_Lens.pdf

Which cameras... hmm... does that include film cameras, or only DSLRs? If you're only talking about the current ones (K-70, K-3iii and K-1ii - with the KP being recently discontinued), all these lenses are supported, plus basically all the older ones. Indeed, unlike with Nikon, every Pentax DSLR keeps the in-body AF motor.

If it's about all DSLRs, there are only 2 things to care about, compatibility-wise:
a. support for in-lens motors, available in all cameras since the K10D (end of 2006)
b. support for electromagnetic aperture (KAF4), available through a firmware update in the K-50, K-3, K-S1, K-S2, K-3ii, K-1 and natively in all cameras after the K-70 (K-70, KP, K-1ii, K-3iii)

On practical terms, unless you have a very old DSLR (or a film camera!), you'd only have to think if you have, or plan to get a KAF4 (fully electronic) lens.
There are only 2 of these: the DA 55-300 RE PLM, and the D FA* 85mm f/1.4; but probably all the next lenses will be KAF4 as well.

I hope this helps.

[c.d.embrey]

Pentaxian Puts Apertureinfo Lens DataBase https://www.apertureinfo.com/brand/pentax
Maybe not complete, but there are over 160 Pentax lenses listed. Apertureinfo is lens-geeks paradise—everything from Agfa to Zykkor is here.

Lens List at the Pentax web site https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/shop/#section-lenses Lists for both 645Z https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/product-category/lenses/645z-mount-lenses/ and K mount https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/product-category/lenses/k-mount-lenses/

[John McMillin]

Pentaxforums has the most extensive list of lenses past and present. To break out the currently sold-new ones, why not just check out your sponsor, B&H?

The key fact is, ALL Pentax lenses fit and work with ALL current Pentax DSLRs. Old Takumars need a screw-mount adaptor and stop-down metering, but they work. The crop-format lenses are DAs. All can be used on the FF K-1 in crop mode, and some like the DA 200 and DA 300 have enough coverage to use in full frame mode. Almost all the DAs can fill the K-1's square format option, too. All FF lenses, from the M and A manual focus lenses through the early autofocus F series to the current DFAs, will work on the new K3/3, cropped automatically by the smaller sensor.

The biggest break in this compatibility came with several newer lenses that can't use the mechanical screwdrive focusing of older Pentax DSLRs. They must be used with newer cameras, but that's irrelevant to your intentions.

Short answer: on the new K3 lll, any lens that says Pentax can be used.

[Jeff Markus]

Mike,

Well, my cardiologist appointment isn't until this afternoon, and I will be making the eye-doctor appointment today.

Temper fuggit.

[Nico]

Hi Mike,
These are the Pentax lenses on offer, today.
Cheerio,
Nico.

[Oren Grad]

http://kmp.pentaxians.eu/lenses/

https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/product-category/lenses/k-mount-lenses/

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/products/lens/k/

On the Ricoh sites, click on each of the lens subtypes to see what is currently offered in that category. The listings on the Japanese site are more complete.

[John McMillin]

If I were starting from scratch with a new K-3lll, I'd probably choose the 20-40 2.8 Limited zoom for an everyday walkaround lens (unless a new 16-50 came along to change my mind). Tape that zoom at your preferred 40mm FF equivalent and you're good to go! Add a DA 15/4 on the wide end, a tiny, character-filled prime with excellent flare resistance, and a 70/2.4 Limited for the long end. The DA 50-135/2.8 would be a more flexible alternative, at the expense of much larger size and weight.

There, it's simple, isn't it?

[James Meeks]

And Bojidar Dimitrov's K-Mount site - http://kmp.pentaxians.eu/

[Dave]

". . . does anyone even know of a comprehensive list . . ."

https://www.pentaxforums.com/lenssearch/

Search by full frame or APS-C, current production or all time, etc.

Even include 3rd party lenses, if desired.

[Albert Smith]

I have a problem with BMI. when I was in the military, several of my troops had disciplinary issues because they had BMIs that on paper showed them as obese based on a simple formula that makes no differential recognition of the pounds (or Kg) being fat or muscle. They just plug the number into at formula and that is suppose to tell something about your body composition... I don't think so. A pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat, and is much better for your metabolism.

The guys that "failed" the BMI were the ones that you'd want in the field with you and many that looked good on paper couldn't carry their load on a team.

I haven't been on a scale in years. I use a tape measure. Get your waistline to 50% (or less) of your height and you will be doing yourself some good. Belly fat is the killer.

BTW... my last BMI was over the line into obese, 27. I have (in my mid 60s) a 32 inch waist at 70 inches of height, well inside that 50%. And on paper I'm obese.

[James]

Mike says
..."Snidely Whiplash (always loved that name)"

Would go well with 'Grimly Fiendish'

But my fav 'made-up' name is ...'Tatty Oldbit (sailor's friend)'

[Ger Lawlor]

Great bill of health Mike - delighted to hear that we'll probably be stuck with you for a good few years to come!!! Keep doing whatever it is you are doing - Bravo!!!

[Thank you Ger! --Mike]

[robert e]

Wow, so heaps of congratulations are in order, it seems. I shall toast your health tonight, Mike! And your health, too, TOP! Keep at it!

[Stephen Scharf]

The BMI is bullish*t. Lots of references as to why, but one basic reason is it doesn't distinquish between body weight from muscle vs. fat.

Just one reference here: https://nourishedcolorado.com/blog/2018/11/12/why-bmi-is-bullshit

"The BMI was invented over 200 years ago by a Belgian MATHEMATICIAN-that's right, knew nothing about the human body, was not a DOCTOR or health professional- named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet. He came up with BMI to help the government allocate resources to the population, and had nothing to do with how “healthy” someone was. Quetelet even requested that the formula was not to be used to measure fatness, or someone’s health status."

[Even so, the BMI happens to be right on in my case. I could stand to lose another ten pounds. I don't mean to complain, because I lost 50 pounds in 2020 and I sure am grateful. Still got a bit too much of a gut, though.

I'm in no danger of being overly muscular I'm afraid! :-D

Thanks for the reference. --Mike]

[c.d.embrey]

BMI=BS. If you are large and strong you will fail.

When I was in high school I could do >300 set ups. Now I'm in my eighty's and doctors are amazed at my ongoing core strength.

I enjoy walking, but I'm not a flâneur with a camera.

[Timothy Auger]

I get quite irritated when I read that there isn't a pretty comprehensive line-up of lenses available for Pentax DSLRs. It's just not true, as other comments here demonstrate.

[The problem isn't comprehensiveness, it's coherence. It's a bit of a hodgepodge. --Mike]

[Christer Almqvist]

BMI? I use jeans size. As long as the first number (waist) is equal to or smaller than the second number (inseam) you are OK.

To avoid anxiety wear your jeans with leg legs folded up an inch. Or two.

[Arg]

I am very pleased about your latest health updates, Mike, because it means I can look forward to reading your blog for more years! DOESN’T IT?

Cheers

[Robbie Corrigan]

Look at the lens line up as a set of 3's +1 and it might make more sense then. Other commenters have listed Pentaxforuns as probably the best place to show you where what works with what. Older cameras have less capability with the latest lens.
A few examples:
FF prime walkabout - Fa's 31, 43 & 77 (the Limited's, for a certain genre of photography + a 21 coming soon)
FF fast zoom - 15-30, 24-70, 70-200 (f/2.8)
FF Macro - DFA's 50 & 100 (missing the 200)
FF Telephoto - DA*200 + DA*300 or DFA150-450 or DA560
FF no holds barred primes - DFA*'s 50/1.4, 85/1.4 to be joined by an other, probably a 35/1.4

I have the Limited's + DFA*'s and Macro's. Optically the DFA*'s are better in every optically measurable way but you are penalised by size & weight. Travelling light, I'd take 31, 43 and 77, going by car, I'd take them all.

APSC
Prime walkabout: DA's 21, 40 & 70 or DA's 15, 20-40 & 70 (the Limited's for APSC, once you get one, you want the set :))
APSC Fast Zoom DA*'s 11-18, 16-50** & 50-135 (f/2.8) -
**16-50 being replaced with a redesigned model, 50-135 fantastic optically but SDM motor slow.
or for a mix try DA*16-50/2.8**, 55/1.4 & 60-250/4
Macro's - DA35/2.8, DFA502.8 & DFA100/2.8 (All flat plane resolution monsters)

Cheap prime - DA35/2.4 & DA50/1.8 (Throwaway tactile quality - work on FF too, gateway drugs into prime land)

Kit lens - 18-55 & 55-300 - forget about the 17-70, 18-135, 18-200

Odds and sods - DA16-85 and DFA28-105 (Single zoom walkabout do most type stuff)

[Robbie Corrigan]

3's + 1 suggestions
FA31, 43, 77 + 100 Macro
DFA* 35, 50, 85 + 70-200 (5Kg to 6Kg of metal & glass)
DA* 11-18, 16-50, 55, 60-250 (3Kg or so, useful weathersealed flexibility)
DA15, 21, 40 + 70 (under a Kg)
DA15, 16-85, 50-300 + Fast prime or macro for bokeh (under 1.5Kg with lots of flexibility)

[Simon]

Re. BMI "should be 25 or below" - that sounds like someone reading from a guidebook. BMI is crude and is not an especially useful indicator of health while your BP is considerably more useful (and in your case looking good).

A more useful measure is waist size and the proportion of waist circumference to your height. Fat retained around your middle brings a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and strokes.

My recommendation is to keep active in a variety of ways. Don't spend long hours straight sitting down, break it up with other tasks and movement (this will also be good for your eyes, especially if you're sat down viewing a screen, and you know how important they are!).

As we age then some strength - lifting, pressing, pushing - exercises will help retain muscle mass that is now more prone to being lost (and once lost is much harder to get back).

[David Smith]

I finally acquired a k-mount film body a couple of years ago and thought, great! I can use all my m42 lenses on this, and start collecting some k-mount lenses as well. Wrong. Pentax badly bodged their original k-mount (recalling it was grafted onto a spotmatic) with an all-new aperature linkage very unfriendly to their original m42 lenses. Rollei got this perfectly well with their SL bayonet mount (I own an SL35). Pentax couldn't, and didn't. Even an Adaptall II mount struggles with the futzy k-mount linkage.

[Richard Skoonberg]

My strategy on Pentax lenses was to buy only full-frame lenses (primes) for my cropped-sensor K-5. Often, I bought used from KEH or B&H. When I moved to the K-1, I had all the lenses I needed. Buying used saved me a ton of money as well. I try to keep in mind that it is the lenses that will last and the camera bodies with come and go.