360Photography

Ricoh announces HD PENTAX-D FA 15-30mm f/2.8 lens for new PENTAX K-1 full-frame DSLR

Weather-sealed, ultra-wide-angle zoom lens, ideal for landscapes and nightscapes

DENVER, Colo. February 17, 2016 – Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the HD PENTAX-D FA 15-30mm f/2.8ED SDM WR lens. This new lens is designed to work seamlessly with the full-frame sensor of the new PENTAX K-1 camera, also announced today.

When mounted on the PENTAX K-1 camera body, the lens covers a focal-length range from 15mm ultra-wide-angle to 30mm wide-angle.(Note: with a PENTAX  APS-C-size digital SLR camera body, the lens covers a focal-length range from 23mm to 46mm.) Its exaggerated ultra-wide perspective and state-of-the-art optical design enable capturing high-resolution, dynamic, sweeping views of subjects, ideal for landscape photography. Treated with PENTAX-developed HD Coating, the lens produces well-defined, fine-detailed images with ample light levels even at the edges of the image field, while effectively reducing chromatic aberration and distortion to a minimum. 

Its large f/2.8 maximum aperture is also well-suited for photographing nightscapes and starry skies. The built-in SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) provides quiet, high-speed autofocus operation.

| Pricing and Availability | 

HD PENTAX-D FA 15-30mm f/2.8ED SDM WR lens will be available in April 2016 at www.ricohimaging.com and retail outlets nationwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $ 1,499.99.

Main Features

1. Exceptional imaging power

When mounted on the PENTAX K-1 35mm full-frame digital SLR camera body, the lens provides an ultra-wide-angle focal-length coverage from 15mm to 30mm. Its exaggerated perspective helps the photographer produce spectacular landscape photographs. With a 30mm focal length at the telephoto end, the lens is also well-suited to portrait and street photography.

2. State-of-the-art optical design

The zoom lens incorporates three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass optical elements and three aspherical optical elements in its 18-element, 13-group optics to deliver high-resolution images rich in contrast even at the edges of the image field, while effectively minimizing chromatic aberration, distortion and coma. 

3. Large-aperture zoom lens, with a maximum aperture of f/2.8

Since this zoom lens provides a maximum aperture of f/2.8 over its entire zoom range, it is versatile enough to be used for many different subjects and scenes, ranging from sweeping landscapes to nightscapes and starry skies. Despite its ultra-wide-angle perspective, it can capture the subject with an excellent bokeh (defocus) effect on the background. Even in macro photography from its minimum focusing distance of 28 centimeters, it can capture subjects with a well-defined sense of depth.

4. Built-in SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor)

The incorporation of a new-generation SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) assures that this zoom lens provides quiet, high-speed autofocus operation, letting the photographer react swiftly to all types of subjects.

5. Weather-resistant construction

Special seals applied throughout the lens body provide this zoom lens with dependable weather-resistant construction, effectively preventing the intrusion of water into the lens interior. By pairing it with a weather-resistant PENTAX digital SLR camera body, the photographer has a durable, dependable digital imaging system that performs superbly under demanding shooting conditions — even in the rain or mist, or at locations prone to water splashes or spray.

6. HD Coating to improve image description

The lens is treated with high-grade, multi-layer HD (high-definition) coating. Compared with conventional multi-layer coatings, this PENTAX-original coating assures higher light transmittance and less reflection to deliver bright, high-contrast images free of flare and ghost images, even under demanding lighting conditions such as backlight. 

7. Other features

• Quick-Shift Focus System for instant switching from autofocus to manual-focus operation, by holding the shutter-release button halfway down and turning the focus ring after the subject is captured in focus by the camera’s AF system.
• Rounded diaphragm with nine blades produces a smooth, beautiful bokeh (defocus) effect, while minimizing the streaking effect of point light sources.
• SP (Super Protect) coating applied to the front surface of the lens to effectively repel water and grease.

Ricoh announces 28-105mm lens for new PENTAX K-1 full-frame DSLR

Compact, lightweight and weather-sealed lens offers popular zoom range, is ideal companion to new PENTAX K-1 full-frame DSLR

DENVER, Colo. February 17, 2016 – Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the             HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6ED DC WR lens. This new, compact and lightweight zoom lens provides the most frequently requested focal-length range for general photography, from wide angle to medium telephoto.

This versatile zoom lens is designed to cover the large full-frame sensor found in the new PENTAX  K-1 camera, incorporating state-of-the-art optics and high-performance optical elements. When mounted on the K-1 camera body, it delivers high-resolution imaging power, and is an ideal every day-use lens for the new camera.

| Pricing and Availability | 

The HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6ED DC WR lens will be available in April 2016 at www.ricohimaging.com and retail outlets nationwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $ 499.99.  

| About Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation |

Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services.  Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in about 200 countries and regions.

The company now known as Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation, was originally founded in 1919, under the name Asahi Optical Joint Stock Co. and launched its first SLR camera in the 1950s under the PENTAX name. Today, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation continues to produce the heritage-rich, award-winning line of PENTAX DSLR cameras, lenses and sport optics equipment as well as Ricoh’s offering of stylish and compact digital cameras, known for their wide-ranging, rich set of features.

For further information, please visit www.ricohimaging.com/pentaxff

Main Features

1. Standard zoom lens covering most frequently-used range

This standard zoom lens accommodates the image circle of a 35mm full-frame image sensor, and covers focal lengths between 28mm wide angle and 105mm medium telephoto. By incorporating the latest optics and a number of high-performance optical elements, it retains a sufficient brightness level even at edges of the image field, while effectively compensating for aberrations. It delivers high-resolution images by optimizing the imaging power of the PENTAX K-1 camera’s approximately 36.4 effective megapixels. Its compact, lightweight body and excellent cost performance make this lens a perfect companion lens to the PENTAX K-1.

2. Excellent image resolution, complementing the PENTAX K-1 full-frame digital SLR camera performance

With 15-element, 11-group optics, this zoom lens incorporates two high-precision aspherical optical elements, one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass optical element and one anomalous-dispersion glass optical element to deliver bright, sharp images with minimal chromatic and spherical aberrations. The optics are designed to deliver ample resolving power for the large, high-pixel image sensor, producing well-defined, fine-detailed images.

3. HD Coating to improve image quality

This lens is treated with the high-grade, multi-layer HD (high-definition) coating. Compared with conventional multi-layer coatings, this PENTAX-original coating assures higher light transmittance and less reflection to deliver bright, high-contrast images that are free of flare and ghost images, even under demanding lighting conditions such as backlight. 

4. Quick-Shift Focus System

This PENTAX-developed system allows for flawless, delay-free switching from autofocus to manual-focus operation, after the subject is captured in focus by the camera’s AF system.