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The Best Pentax SLR Lenses for 2021

Pentax SLRs are beloved by many for their all-weather designs. We've highlighted some of the best lenses we've reviewed available for K-mount cameras.

Jim Fisher
By Jim Fisher 
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Overview

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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

  • Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited

    Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited

    Macro
    4.5 Excellent

    Bottom Line:

    The Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited lens is as well-built as it is sharp, housing crisp optics in a compact, premium all-metal barrel.

    • Pros

      • Sharp.
      • 1:1 magnification.
      • Compact.
      • Excellent build quality.
      • Built-in hood.

    • Cons

      • No weather sealing.
      • Omits focus limiter function.
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    Learn More Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited Review
  • Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW

    Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW

    Low Light
    4.0 Excellent

    Bottom Line:

    The HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW costs more than similar lenses for other systems, but it's the best fast-fifty you can get for K-mount cameras.

    • Pros

      • Very sharp.
      • Minimal distortion.
      • Bright aperture.
      • Speedy autofocus.
      • Weather-sealed design.

    • Cons

      • Bulky.
      • Edges suffer at wider apertures.
      • Noticeable vignette.
      • Pricey.
    Get It Now
    Learn More Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
  • Pentax SMC FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited Lens

    Pentax SMC FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited Lens

    Low Light
    4.0 Excellent

    Bottom Line:

    The Pentax SMC FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited is the oldest lens that Pentax still makes, but its performance has withstood the test of time, and it captures the perfect standard-angle field of view on a full-frame camera.

    • Pros

      • Sharp.
      • Compact.
      • Wide aperture.
      • Excellent build quality.
      • True standard-angle design.

    • Cons

      • Slow, noisy autofocus.
      • Some barrel distortion.
      • Dim corners at wide apertures.
      • Omits weather sealing.
    Get It Now
    Learn More Pentax SMC FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited Lens Review
  • Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR

    Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR

    Architecture
    4.0 Excellent

    Bottom Line:

    The Pentax HD D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR is a huge lens, but one that covers an ultra-wide field of view with excellent sharpness, even at f/2.8.

    • Pros

      • Quite sharp.
      • Fixed f/2.8 aperture.
      • Integrated hood.
      • Ultra-wide field of view.
      • Strong close focus capability.
      • Weather-sealed design.

    • Cons

      • Barrel distortion at widest angles.
      • Dim corners.
      • Bulky.
      • Omits filter thread.
    Get It Now
    Learn More Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR
  • Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited

    Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited

    Wide Angle
    4.0 Excellent

    Bottom Line:

    The Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited is an impressively sharp wide-angle lens with minimal distortion.

    • Pros

      • Compact.
      • Built-in hood.
      • Impressively sharp.
      • Minimal distortion.
      • Quick-shift focus system.
      • Excellent build quality.
      • Fairly even illumination.

    • Cons

      • Disappointing edge performance at f/4.
      • Some chromatic aberration.
      • Screw-in lens cap.
      • Not weather sealed.
    Get It Now
    Learn More Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited Review
  • Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited

    Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited

    Low Light
    4.0 Excellent

    Bottom Line:

    The Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited is a sharp, compact lens that's great for portraiture.

    • Pros

      • Very sharp.
      • Minimal distortion.
      • Compact design.
      • Metal construction.

    • Cons

      • Not weather sealed.
      • Hood complicates filter changes.
    Get It Now
    Learn More Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited Review
  • Pentax SMC FA 31mm F/1.8 Limited Lens

    Pentax SMC FA 31mm F/1.8 Limited Lens

    Low Light
    4.0 Excellent

    Bottom Line:

    The Pentax SMC FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited has earned legendary status as a stellar wide-angle lens. Despite its age, it's still a strong performer.

    • Pros

      • Crisp optics, especially when stopped down.
      • All-metal build quality.
      • Wide aperture.
      • Integrated hood.
      • Mechanical aperture control ring.
      • Excellent manual focus experience.

    • Cons

      • Expensive.
      • Dated screw-drive autofocus system.
      • Dim corners and soft edges at wide apertures.
      • Some barrel distortion.
      • Omits weather-sealing.
    Get It Now
    Learn More Pentax SMC FA 31mm F/1.8 Limited Lens Review
  • Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM

    Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM

    Macro
    4.0 Excellent

    Bottom Line:

    The Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM lens is a solid replacement for the 18-55mm that shipped with your camera, but another Sigma zoom is our Editors' Choice.

    • Pros

      • Sharp.
      • 4.1x zoom range.
      • 1:2.9 macro magnification.
      • Optical stabilization.
      • Wide aperture.
      • Compact and light.
      • Available for multiple camera systems.
      • Compatibility with Sigma USB dock and mount conversion service.

    • Cons

      • Some distortion.
      • Edge softness at 70mm.
    Get It Now
    Learn More Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM Review
  • Pentax HD D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

    Pentax HD D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

    Standard Zoom
    3.5 Good

    Bottom Line:

    The Pentax HD D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR is a solid full-frame starter zoom, but it makes the compromises you expect from a kit lens.

    • Pros

      • Strong center sharpness.
      • Compact.
      • Weather-sealed design.
      • Inexpensive.
      • Full-frame coverage.

    • Cons

      • Some distortion.
      • Weak edge performance.
      • Dim corners.
    Get It Now
    Learn More Pentax HD D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR

Buying Guide: The Best Pentax SLR Lenses for 2021

The Road Less Traveled

It's true that most photographers looking to buy an SLR go with a Canon or a Nikon camera. But, despite their market share, the big two aren't the only game in town. The Pentax brand has been around for a long time, and if you learned photography in the 70s or 80s, you probably picked up the classic manual focus K1000 SLR at some point in time.

In the digital world Pentax SLRs set themselves apart from the competition by concentrating on build quality rather than bells and whistles. Even the budget-friendly K-70 has a glass pentaprism viewfinder and extensive weather sealing—features that are only available in bodies priced over $1,000 if you are shopping for a Canon or Nikon SLR. But the company is a little behind the times in some other areas, including autofocus and video capture.

But if you're more interested in pure photography and not enticed by bells and whistles, a Pentax SLR might make a lot sense. Add in the fact that the company is strong in terms of backward compatibility (those manual focus lenses from the 70s work on modern digital bodies just fine) and builds shake reduction into the body so that every lens is stabilized, and you have an appealing platform.

Most Pentax SLRs use the APS-C sensor size, the same as you'll find in entry-level models from Nikon and Canon. There is one full-frame model available, the 36MP K-1 Mark II. You can use APS-C lenses with it—we've tested some and found that a few cover the whole sensor and are decent performers—but for best results look for lenses marked as FA or D FA if you shoot with the K-1.

Pentax doesn't have the sheer number of lenses available as you'll get with one of the more popular systems, but the selection is still pretty extensive, and includes an excellent series of compact prime lenses. It's missing some of the more esoteric options, like tilt-shift lenses, autofocusing f/1.2 primes, and really long telephoto glass. Third-party lenses fill some of those gaps, although lens makers like Sigma and Tamron no longer make lenses for Pentax, so you'll have to search for pre-owned options.

If you're in the market for a new SLR body you can peruse the Best SLRs we've tested. And all of the cameras and lenses we've reviewed can be found in our Digital Cameras Product Guide.

Compare SpecsThe Best Pentax SLR Lenses for 2021
Our Pick
Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited
Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited
Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
Pentax SMC FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited Lens
Pentax SMC FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited Lens
Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR
Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR
Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited
Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited
Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited
Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited
Pentax SMC FA 31mm F/1.8 Limited Lens
Pentax SMC FA 31mm F/1.8 Limited Lens
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
Pentax HD D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
Pentax HD D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
Editor's Rating
Editors' Choice
4.5 Excellent
Review
Editors' Choice
4.0 Excellent
Editors' Choice
4.0 Excellent
Review
4.0 Excellent
4.0 Excellent
Review
4.0 Excellent
Review
4.0 Excellent
Review
4.0 Excellent
Review
3.5 Good
Weight
7.525.52.36.74.612.2115.5
Type
LensLensLensLensLensLensLensLens
Stabilization
NoneNoneNoneNoneNoneNoneOpticalNone
Optical Zoom
2 x4.1 x3.75 x
Optical Stabilization
None
Mount
Pentax K
Lens Mount
Pentax KPentax KPentax KPentax KPentax KPentax KNikon F, Pentax K, Sigma SA, Sony A, Canon EOSPentax K
Full-Frame Equivalent (Wide)
50
Dimensions
1.8 by 2.5 inches4.2 by 3.2 inches2.5 by 1.1 inches5.7 by 3.9 inches1.6 by 2.5 inches1.0 by 2.5 inches2.7 by 2.6 inches3.1 by 3.2 inches3.4 by 2.9 inches
35mm Equivalent (Wide)
52.5431522.51053125.528
35mm Equivalent (Telephoto)
N/A mmN/A mm30 mmN/A mmN/A mmN/A mm105 mm105 mm
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