Overview
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![Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited]()
Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited
Macro - Jump To Details
![Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW]()
Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
Low Light - Jump To Details
![Pentax SMC FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited Lens]()
Pentax SMC FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited Lens
Low Light - Jump To Details
![Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR]()
Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR
Architecture - Jump To Details
![Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited]()
Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited
Wide Angle - Jump To Details
![Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited]()
Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited
Low Light - Jump To Details
![Pentax SMC FA 31mm F/1.8 Limited Lens]()
Pentax SMC FA 31mm F/1.8 Limited Lens
Low Light - Jump To Details
![Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM]()
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
Macro - Jump To Details
![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
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
![Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited]()
Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited
MacroBottom 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.
![Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW]()
Pentax HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
Low LightBottom 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.
Learn MorePentax 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 LightBottom 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.
![Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR]()
Pentax HD-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR
ArchitectureBottom 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.
Learn MorePentax 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 AngleBottom 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.
![Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited]()
Pentax HD DA 70mm F2.4 Limited
Low LightBottom 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.
Learn MorePentax 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 LightBottom 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.
![Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM]()
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
MacroBottom 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.
![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 ZoomBottom 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.
Learn MorePentax 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.
