Pentax knows a thing or two about making lenses (understatement) — they’ve been doing it since 1919 when they began manufacturing eyeglass lenses. When they say that a new lens is a big deal, it’s a big deal. That’s why their announcement of the availability of the new full-frame 50mm F/1.4 lens, is notable. In their words, “the goal of this lens is to be the flag-ship among all of the PENTAX lenses!”
The lens is formally known as the HD PENTAX-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW Lens and is available for pre-order here with a list price of $1,199.99. The lens is expected to ship towards the end of July.
Pentax already produces an entry-level 50mm F/1.4 lens. But this lens is pro-level. In fact, the “*” in the product name indicates that it’s part of Pentax’s “Star series” which is intended to take advantage of every bit of capability that Pentax cameras can deliver.
The standout features of this lens include the new “super direct-drive motor,” indicated by the SDM in the product name. This motor, newly developed by Pentax, produces more torque than conventional lens-focusing motors. In a heavy lens such as this one (with its 15 optical elements it weighs in in at 32.1 ounces without its hood), there’s a lot of glass to move around when focusing. A more powerful motor makes for smoother and faster focusing.
Pentax boasts of the optical qualities of this lens, which are clearly obvious in the sample pictures they’ve provided (you can check those out below). At its maximum aperture, the lens makes clear and sharp images from the center of the frame all the way to the edges. The lens is also treated with Pentax’s Aero Bright Coating II. This coating, together with its other HD coating, reduces flare, reflection, and ghosting significantly. And with a 9-blade rounded diaphragm, the bokeh produced by this lens is natural – light sources should remain round up to F/2.8.
Outdoor photographers take note: The lens is weather-resistant and dustproof. It also has a Super Protect (SP) coating on the front optical element to help repel water and grease from the lens surface. Pentax is known for making some very durable bodies (such as the Pentax K-3 II). This lens with one of those bodies would make for a formidable outdoors combo – just keep in mind that on an APS-C size sensor (like on the K-3 II) the effective focal length of this full-frame lens is 76.5mm.
The lens also comes with a hood, lens cap, and lens mount cap. You can pre-order it here, and you can see Pentax’s lineup of DSLRs here. This lens is sure to be an asset in any Pentax shooter’s camera bag.
Now check out some of the sample images taken with the lens, provided by Pentax:
