Pentax HD Pentax-DA 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE Lens

HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE Lens
Compact telephoto zoom lens

This zoom lens provides focal lengths between 84.5mm and 460mm (in the 35mm format)* to cover medium- to super-telephoto ranges. Thanks to its upgraded AF performance, it assures quiet, high-speed AF operation in still-image shooting, as well as smooth AF tracking operation during movie recording to minimize operation noise caused by focus and aperture shifts. Its newly designed, high-quality optics provide a minimum focusing distance of 0.95 meters, expanding the range of photographic applications.

With the adoption of a retractable structure, it measures a mere 89 millimeters in length, making it easy to carry around. Coupled with its weather-resistant construction, this zoom lens assures outstanding reliability and durability even in demanding shooting conditions.

Key Features:

• Short minimum focusing distance of 0.95m
• KAF4 is PENTAX’s first K-mount with electromagnetic diaphragm control system for a quiet sound operation during movie recording
• Rear focus system and PLM (pulse motor), direct drive lead screw system for a High-speed AF
• Compact telephoto zoom lens thanks to its collapsible structure
• Weather-resistant construction
• ED lens elements for brilliant sharpness and saturated colours
• HD coating to optimize light transmittance and minimize reflection
• Quick-Shift Focus System to instantly change the AF mode to MF by twisting the focus ring
• SP (Super Protect) Coating applied to the front surface of the lens to effectively repel water and grease
• Rounded diaphragm to produce a beautiful bokeh

High-speed AF operation

With the adoption of a rear-focus system, the focusing lens is 93.6 percent lighter* than the previous version. By driving this focusing lens using a pulse motor (PLM), which is directly linked to a lead screw, this zoom lens operates faster — approximately 8.3 times** at its wide-angle end and approximately 1.7 times** at its telephoto end —and quieter than the existing model.* When mounted on the new PENTAX K-70 digital SLR camera body, it assures smoother, faster AF operation with dimly lit subjects, thanks to an improved AF algorithm that exchanges AF data between the camera body and the lens with greater precision. Operability of its power-assisted focus system during manual-focus operation has also been improved. Since its distance ring is designed to accurately detect the angle of rotation and swiftly react to a change of angle, this zoom lens can shift its focusing lens smoothly in response to distance ring operation.

* When compared with the HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8ED WR.

** When taking a still image in viewfinder shooting, with the camera’s AF mode set to AF-S and for subjects positioned at a distance between 1.5 meters to infinity.

Quiet AF operation and electromagnetic diaphragm control, perfect for movie recording

This is the first K-mount lens to feature an electromagnetic diaphragm control system.* When mounted on the new PENTAX K-70 digital SLR camera body, it assures smooth, high-precision aperture control during movie recording. Thanks to this state-of-the-art system, it shifts the aperture setting automatically and smoothly, even when the brightness level of the subject changes drastically in movie shooting. Coupled with the PLM mechanism, it also assures smooth AF tracking operation and exposure control, while minimizing the intrusion of focus- and aperture-shift noises during movie-recording operation. As the result, it produces more natural, true-to-life movies in locations such as a theater stage or a sunlight-streaked forest where the brightness level fluctuates considerably, and for such active subjects as athletes and animals.

High-quality images, with a minimum focusing distance of 0.95 meters

With focal lengths from 84.5mm to 460mm (in the 35mm format), this telephoto zoom lens provides approximately 5.5-times zoom coverage from medium- to super-telephoto ranges. Its 14-element, 11-group optics include an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) optical element to effectively minimize spherical and chromatic aberrations, while delivering high-resolution, fine-detailed images with rich contrast from the image’s center to its edges and minimal color bleeding at any focal length setting. In addition to the short minimal focusing distance of 0.95 meters, made possible by the rear-focus system, the lens barrel has also been designed to be free of extension during AF operation, making it ideal for a wide variety of applications, such as outdoor, sports and landscape shooting.