• The current generation of lenses for APS-C Digital SLRs
• Sub-categories: DA* (professional), DA Limited (high-end pancake) and DA L (budget kit)
• Image format: APS-C sensor format (16 x 24mm) (some lenses actually cover the 24x36mm full frame format, see details below)
• Suited for DSLRs with APS-C sized sensor
• Autofocus
• No aperture ring
• Automatic aperture setting is available
• Introduced in 2004
• In production

The smc PENTAX-DA, HD PENTAX-DA, smc PENTAX-DA L, and smc PENTAX-DA* lenses are designed to be used exclusively on digital cameras with an APS C sized sensor (the K and *ist D digital camera series). Their image circle covers only the 18 x 24mm format of APS C sized sensors so the corners of the image will come out dark if the lens is used on a 24 x 36mm film camera or a 24 x 36mm full-frame digital SLR.

Exceptions:The following three lenses officially cover the 24 x 36mm full-frame format: smc Pentax-DA* 200mm F2.8, smc Pentax-DA* 300mm F4, and HD Pentax-DA 560mm F5.6. Add to this that many users report that the smc PENTAX-DA 40mm F2.8 Limited, also known as "the pancake," covers the full 24 x 36mm frame. Optically it is based on an earlier lens in the M series.

DA lenses (with a few exceptions) feature a Quick Shift focusing system that allows the focus to be fine tuned with the focusing ring on the lens without setting the camera focus selector to "MF".

DA L lenses are a light weight edition of their DA counterparts. They have a bayonet mount made of plastic rather than stainless steel and they do not have the quick shift focusing capability.

DA* Lenses: The DA series includes a number of "star" lenses (DA*) with top notch optical and mechanical engineering. All DA* lenses have the Quick Shift focusing system and - despite not having the WR designation - are also weather sealed.

DC, PLM or SDM: Lenses with the DC, PLM or SDM designation feature a built-in autofocus motor. Newer cameras (K100D Super, K10D, and later) will take advantage of this motor and not use the screw-drive mechanism.

Some DA lenses are DC/SDM-Only (KAF3 mount), such as the smc PENTAX-DA* 55mm F1.4 SDM prime lens and smc PENTAX-DA 17-70mm F4 zoom lens. These lenses lack the traditional screw drive autofocus coupler and will therefore only autofocus on the K10D, K100D Super, and newer Pentax cameras.

DA lenses with the PLM motor (KAF4 mount) has no provision for screw drive autofocus. They also have no mechanical linkage for stopping down the aperture and can therefore only be used on cameras supporting electronic aperture stop down (K-50/K-S1/K-S2/K-3/K-3 II/K-1 with firmware update, or newer).

RE: Lenses with the RE suffix are retractable and manual focus is carried out by the AF motor in the lens. These lenses cannot be focused at all on DSLRs older than the K10D/K100D Super since these older cameras do not provide power to the lens motor.

XS: Lens with an exterior design by Mark Newson matching the Pentax K-01. The lens will, however, work on any Pentax DLSR with an APS-C sized sensor.

WR: Lenses with the WR designation are weather resistant. They are sealed so that they better withstand use in light rain and blowing dust.

• Current (third) generation of autofocus lenses for the 24 x 36 mm "full frame" format
• Sub-category: D FA* (professional grade)
• Image format: 24 x 36 mm "full frame"
• Suitable for APS-C digital sensor format and the 24 x 36 mm "full frame" digital sensor format
• Autofocus
• Only the two earliest D FA lenses have an aperture ring which makes them suitable also for film cameras
• Automatic aperture setting is available
• In production

Remarks: PENTAX-D FA lenses have been optimized optically for digital sensors. Their image circle covers the 24 by 36mm sensor (or negative) format. These lenses provide an easy way to manually fine tune the subject distance set by the autofocus system ("quick shift" focusing system).

D FA lenses with the KAF4 mount such as the HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW feature an electronic aperture mechanism and are only suitable for DSLRs introduced in 2013 and later (K-3, K-50, K-S1 and later).

The second version of the SMC Pentax-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR does not have an aperture ring, unlike its non-weather-sealed D FA predecessor.

DC/SDM: Pentax-D FA Lenses with the DC or SDM designation in their name feature a built-in autofocus motor and no screw drive AF mechanism. These lenses can only autofocus with newer cameras (K100D Super, K10D, and later). The HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW is an example of a D FA lens without screw drive support.

AW, WR: Lenses with the AW (All Weather) or WR (Weather Resistant) designations are sealed so that they better withstand use in light rain and blowing dust. AW is the more resistant of the two.

• The second generation of autofocus lenses
• Sub-groups: FA* (professional) and FA Limited (compact high-end) series
• Image format covered: 24 x 36 mm
• Suitable for APS-C digital sensor format and 24 x 36 mm "full frame" format
• Autofocus with screw drive system
• Aperture ring
• Automatic aperture setting is available*
• Certain zoom lenses feature the power zoom function**
• In production: Only five of the original 42 lenses are still in production (as of May 2010: FA 35, FA 50, FA 30/43/77 limited)

The FA series lenses are autofocus and allow for certain modern cameras (film and digital) to automatically set aperture (Tv mode), shutter speed (Av mode), or both (Program mode). You can also set exposure manually if the camera body allows for this. On recent camera bodies (e.g. *ist and all digital SLR cameras) you use dials on the camera body to set the aperture value (the aperture ring on the lens must be in the "A" position at all times). On older models (such as ZX-5N, MZ-5N, LX, ME, MX, K1000) the aperture is set with the aperture ring on the lens.

Three FA "Limited" lenses were made available in 2001. Except for these and the 35mm f/2 and 50mm f/1.4, the FA series, which consisted of 42 lenses total, has been discontinued.

While FA lenses are identical in operation to F lenses, they feature improved electronics that support the MTF program line.

The FA series also includes 11 "star" lenses (FA*) that employ the finest of Pentax optical and mechanical engineering.

*Exceptions: The smc PENTAX-FA Soft 85mm F2.8 and smc PENTAX-FA Soft 28mm F2.8 lenses have no "A" setting on the aperture ring. Hence they work like smc PENTAX-M lenses with respect to exposure; they are still autofocus. The "A" setting has been removed because the degree of image softness is controlled by the aperture ring and it would be meaningless to let the camera decide the setting.

**Power zoom is only supported by certain camera bodies. The following lenses feature power zoom:

-SMC Pentax-FA 28-80mm F3.5-4.7
-smc PENTAX-FA 28-105mm F4-5.6
-smc PENTAX-FA 70-200mm F4-5.6
-smc PENTAX-FA 100-300mm F4.5-5.6
-smc PENTAX-FA* 28-70mm F2.8 AL
-smc PENTAX-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF]
-smc PENTAX-FA* 250-600mm F5.6 ED [IF]

• First generation autofocus lenses
• Sub-categhory: F* (professional)
• Image format covered: 24 x 36 mm
• Suitable for APS-C digital sensor format and 24 x 36 mm "full frame" format
• Autofocus with screw drive system
• Aperture ring
• Automatic aperture setting is available*
• In production: No

Remarks: Lenses in this series work just like FA lenses; see above for features and limitations.

The F series consisted of 20 lenses is now fully discontinued.

The F series also includes 3 "star" lenses (F*) that employ the finest of Pentax optical and mechanical engineering.

*Exceptions: The smc PENTAX-F Soft 85mm F2.8 and smc PENTAX-F Soft 28mm F2.8 lenses have no "A" setting on the aperture ring. Hence they work like smc PENTAX-M lenses with respect to exposure; they are still autofocus. The "A" setting has been removed because the degree of image softness is controlled by the aperture ring and it would be meaningless to let the camera decide the setting.

• A small series of 3 autofocus zooom lenses
• Image format covered: 24 x 36 mm
• Suitable for APS-C digital sensor format and 24 x 36 mm "full frame" format
• Autofocus with screw drive system
• Automatic aperture setting is available, but there is no aperture ring
• In production: No

Remarks: SMC Pentax-FA J lenses lack the aperture ring but otherwise work like an FA lens set permanently to the “A” position. Due to the lack of an aperture ring these lenses cannot be used on camera bodies where use of an aperture ring is mandatory (such as LX, ME, MX, K1000), but can be used on e.g. the ZX-5N in Program and Tv mode. These lenses provide full functionality on all recent bodies like the *ist, *ist D series and K (digital) series

• The third generation of manual focus lenses
• Sub-categhory: A*
• Image format covered: 24 x 36 mm
• Suitable for APS-C digital sensor format and 24 x 36 mm "full frame" format
• Automatic aperture setting is available
• In production: No

Remarks: smc PENTAX-A lenses are manual focus. Regarding exposure control they work like FA lenses.

The A series also includes 9 "star" lenses (A*) that exemplify the finest in Pentax optical and engineering.

• The second generation of manual focus lenses (generally smaller than K lenses)
• Sub-categhory: M*
• Image format covered: 24 x 36 mm
• Suitable for APS-C digital sensor format and 24 x 36 mm "full frame" format
• Manual aperture
• In production: No

Remarks: smc PENTAX-M and smc PENTAX (commonly know as "K") lenses are manual focus and have no "A" setting on the aperture ring. These lenses allow for the camera to automatically set shutter speed (if it has the Av auto-exposure mode). You can also set exposure manually if the camera body allows for this. The ZX-5N is an example of a body which provides Av mode as well as manual exposure mode with M and K lenses. Almost all K and M lenses have an automatic diaphragm.

Some recent bodies cannot use M and K lenses or only with some limitations. An example are the *ist D and K (digital) series. In M mode you set the aperture using the aperture ring on the lens; the camera will set the shutter speed when you press the green button (or AE-L button if the camera has no green button). Or you can set the shutter speed manually (there is no exposure read out in the finder to assist you).

The M series includes a single "star" lens (M*) that exemplies the finest in Pentax optical engineering. That is the smc PENTAX-M* 300mm F4.

• The first generation of manual focus lenses
• Image format covered: 24 x 36 mm
• Suitable for APS-C digital sensor format and 24 x 36 mm "full frame" format
• Manual aperture
• In production: No

Lens Name Suffixes

The following abbreviations are used in lens names:

AL: Aspheric Lens. Special lens elements that improves the optical quality. Particularly valuable in wide angle lenses.
AW: All Weather. The highest degree of sealing against dust and rain.
DC, PLM or SDM: The lens has a built-in motor for autofocus (K10D, K100D and newer cameras can take advantage of this).
ED: Extra-low Dispersion. Special glass material which helps reduce chromatic aberration. Particularly valuable in tele photo lenses.
IF: Internal focusing. Focusing is achieved by moving lens elements within the lens. The lens barrel doesn't move. IF lenses generally focus faster than ordinary lenses.
RE: Retractable lens. The lens collapses in length when not in use.
XS: Lenses with an exterior design by Mark Newson matching the Pentax K-01. Works like an ordinary DA lens.
WR: Weather Resistant. The lens is sealed against dust and light rain.

Conclusion

A, F, FA and D FA lenses work on all Pentax bayonet cameras ever produced. Exceptions: 1) A lenses do not work on the MZ-60/ZX-60, 2) the D FA 100mm F2.8 WR and newer D FA lenses have no aperture ring which restricts their use on some film cameras.

FA J, DA and DA L lenses only work on cameras which can control the aperture (since these lenses have no aperture ring). DA lenses should only be used on cameras with an APS-C sized sensor (16 x 24 mm) with the exception of the DA*200mm F2.8, DA*300mm F4, and DA 560mm F5.6, which can also be used on 24 x 36mm full-frame cameras.

DA lenses having the KAF4 mount only works on cameras which can control the aperture electronically (K-50, K-S1, K-3 and newer).

M and K lenses work on all cameras except the MZ/ZX-30, MZ/ZX-50 and MZ/ZX-6. They work with limitations on the *ist film camera. They work with stop-down metering on the *ist D series and K series digital SLRs provided that a custom function is set appropriately.

For more information on lens compatibility, please visit our Lens Compatibility Chart.