Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the HD PENTAX-D FA★85mm F1.4ED SDM AW lens, the second fixed focal-length lens in the new-generation PENTAX Star (★) lens series. Designed for use with PENTAX K-mount digital SLR cameras, Star-series lenses boast the highest imaging performance of all PENTAX lens lineups.

PENTAX developed a new, ring-type SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) exclusively for this new lens to enable flawless, high-speed autofocus operation, with an exterior design that assures a firm grip for manual-focus operation. The HD PENTAX-D FA★85mm F1.4ED SDM AW lens is designed not only to assure the highest imaging power currently possible, but also to optimize the joy of picture-taking.

The new lens incorporates three Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass optical elements to effectively minimize chromatic aberration, and a glass-molded aspherical optical element to effectively compensate for spherical and chromatic aberrations and field curvature to deliver extra-clear, high-contrast images with edge-to-edge sharpness, even at open aperture. This design also reduces distortion to nearly zero at a focusing distance of four meters to deliver well-defined, distortion-free images over the entire focusing range, from the minimum focusing distance to infinity.

The HD PENTAX-D FA★85mm F1.4ED SDM AW lens boasts an F1.4 maximum aperture, useful with many different subjects in a range of applications, including portraiture with an effectively defocused background, handheld shooting of indoor scenes and scenic photography. The extra-large aperture produces a bright, clear viewfinder image that will surely inspire photographic creativity and imagination.

Developed as an AW (All Weather) model, the new lens features dustproof, weather-resistant construction with eight special seals to prevent the intrusion of water into the lens barrel. When paired with a dustproof, weather-resistant PENTAX digital SLR camera body, it assures a durable, reliable digital imaging system that performs superbly in demanding shooting settings --- even in rain or mist, or at locations prone to water splashes or spray.

Pricing and Availability

The HD PENTAX-D FA★85mm F1.4ED SDM AW lens will be available in mid-June at www.us.ricoh-imaging.com as well as at Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $1899.95.

Main Features of the new HD PENTAX-D FA★85mm F1.4ED SDM AW

New-generation, high-performance Star-series lens to deliver ideal image quality

Anticipating the further advancement of SLR camera bodies in the future, PENTAX has designed this lens to deliver extra-clear, high-contrast images with edge-to-edge sharpness by compensating various aberrations to a minimum, while greatly enhancing resolving power --- two factors absolutely essential in the next-generation Star series. It provides exceptionally high imaging performance even at open aperture, a beautiful bokeh (defocus) effect and outstanding image rendition at close ranges --- all reasons why it produces high-quality, well-defined images. It also boasts an extra-large F1.4 maximum aperture, useful with many different subjects in a range of applications, including portraiture with an effectively defocused background, handheld shooting of indoor scenes and scenic photography. It helps the camera to produce a bright, clear viewfinder image that will inspire the photographer's creativity and imagination.

State-of-the-art optical technology

This lens incorporates three Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass optical elements to effectively minimize chromatic aberration, and a glass-molded aspherical optical element to effectively compensate for spherical and chromatic aberrations and field curvature to deliver extra-clear, high-contrast images with edge-to-edge sharpness, even at open aperture. It also reduces distortion to nearly zero at a focusing distance of four meters to deliver well-defined, distortion-free images over the entire focusing range, from the minimum focusing distance to infinity. This lens is also treated with high-grade, multi-layer High-Definition (HD) Coating, which reduces average reflectance in the visible ray spectrum to less than 50% of conventional multi-layer coatings, effectively reducing flare and ghost images to a minimum even in demanding lighting conditions such as backlighting.

Newly designed, large ring-type SDM

To deliver the highest image quality possible over the entire focusing range --- from the minimum focusing distance to infinity --- this lens features a newly designed, large ring-type SDM to efficiently drive the focusing mechanism, which consists of a larger number of optical elements than ordinary lenses, and is required to shift heavy rear-optical-element groups in unison. Generating a torque approximately 1.3 times that of the unit installed in the HD PENTAX-D FA★50mm f1.4 SDM AW, this new SDM assures flawless, high-speed autofocus operation.

Dustproof, weather-resistant construction

Developed as an AW (All Weather) model, this lens features a dependable dustproof, weather-resistant construction with eight special seals to prevent the intrusion of water into the lens barrel. When paired with a dustproof, weather-resistant PENTAX digital SLR camera body, it assures a durable, reliable digital imaging system that performs superbly in demanding shooting conditions --- even in rain or mist, or at locations prone to water splashes or spray.

Other features

• Nine-blade, round-shaped diaphragm to produce a natural, beautiful bokeh (defocus) effect up to the F2.8 aperture setting, while minimizing the streaking effect of point light sources
• Exterior design that facilitates focus-ring operation in manual-focus shooting and provides a firm hold
• Electromagnetic diaphragm-control mechanism** for flawless, high-precision exposure control during video recording
• SP (Super Protect) coating to keep the front surface free of dust and spots

https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/newproduct/1270372.html

Silver version