HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR: A Closer Look

A compact, weather-sealed walkaround zoom

By PF Staff in Photokina 2014 on Sep 16, 2014

Three new prototype K-mount lenses are on display here at Photokina 2014, one of which is slated for release by the end of this year: the HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6.  The other two lenses consist of a long telephoto zoom and a wide-aperture telephoto zoom, but they are still in early stages of development.  We will be covering them in a separate article.

Click on any thumbnail below to enlarge.

So, what's this new lens all about?  It's a weather-sealed standard zoom, which means that its zoom range covers the most commonly-used focal lengths, from ultra-wide to medium telephoto.

According to our recent interview with Ricoh, this lens is meant for users who aren't satisfied with the standard 18-55mm kit lens.  It offers silent autofocus, a wider and longer zoom range, and improved build and image quality.

Below are additional photos of the lens in its display case.  We were not able to pick up or play with the lens as it is still a prototype.

Once the lens is released, we plan on comparing it with both the 18-135mm and 18-55mm zooms.