Old / New 16-45 What's the Difference?

seacapt · 12-10-2011, 07:16 AM

All ways wanted a DA 16-45 back when I started with Pentax but watched prices go up as they went out of production. Now I see there is a new DAJ available that looks similar. I was under the impression that "J " stood for junk as it was a designation for Pentax's econo grade lenses . Whats the real deal?

JinDesu · 12-10-2011, 07:38 AM

Huh, where did you see a DA J? The cheaper series of the DA is the DA L.

sterretje · 12-10-2011, 08:07 AM

Link please

// edit

Never mind, googled it and found dropshippers.co.za and tradestead.com selling them. However I did not find an official Pentax site with news about it or a known reputable dealer having the DAJ.

seacapt · 12-10-2011, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by JinDesu

Huh, where did you see a DA J? The cheaper series of the DA is the DA L.

here is one example http://www.selectcamera.com/pentax-smc-p-daj-16-45mm-f-4.0-ed-al-camera-lens.html
also the discription for the new lens on pro digital comes up as DA J
Back in the FA series years the J lenses were the cheap crap err I mean budget minded high quality products

Last edited by seacapt; 12-12-2011 at 07:40 PM.

Macario · 12-10-2011, 09:39 AM

Looks to me like a normal DA 16-45, probably they screwed up the typing

seacapt · 12-12-2011, 07:30 PM

First off , to those who took the time to reply - Thank you for your effort.
I guess everyone thought this was a silly question.
I haven't actually shopped 16-45's since Pentax anounced they would no longer be manufactured back in '09 but when recently looking for a used one as a gift for a buddy I saw they were available new again and about 1/2 of the retailers that had them listed specified the model as a DA J.
Honest folks this wasn't a trick question.
Does anybody have a definative answer ? Is this the same lens ? Is it a newer variant? Did they start building them at a different factory and throw the J in as a manufacturing code?

**Just1MoreDave** · 12-12-2011, 08:15 PM

I don't know anything useful about whether there is a DA-J model of this lens. But as an owner, I like to have the hood and Quick-Shift, so I wouldn't leave anything off the original version.

Macario · 12-13-2011, 01:00 PM

I got mine a year ago, and I just checked, here in Holland stores do still have em new. It might be that there was just a big stock laying somewhere, and they shipped them to retailers

12-10-2011, 07:16 AM	#1
seacapt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Carolina , USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,271	Old / New 16-45 What's the Difference? All ways wanted a DA 16-45 back when I started with Pentax but watched prices go up as they went out of production. Now I see there is a new DAJ available that looks similar. I was under the impression that "J " stood for junk as it was a designation for Pentax's econo grade lenses . Whats the real deal?

12-10-2011, 08:07 AM	#3
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Link please // edit Never mind, googled it and found dropshippers.co.za and tradestead.com selling them. However I did not find an official Pentax site with news about it or a known reputable dealer having the DAJ. Last edited by sterretje; 12-10-2011 at 08:16 AM.

12-12-2011, 07:30 PM	#6
seacapt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Carolina , USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,271 Original Poster	First off , to those who took the time to reply - Thank you for your effort. I guess everyone thought this was a silly question. I haven't actually shopped 16-45's since Pentax anounced they would no longer be manufactured back in '09 but when recently looking for a used one as a gift for a buddy I saw they were available new again and about 1/2 of the retailers that had them listed specified the model as a DA J. Honest folks this wasn't a trick question. Does anybody have a definative answer ? Is this the same lens ? Is it a newer variant? Did they start building them at a different factory and throw the J in as a manufacturing code? Last edited by seacapt; 12-12-2011 at 07:42 PM.

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12-10-2011, 07:38 AM	#2
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Huh, where did you see a DA J? The cheaper series of the DA is the DA L.

12-10-2011, 08:32 AM	#4
seacapt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Carolina , USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,271 Original Poster	Originally posted by JinDesu Huh, where did you see a DA J? The cheaper series of the DA is the DA L. here is one example http://www.selectcamera.com/pentax-smc-p-daj-16-45mm-f-4.0-ed-al-camera-lens.html also the discription for the new lens on pro digital comes up as DA J Back in the FA series years the J lenses were the cheap crap err I mean budget minded high quality products Last edited by seacapt; 12-12-2011 at 07:40 PM.

12-10-2011, 09:39 AM	#5
Macario Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hoek van Holland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,393	Looks to me like a normal DA 16-45, probably they screwed up the typing

12-12-2011, 08:15 PM	#7
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	I don't know anything useful about whether there is a DA-J model of this lens. But as an owner, I like to have the hood and Quick-Shift, so I wouldn't leave anything off the original version.

12-13-2011, 01:00 PM	#8
Macario Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hoek van Holland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,393	I got mine a year ago, and I just checked, here in Holland stores do still have em new. It might be that there was just a big stock laying somewhere, and they shipped them to retailers