October 1, 2007
The SMC Pentax-DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED AL [IF] has been announced as Pentax's latest addition to its digital lens lineup. This versatile lens, featuring a field of view ranging from 76° to 6.5° and a zoom ratio of approximately 14x, had previously been available from Tamron and will now enter the market under the Pentax brand. According to Pentax, this lens will retail for approximately $500 and will be available later this month.
From the specifications and images provided of this lens, it can be concluded that the lens is based almost entirely on the Tamron 18-250mm f/3.5-f/6.3 XR DI-II LD Aspherical (IF) AF.
Press Release from PentaxImaging.com:
PENTAX Imaging Company is pleased to announce the smc PENTAX DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL [IF] interchangeable zoom lens designed for exclusive use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras. With an approximate 14X zoom ratio covering from wide-angle to super-telephoto ranges, this versatile lens handles a great variety of applications from wide-angle landscapes to close-up sporting events and wildlife photography.
SMC PENTAX DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL [IF] ZOOM LENS FACT SHEET:
-High zoom ratio
Mounted on a PENTAX digital SLR camera body, this zoom lens offers approximate 14X zoom ratio that covers the range from 27.5mm wide angle to 383mm super-telephoto in the 35mm format. Without the need for lens changes, it can be used for a wide variety of applications — ranging from such standard applications as landscape photography, snapshots and portrait at frequently used focal lengths, to specialized applications like sports and wildlife photography at the super-telephoto range.
Superb image description assured by extra-low dispersion (ED) and aspherical optical (AL) elements:
Incorporating two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements and two aspherical (AL) elements, this lens effectively compensates for the adverse effects of various aberrations, assuring outstanding image description.
-Digital SLR exclusive design
This lens is exclusively designed for use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras, with its image circle perfectly proportioned to their image sensor size (23.5mm x 15.7mm). Since the coating, curvature and position of all optical elements are optimized for the characteristics of digital images, the lens effectively minimizes annoying flare and ghost images in the resulting images.
-Minimum focusing distance
An extra-short minimum focusing distance of 0.45 meters over the entire zoom range
Inner-focus (IF) mechanism to avoid lens extension during focusing.
Lens Specifications:
Lens mount: PENTAX KAF mount
Lens construction: 16 elements in 13 groups
Angle of view: 76°-6.5°
Number of aperture blades: 7
Minimum aperture: F22-F45
Minimum focusing distance: 0.45m
Filter size: 62mm
Maximum magnification: 0.28X
Adam
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