HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW

HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mmF4.5-5.6ED DC AW

There are many situations where it is not possible to get close to the subject. The best example of this is wildlife photography. Whether in the zoo at home, in a wildlife park or on safari, a lens in this focal length range is an indispensable accessory.

With the 35 mm full-frame sensor of a K-1 Mark II, the focal length range of 150-450 mm is available, and the crop factor of APS-C cameras, such as the K-3 Mark III or the K-F, results in a focal length range equivalent to 230-690 mm. The teleconverter HD Pentax-DA AF REAR CONVERTER 1.4AW (limited image range) extends this range by a factor of 1.4.

Features 

Outstanding image description

This lens is treated with the high-grade, multi-layer High Definition Coating . Compared with conventional multi-layer coatings, this PENTAX-original coating assures higher light transmittance and less reflection to deliver bright, high-contrast images free of flare and ghost images, even under demanding lighting conditions such as backlight.

By incorporating three super-low dispersion glass elements and one Anomalous Dispersion Glass element in its optics, it effectively minimizes spherical and chromatic aberrations, while producing crisp, high-quality images with edge-to-edge sharpness,  free of color bleeding.

Dustproof, weather-resistant construction

Developed as an AW (All Weather) model, this zoom lens features a dependable dustproof, weather-resistant construction with 21 special seals to prevent the intrusion of water and dust particles into the lens interior.
By pairing it with a PENTAX weather-resistant 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.

SP Coating

SP coating is a PENTAX-original special coating that provides superior performance in repelling water and oils. It is used on the front surface of the first high-performance lens for effective protection of the lens surface. This coating not only prevents adhesion of dust, water drops, oils, and other substances, but it also makes it easy to wipe off objects that adhere to the lens.

Comparison of dirt adhesion (oil-based ink) A lens surface treated with SP Coating has a very smooth surface without the adhesion of the oil-based ink.	Comparison of wipe-off (oil-based ink)  A lens surface treated with SP Coating can be wiped clean more easily and completely, even after the ink has dried.

Newly installed three-position switch for Quick-Shift Focus System

In order to improve its operability, a three-position switch is newly installed on this lens, allowing instant switching among QFS/A, QFS/M and MF modes. QFS/A is an autofocus-priority mode, which allows the user to switch to manual-focusing operation only when autofocus operation is completed. QFS/M is a manual-focus-priority mode, which enables the user to switch to manual focusing at any time — even when the AF system is in operation. MF mode allows the user to instantly switch to manual focusing with a simple twist of the focus ring on the lens. With a choice of three distinctive modes, the user is assured of speedier, more accurate focusing operation for a given subject or application.

Four AF buttons installed on the lens barrel

In order to provide more stable AF operation and better hold of the lens regardless of the camera’s orientation — horizontal or vertical — this lens provides four AF buttons on its barrel — one at every 90 degrees.* The user can assign preferred settings to these AF buttons, including: a Focus Preset mode to preprogram the focus position and instantly shift the focus to that position; and an AF Cancel mode to intentionally fix the focus at a desired point during Continuous AF operation.
* Corresponding models are K-1 Mark II, K-1, KP, K-3II, K-3, K-70, K-S2, K-S1. For K-3 and K-S1, Firmware upgrade is required.

Other features

Direct Current (DC) focus motor.
It performs autofocus operation via a motor in the lens barrel. This provides quieter and smoother AF operation than AF operation in the camera body, and allows for easy, comfortable focusing.

Lens Hood  included
In addition to a variety of features, such as our unique multi-coating and the prevention of reflections in the lens barrel, a large special lens hood is included with this PENTAX lens to minimise ghosting and flare that occurs in backlit and other adverse conditions. As such, the lens hood is an integral part of the optical system and should always be used when using the lens. Most PENTAX lenses are designed so that the lens tip does not rotate when zooming and focusing to facilitate the use of circular polarising filters. This is further supported by a small window in the lower part of the aperture to allow the circular polarising filter to be operated.

Detachable tripod mounting with a newly designed anti-falling mechanism.
For better balance when mounting, this lens has a detachable tripod mount. For safe handling, this is equipped with a newly developed fall protection. The tripod mount can be used for portrait and landscape format.

PENTAX K Mount
The lens mounts for PENTAX interchangeable lenses are based on the bayonet K mount, which has remained unchanged since its inception in 1975. It is a mount unique to PENTAX that features a large aperture combined with superior ease of replacement, accuracy, and toughness. These features are utilized to comfortably incorporate an iris control mechanism, autofocus mechanism, and other functions for enabling nearly complete compatibility with conventional lenses. The PENTAX K Mount keeps its advanced versatility despite differences in camera and lens functions.

【MTF Chart】

Geometric optics MTF (MTF calculated without referencing the effects of light diffraction phenomenon) 

Wave optical MTF (MTF calculated referencing the effects of light diffraction phenomenon)

 MTF chart information

MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) is a kind of index used to evaluate lens performance, which represents the extent of subject contrast reproduction as spatial frequency.
The MTF chart here shows the contrast on the vertical axis, and distance from the center of the image on the horizontal axis. For the spatial frequency, 10 lines/mm shows a low frequency, and 30 lines/mm shows a high frequency, resulting in the MTF graph. On the graph, the solid line represents the S direction (sagittal direction and radiation direction) MTF, and the broken line represents the M direction (meridional direction and concentric circular direction) MTF.
In general, a low-frequency MTF is proof of a clear, high-contrast lens, and a high-frequency MTF is proof of a sharp lens with high resolving power.

Sample Images 

Aperture F5.6, Shutter speed 1/25sec, Focal length 190mm　Photo by Masaaki Aihara

Aperture F8.0, Shutter speed 1/1000sec, Focal length 410mm　Photo by Yoshiaki Kobayashi

Aperture F5.6, Shutter speed 1/200sec, Focal length 330mm　Photo by Yoshiaki Kobayashi

Aperture F9.0, Shutter speed 1/250sec, Focal length 220mm　Photo by Yoshiaki Kobayashi

Aperture F5.6, Shutter speed 1/100sec, Focal length 200mm　Photo by Yoshiaki Kobayashi

Aperture F5.6, Shutter speed 1/160sec, Focal length 450mm　Photo by Yoshiaki Kobayashi

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