HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mmF4.5-6.3ED PLM WR RE

A compact telephoto zoom lens, providing enhanced AF performance and a minimum focusing distance of 0.95 meters

The HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mmF4.5-6.3ED PLM WR RE is much more than just a standard telephoto zoom lens. This high-quality lens is designed according to the latest technical aspects for the APS-C. Due to its construction as an RE lens, with an overall length of just 89 millimetres, its true size only becomes apparent during use, while its very compact dimensions and low weight make it a striking choice for transport.
At the same time, the technical features, such as a weatherproof construction or the new PLM autofocus motor, as well as the imaging quality are of exceptionally high quality, ensuring high reliability even under demanding shooting conditions.

This zoom lens provides focal lengths between 84.5mm and 460mm (in the 35mm format, when mounted on a PENTAX APS-C-format digital SLR camera.) to cover medium- to super-telephoto ranges. Which makes it a perfect solution for e.g. wildlife, bird or plane spotting.

Features

High-quality images with a minimum focusing distance of 0.95 meters

With focal lengths from 84.5mm to 460mm (in the 35mm format), this telephoto zoom lens provides approximately 5.5-times zoom coverage from medium- to super-telephoto ranges. Its 14-element, 11-group optics include an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) optical element to effectively minimize spherical and chromatic aberrations, while delivering high-resolution, fine-detailed images with rich contrast from the image’s center to its edges and minimal color bleeding at any focal length setting.

In addition to the short minimal focusing distance of 0.95 meters, made possible by the rear-focus system, the lens barrel has also been designed to be free of extension during AF operation, making it ideal for a wide variety of applications, such as outdoor, sports and landscape shooting.

HD Coating to enhance imaging performance

The lens incorporates the PENTAX-developed, multi-layer HD (High Definition) Coating. Compared with conventional multi-layer coatings, it improves light transmittance while reducing average reflectance in the visible ray spectrum. This means that it can deliver clear, well-defined images with minimal flare and ghost images, even under demanding lighting conditions such as backlighting.

Compact telephoto zoom lens

Thanks to its retractable structure, the lens is only 89 millimeters long. Since it weighs just 442 grams, it is extremely compact and handy to carry even in a limited space, such as a bag, making it ideal for casual, day-to-day shooting.

Weather-resistant construction

The lens features a dependable weather-resistant construction with 11 sealing parts to effectively prevent the intrusion of water into the lens interior. When paired with a weather-resistant PENTAX digital SLR camera body, it creates a durable, dependable digital imaging system that performs superbly in demanding shooting settings — even in rain or mist, or in locations prone to water splashing 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.

High-speed AF operation

With the adoption of a rear-focus system, the focusing lens is 93.6 percent lighter* than the previous version. By driving this focusing lens using a pulse motor (PLM), which is directly linked to a lead screw, this zoom lens operates faster — approximately 8.3 times** at its wide-angle end and approximately 1.7 times** at its telephoto end —and quieter than the existing model.*

Phase-matching AF AF drive time comparison 

Fig. 1: WIDE (55mm)            Fig.2:  TELE (300mm)

  HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8ED WR 

  HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3ED PLM WR RE 

When mounted on the actual digital PENTAX SLR camera modells, it assures smoother, faster AF operation with dimly lit subjects, thanks to an improved AF algorithm that exchanges AF data between the camera body and the lens with greater precision. Operability of its power-assisted focus system during manual-focus operation has also been improved. Since its distance ring is designed to accurately detect the angle of rotation and swiftly react to a change of angle, this zoom lens can shift its focusing lens smoothly in response to distance ring operation.

* When compared with the HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mm F4-5.8ED WR.
** When taking a still image in K-70's viewfinder shooting, with the camera’s AF mode set to AF-S and for subjects positioned at a distance between 1.5 meters to infinity.

Focusing Mechanism

  Lead Screw       PLM (Pulse Motor)       Focus Lens

Quiet AF operation and electromagnetic diaphragm control, perfect for movie recording
This is the first K-mount lens to feature an electromagnetic diaphragm control system. When mounted on the actual PENTAX digital SLR camera modells, it assures smooth, high-precision aperture control during movie recording.
Thanks to this state-of-the-art system, it shifts the aperture setting automatically and smoothly, even when the brightness level of the subject changes drastically in movie shooting. Coupled with the PLM mechanism. It also assures smooth AF tracking operation and exposure control, while minimizing the intrusion of focus- and aperture-shift noises during movie-recording operation.
As the result, it produces more natural, true-to-life movies in locations such as a theater stage or a sunlight-streaked forest where the brightness level fluctuates considerably, and for such active subjects as athletes and animals.

USAGE NOTE:
This lens features a KAF4 lens mount compatible with an electromagnetic diaphragm control system. Cameras compatible with this system are KF, K-3 Mark III,  K-1 Mark II, KP, K-70, K-1, K-3 II, K-3, K-S2, K-S1 and K-50.

For K-1, K-3 II, K-3, K-S2, K-S1 and K-50, the camera’s firmware must be upgraded to the latest version. If this lens is mounted on a camera without proper firmware upgrade, its diaphragm control mechanism becomes inactive, making it impossible to obtain correct exposure.

Other features

Quick-Shift Focus System
After focusing using the autofocus, the focus ring can be turned to allow immediate focus adjustment using the manual focus.
This feature enables smooth operability by eliminating the need for an AF/MF switching operation. This is useful during closeup photography, for instance, when you want to shoot while making fine adjustments to the focus

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 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.

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)

Since it is impossible to avoid light diffraction phenomenon on the actual lens, wave optical MTF is more realistic. However, geometric MTF is appropriate if you want to compare only the effects of geometric aberration correction on MTF.

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.

Please find more information about the Lens specification in our lens glossary ... (link)

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