Big lenses for Pentax (K mount)

Logan Becker · Jul 5, 2017

Just picked up a Pentax MX and I currently have a 50mm f/1.7 prime, a 28 mm f/2.8 macro, and a 135 mm f/3.5 zoom. I am perfectly content with these and they cover a good range, but I want to know if Pentax makes manual k-mount lenses bigger? Looking for a nice telephoto perhaps. 49mm diameter.

Ian Grant · Jul 5, 2017

Pentax made a lot of longer telephoto lenses, however are you saying you want something sing a 49mm filter mount, that's unlikely over 135mm.

Ian

hashtagquack · Jul 5, 2017

List of lenses available here. https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/
Id look at the M/K/A lenses for the MX although m42 also works with adaptor but without auto aperture function.
Looks like the 150mm f3.5 M lens would be the longest prime with 49mm filter. The 75-150mm Zoom also appears to use 49mm filters

Logan Becker · Jul 5, 2017

I am not looking exclusively at a 49 mm filter mount, just was adding on that all my current lenses are 49.

Pioneer · Jul 5, 2017

There are some very nice telephotos from the Pentax lineup. Check the Pentaxforums lens reviews and it will provide you lots of good information and pictures to compare. The K mount 500mm/4.5 is a particularly sharp lens once stopped down to about f/8. This lens has been around since the M42 screw mount days. The 400/5.6 is not as fast, but every bit as sharp at f8.

EDIT - There is also a 1000mm lens but I have never used one so can't comment on how well it works. They also made a 2000mm mirror reflex telephoto but I suspect that one is likely rare as hens teeth.

Fixcinater · Jul 5, 2017

Depends how exotic you want to go. You could also do something like Tamron's 60B model, a 300mm f/2.8 which is likely on par with anything Pentax put out. With a good 2X (they have a matched one), you get a very usable 600mm and internal focus so much easier/quicker to use on action than anything that's moving the whole front of the lens. Might be same cost as a 500mm Pentax lens and more versatile.

Paul Howell · Jul 5, 2017

The most common long lens in K and M42 are the 200 and 300 600 in FA add the 400. These lens have held their value and are going up now that Pentax has a full frame DSLR. There are some good 3rd party long glass in K and M42, Sigma made lens from 180 to 600, the 600 in mirror, a 400 tele.

Chan Tran · Jul 5, 2017

I have to find the brochure that came with the Pentax KX but I remember they did make 1000mm lens if not even longer. Of course you can't expect a 1000mm lens to have 49mm filter. If I remember correctly Nikon and Pentax had the largest lens line back in the late 70's. More than Canon, Minolta and Olympus.

jim10219 · Jul 8, 2017

The 200mm f4 K is pretty cheap and really sharp at short to medium distances. It tends to soften a bit when focused to infinity, but is still acceptable. It's my favorite lens for things like a zoo. Plenty of reach for the distances most of the animals are viewed from and not so long that camera shake makes a tripod necessary.

There are obviously better lenses, but they'll cost quite a bit more.

Logan Becker · Jul 8, 2017

jim10219 said:
The 200mm f4 K is pretty cheap and really sharp at short to medium distances. It tends to soften a bit when focused to infinity, but is still acceptable. It's my favorite lens for things like a zoo. Plenty of reach for the distances most of the animals are viewed from and not so long that camera shake makes a tripod necessary.

There are obviously better lenses, but they'll cost quite a bit more.

I saw that one on the site above, I was looking also at a 200mm f/2.8, it averaged the price out at $700 or something like that. Birthday present perhaps.

Paul Howell · Jul 8, 2017

Although I don't have the 2.8, just the F4, the 2.8 has an excellent reputation, sharp up and down the pike.

Big lenses for Pentax (K mount)

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