Parsippany, NJ—Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation unveiled the HD Pentax-D FA 21mm F2.4ED Limited DC WR lens. The new lens works with Pentax K-mount, full-frame digital SLR cameras. When used with Pentax APS-C-format cameras, it provides a focal length equivalent to 32mm in the 35mm format.
The ultrawide-angle, fixed-focal-length lens is the newest model in the Pentax Limited series, acclaimed for distinctive image rendition and exterior design.
HD Pentax-D FA 21mm F2.4ED Limited DC WR
Moreover, the new lens is the first D FA-series lens in the Pentax Limited lineup to optimize the visual characteristics of digital images. “The lens captures the prevailing ambience and true-to-life sense of depth of the scene and is designed to make photography enjoyable for its users—essential elements of the Pentax Limited series,” the company announced.
The 21mm ultrawide-angle focal length, not previously available in the FA Limited series, is ideal for landscape photography. At open aperture, the lens achieves a mild bokeh (defocused) effect in the background while capturing the main subject in sharp, crisp focus. This enables the subject to stand out against a defocused background, with the exaggerated perspective typical of ultrawide-angle lenses.
Furthermore, at a minimum focusing distance of seven inches, the lens can create a variety of visual expressions, depending on the subject being captured.
Optical Specs
The lens optics incorporate five glass elements; they comprise four ED (extra-low dispersion) glass elements—including one ED aspherical lens—and one super ED glass optical element. These elements minimize chromatic aberration and prevent color bleeding, in both the main in-focus area and surrounding defocused areas.
It also employs a large-aperture negative meniscus optical element; a biconvex aspherical glass-mold optical element; and a high-refraction glass optical element in the first lens group. This design reduces the lens’s overall size while delivering crisp images.
What’s more, Pentax-original High-Definition (HD) coating reduces the average reflectance in the visible spectrum to less than 50%. Thus, it effectively minimizes flare and ghost images even in backlighting.
In addition, the lens integrates a DC motor inside its barrel—a first for the Limited D FA series. The motor helps assure smooth, quiet, precision, high-speed autofocus. This focusing mechanism also provides a quieter drive sound and smoother operation than traditional body autofocus.
The lens barrel, hood and cap are machined from high-grade aluminum, and the lens also features weather-resistant construction. Additionally, Ricoh applied an SP (super protect) coating to the front surface to repel dust and stains. Consequently, when paired with a Pentax weather-resistant DSLR camera body, the lens is part of an airtight digital imaging system. 
Finally, the lens incorporates the KAF4 mount with an electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism for precision exposure control when used with compatible DSLRs. It also helps assure worry-free video shooting in locations prone to dramatic brightness changes; such as a stage with rapidly changing lighting conditions.
The HD Pentax-D FA 21mm f/2.4ED Limited DC WR lens has a suggested retail price of $1,399.95. The black lens models are marked with a serial number starting with 0000001; the silver models start with 1000001.
