Ricoh unveils Pentax 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for upcoming full-frame DSLR

Ricoh has announced the Pentax-D FA 24–70mm f/2.8 ED SDM WR, a fast, full-frame lens that further lends credit to the fact that the company is working on a full-frame Pentax DSLR, which is recently teased on a microsite.

While we’ll be waiting until Spring of 2016 for the mysterious Pentax camera to come around, this new lens should tide Pentax camera owners over until then.

On Pentax’s current APS-C bodies, the lens is a 37–107mm equivalent. It features a weather-resistant design with a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8 that can stop down to f/22 using its 9-blade aperture design.

Autofocus is driven by a Supersonic Direct-Drive motor, and includes a Quick-Shift Focus system, which allows you to make small manual adjustments to focus after the autofocus locks onto the target. Also included is a zoom lock lever to prevent accidental extension of the lens when tilted down.

The optics of the lens include 17 elements in 12 groups, including three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements, three aspherical elements and an anomalous dispersion aspherical element to reduce chromatic aberration (CA). A multi-layer ‘HD’ coating is also placed on the lens’ elements to reduce flares.

The Pentax-D FA 24–70mm f/2.8 ED SDM WR is set to ship in October 2015 for $1,300. You can pre-order the lens from B&H.