A kit lens is a "starter" lens which can be sold with an interchangeable-lens camera such as a single-lens reflex camera. It is generally an inexpensive lens priced at the lowest end of the manufacturer's range so as to not add much to a camera kit's price. The kit consists of the camera body, the lens, and various accessories usually necessary to get started in SLR photography. A kit lens can be sold by itself outside of a kit, particularly the ones that are moderately expensive; for instance a kit lens included in a prosumer SLR kit is often marketed as an upgrade lens for a consumer SLR. In addition, retailers often have promotions of standalone low-end SLR bodies without the lens, or a package that bundles the SLR body with one or two more expensive lenses.
The Pentax K-mount, sometimes referred to as the "PK-mount", is a bayonet lens mount standard for mounting interchangeable photographic lenses to 35 mm single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras. It was created by Pentax in 1975, and has since been used by all Pentax 35 mm and digital SLRs and also the MILC Pentax K-01. A number of other manufacturers have also produced many K-mount lenses and K-mount cameras.
Pentax lenses were first badged as Takumar. The Takumar branded lenses were well respected for their line of Super Takumar, which designated the high performance coating applied to the lens as well as the optical formulas used to make them. The majority of the industry at the time was still satisfied with the variations of the "plumb" coating process and later some of the two and three layer processes as well. Asahi Pentax soon introduced the Takumar Super-Multi-Coated line of lenses which was a 7 layer process as the industry had just caught up with similar forms of 5 layer multi-coated optics. Eventually Asahi Optical and Pentax slowly shifted much of their lens production under the Pentax name and transitioned some of the successful designs that were first introduced under the Takumar name to use Asahi/Pentax badging as well as beginning to use the "smc" abbreviation. Eventually the Asahi partnership disappeared and the Pentax name became solely used. Pentax lenses saw many feature changes to answer the market, such as: incorporating "Auto-Aperture" with the M42, the light weight and compactness with the 'M' series, Aperture Priority overrides with the 'A' series, and Auto-Focus with the 'F' series. Modern Pentax lenses for digital SLR cameras have seen the elimination of the aperture ring completely as found on Pentax DA and D-FA series lenses. They use the Pentax KAF mount. All of these lenses have an autofocus feature, either operated from the camera body or from an internal SDM motor. Pentax compatible lenses are also made by third-party companies.
The SMC Pentax-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL lens is a standard zoom lens for the Pentax K-mount. It is often sold as a kit lens with Pentax digital SLR cameras and has a 35mm equivalent focal length of 27-82.5mm. Its optical formula is made of 12 elements in 9 groups. There are two variants of this lens:
The smc Pentax-DA* 55mm f/1.4 SDM lens is a professional prime lens for the Pentax K-mount. It is designed for portrait use with a 35mm equivalent focal length of 82.5mm. The lens features weather sealing, an SDM ultrasonic motor for quiet autofocus, and has 9 rounded diaphragm blades for smoother bokeh. Autofocus speed is similar to an equivalent screwdrive lens.
The smc Pentax-D FA 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens is a normal macro lens for the Pentax K-mount. While optimized for digital use, it offers full frame 135 film coverage. The lens is capable of reaching 1:1 magnification.
The Pentax 645 is a medium format single-lens reflex system camera manufactured by Pentax. It was introduced in 1984, along with a complementary line of lenses. It captures images nominally 6 cm × 4.5 cm on 120, 220, and 70 mm film, though the actual size of the images is 56 mm × 41.5 mm.
The SMC Pentax-DA 50mm f/1.8 lens is a normal prime lens for the Pentax K-mount. The 75mm equivalent focal length on APS-C cameras and fast f/1.8 aperture make it well suited for portrait photography. It uses a simple double-Gauss design of 6 elements in 5 groups.
The HD Pentax DA 55-300mm lens, is a telezoom lens line for the Pentax K-mount. There are 4 generations so far.
The smc PENTAX-DA* 1:4 300mm ED [IF] SDM is a supertele prime lens for Pentax K-mount. It uses Pentax' silent SDM motor for autofocus on compatible cameras, and has Quick Shift Focus to allow manual adjustments in autofocus mode.
The Pentax K-S2 is a weather-sealed digital SLR camera announced by Ricoh on February 9, 2015. It is the first Pentax SLR to feature an articulated LCD, and it is the smallest DSLR to include this feature and also be weather-sealed. In 2015, the K-S2 won the TIPA Award in the category Best Digital SLR Advanced.
The Pentax K-3 II is a flagship APS-C DSLR camera announced by Ricoh on April 22, 2015.
The smc Pentax-DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR is an APS-C standard zoom and high-end kit lens for Pentax DSLRs, introduced in September 2010. As a kit lens, it was the higher-end option for the Pentax K-5, as an alternative to the lower priced SMC Pentax-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL WR, and has continued in that role with subsequent Pentax DSLR models. It is also compatible with the K-01 mirrorless camera.
The smc Pentax DA 18-270mm F3.5-6.3 ED SDM is a superzoom lens manufactured by Pentax. It has been available since 2012.
The Pentax smc DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited is a wide-angle prime lens for Pentax K-mount, announced by Pentax on March 2, 2009. Along with Pentax's other DA Limited primes, it was replaced in 2013 with an HD-coated version with rounded aperture blades.
The Pentax smc DA* 16-50mm F2.8 ED AL (IF) SDM is an advanced standard zoom lens for Pentax K-mount APS-C DSLR bodies, announced by Pentax on February 21, 2007.
The Pentax smc DA 17-70mm F4.0 AL (IF) SDM is a constant maximum aperture standard zoom lens announced by Pentax on June 3, 2008.
The Pentax smc DA 14mm F2.8 ED (IF) is an interchangeable camera lens announced by Pentax on February 2, 2004.
The Pentax smc DA* 200mm F2.8 ED (IF) SDM is an interchangeable tele lens for Pentax K-mount, announced by Ricoh on January 23, 2008.
