HD Pentax-D FA 645 35mm F3.5 Announced

New wide-angle lens for the Pentax medium format system

By PF Staff in Pentax Announcements on Nov 12, 2015

Ricoh Imaging has just announced the HD Pentax-D FA 35mm F3.5 AL [IF], a wide-angle prime lens designed for the 645 digital medium format system. It is expected to start shipping in mid-December, 2015.

HD Pentax-D FA 645 F3.5 AL [IF]

The new 35mm is inspired by the film-era SMC Pentax-FA 645 35mm, though enhancements have been made to its optical formula. Among these is a newly designed, high-grade glass-molded aspherical element. As a D FA series lens, it covers the full 645 film image format.

From a physical perspective, the D FA 35mm appears to be very similar to the FA 35mm. It has an aperture ring and is thus usable without limitations on film bodies. The new lens is not weather-sealed, and it employs screwdrive autofocus, unlike other recent D FA and DA 645 lenses.

New features include the HD lens coating, which offers increased contrast and better flare control compared to the traditional SP coating. The front element is now SP (Super Protect) coated, which helps repel water drops and grease and easier to clean. In addition, the aperture blades are rounded for smoother bokeh.

The release of this lens was somewhat unexpected in that it never appeared on the lens road map, but it certainly underlines Pentax's commitment to the 645 format and thus to the professional market.

In the US, the D FA 35mm is available for pre-order for $1599 at B&H Photo.

The FA 35mm lens has always been one of the more popular choices for wide-angle photography with the Pentax 645 system, and we are sure the D FA version will follow in its footsteps. The 35mm focal lens makes the lens well-suited for landscapes and it is of course much more compact and easier to handle than the current alternative, the HD Pentax-DA 645 28-45mm F4.5 zoom. The 76° diagonal field of view of a 35mm lens on the 645D/Z is roughly comparable to that of a 19mm on APS-C or 27mm on full-frame.

Full specifications for the D FA 35mm are now posted in our lens database.

Press Release