Are you looking for the best lens for Pentax K1000? Here, I have reviewed 17 lenses and choose the top six lenses that are worth your attention.
However, this camera is out there for a while. Hence, it was tough to find some of the lenses that were good. So, I have to study the available lens that you can find online.
This particular model of Pentax DSLR uses a Pentax K bayonet mount. Pentax introduced this mount with its K-series DSLR cameras.
Here is the list of the best Pentax K1000 lenses:
- Best Standard Lens for Pentax K1000 - Pentax SMC DA 55mm f/1.4
- Best Kit Lens - SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7
- Best Wide Angle Lens - SMC Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8
- Top Portrait Lens - SMC Pentax 135mm f/2.5
- Quality Zoom Lens - PENTAX-M 80-200 mm F4.5
- Best Macro Lens - Pentax 100mm f/2.8 smc Macro Lens
Here, I have listed the 10 best ones that you can choose from.
Best Lens for Pentax K1000
The Pentax K100 uses bayonet lens mount "K- Mount" aka "PK-Mount". When you are searching for the best lens there is a lot of option out there.
Read the review below, to find out what your photography style is.
Pentax DA 50mm f1.8 lens - Standard Lens
- Fast f/1.8 aperture for outstanding depth of field control.
- Rounded diaphragm blades create a more circular aperture for smooth, beautiful bokeh at large aperture settings.
- Circular polarizer--one of the most popular special-effect filters
- Deepens the intensity of blue skies; reduces or eliminates glare
This is a telephoto lens for Pentax DSLR cameras. But before buying always check if your particular model is a perfect match for this product.
This lens gives open values for your F and its iris diaphragm is round. You can take amazing photos portrait photos in bokeh or out-of-focus effect.
Features
It has a fast f/1.8 aperture, rounded diaphragm blades, and a 76.5mm focal length (35mm format). It is available in Black color. It uses a Pentax KAF mount.
It has an Ultrasonic focus type. Its dimension is 1.54 x 2.48 x 2.48 inches, and the weight of the lens is 4.30 ounces. It is a standard type lens.
It has a maximum aperture of 1.8mm. Its maximum focal length is 30. Its minimum aperture and focal length are 10. The size of its photo filter is 52mm.
Pros
- Outstanding control for depth of field.
- It is a good fit for fast f/1.8 cameras.
- For a beautiful and smooth bokeh effect in a bigger aperture, use this lens.
- Super Protect Coat protects the lens from grease, water, dust, and other adhesives.
Cons
- You cannot shift from manual to auto-focus mode.
- Quick Shift for change of focus is absent.
Verdict
This lens is good as it has good protection from dust, water, or grease. Little raindrops will not harm your lens or the photo you take.
SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7- Manual Focus Lens
If you are looking for a generic lens that fits on any camera from Pentax, you should definitely go for this one. It has a great design and it is visually awesome.
Be it an auto or a manual focus camera, it fits on both types but you have to do your focusing manually for both. It has a very sharp and cool look. You will not mind having one on your Pentax.
Features
It is made for the Pentax K series. It is a standard 50mm camera. It is super multi-coated and its optics consists of six elements in five groups. Its diaphragm has six blades and its f-stop is 22.
It has a filter thread of 49mm in size. Its close focus is at 1.5 feet or 0.45 meters. Its maximum reproduction ratio is 1:1.25. Its dimension is 9.8 x 5.04 x 3.82 inches and it weighs 9.1 ounces. It is still in production, so you can buy it.
Pros
- Fitted on almost any camera from Pentax.
- Able to produce very sharp images.
- Has a cool design.
Cons
- Cannot focus automatically. It has manual focus only.
Verdict
If you are looking for a standard camera lens, then this might pique your interest. You can buy it if you have a Pentax K series camera. Even if it is not K series you may try and see if it fits on your mount.
Pentax SMC M 28mm F2.8 Lens
Another lens for K-series Pentax cameras.
Features
It has a prime design. It is a standard lens type with a manual focus. It has an aperture of f/2.8. Its focal length is 28 mm. Its photo filter thread size is 49 mm. Its dimensions are 6.6 x 3.7 x 2.8 inches and weigh 8.6 ounces. It is a wide-angle lens.
Pros
- It has remarkable versatility and sharpness.
- It has a manual focus.
Cons
- It is very old model.
Verdict
Its excellent versatility and sharpness make it one of a kind. With manual focus, you are in control. If you walk closer to your subject, you can actually have a very good photo with it. Total control is in your hands.
Pentax Asahi SMC 1:2.5/135 135mm 135 mm 1:2.5 2.5 - PK Bayonet
Pentax introduced two versions of this lens – 1975 and 1977. The 1977 version only has mm at the end of its name and that is the only difference between the two.
Features
This lens consists of six elements in six groups. It has a total of eight aperture blades. Its minimum focal length is 59 inches. It can magnify up to 0.11x.
You can increase its magnification by using extension tubes or diopters. The filter threads at the front are 58 mm. It is 86 mm in length and weighs five hundred grams.
This medium-range telephoto lens is a great travel companion. It is a very good option for single-lens shooting. You can shoot photos of your candid street.
You can also take photos of architecture. But you can take all other kinds of photos.
Pros
- Fits well on a full-frame K-1 digital SLR camera.
- Well, damped focus action during close-up shots.
- Easy to focus with the default focus screen on K-1 mounts.
- If you stop down the quality of the image.
- With a sharper image, its aberration goes down.
Cons
- Little heavy lens.
Verdict
The lens is heavy. But if you have the patience to overcome the unfamiliar feeling, you will find it a very capable lens indeed. You should give it a try.
PENTAX-M 100mm F4.0 Macro Lens
If it is macro we are talking about, without any hesitation, I would like to mention this legendary Pentax macro lens. Among all the lenses that the manufacturer produced, this M series Pentax macro lens is the best.
Features
It is a 4/100-millimeter macro lens. With this, there is no need for either 85 mm or 100mm, unless you are a collector.
Pros
- You can also take portrait photos just fine.
- It gives a nice bokeh effect.
- If you wide open the lens it gives a smooth touch that works well with portrait photography.
- It takes very sharp photos especially well at 11 and 8 in far, mid, or near ranges.
- The performance it gives from one corner to the other is errorless.
- It is an awesome companion for a trip or camping adventure in the wild or in the mountain.
Cons
- If you go down to 32 or 22, you can get a halo effect in your pictures.
- Frontal light causes serious problems. Therefore, it is important to use a hood.
Verdict
For a macro, this lens gives you a lot of advantages. It can cover two different types of lenses. If I were you, this would be in my collection.
Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 XS Lens
- Designed by Marc Newson and with a profile that is .36 inches thin at 1.8oz
- Fixed focal length 40mm prime lens is equivalent to 61mm in the 35mm format
- Maximum f2.8 aperture is ideal for existing light photography and creative depth of field applications
- Pentax SP coating protects the exposed lens elements
- Pentax KAF mount is compatible with current and past K mount compatible cameras
This sleek masterpiece of a lens is for Pentax K-01 series mirrorless cameras. Its focal length is 40 mm which can work instead of 60 mm on a 35mm format. It has a bit longer viewing angle.
Existing and low-light photography uses a maximum aperture of f/2.8. It also offers great control over the depth view. It is great for general-purpose photography.
Features
Famed designer Marc Newsom’s creation, this lens has a very minimal but aesthetic design. It has a very low profile with only 9.1 millimeters thickness and only weighs 51 grams.
The layer of Super Protect coating keeps dust, water, or moisture away from the lens. As result, the photos have great color fidelity, contrast, and clarity.
KAF mount is a perfect fit for this lens. It can support automatic focus and control of the diaphragm.
Pros
- Has a focal length of 60 millimeters.
- The equivalent of a 35mm.
- It is great for general-purpose shooting.
- Provides a great viewing angle.
- It produces smooth clear and natural photos.
- It has a fast f/2.8.
- Designed by Marc Newson for a minimal and attractive profile.
- It is thin and looks like a pancake.
- It has a Super Protect coating.
- Super small and very light in weight.
Cons
- Difficult to attach to or put off from the camera.
Verdict
It is a very stylish camera lens. Serious or not-so-serious photographers should have it in their collection.
Pentax SMC DA 55mm f/1.4 SDM Prime Standard Lens
- Ideal For Portrait, Still Life Or Low-light Photography
- Focal Length: 84.5mm In 35mm Format
- Rounded Diaphragm Blades Create A More Circular Aperture For Smooth, Beautiful Bokeh At Large Aperture Settings
This lens does not need an introduction. Its speed in autofocus mode and accuracy make this a decent performer in its class. It gives amazing picture quality.
It provides great color saturation, sharpness, and contrast is also good. Even without much post-production work, the images are natural, lively, and good.
There is a need for photo editing if you know how to use this lens properly. Without a speck of doubt, this is one of the best lenses.
Features
Its focal length is 55mm, the maximum aperture is f/1.4, and the minimum aperture is f/22. It has nine elements in eight groups. It has 28.6 degrees of viewing angle with a Pentax DSLR. It features nine round blades.
Its minimum focusing distance is 1.48 feet. It can magnify up to 0.173x. The diameter of the filter is 58 mm. It has a fully controlled diaphragm. It uses a Pentax mount.
Hence, it has a dimension of the lens is 2.6 x 2.76 x 2.76 inches and it weighs 13.2 ounces. It comes with a one-year warranty.
Pros
- Its pictures are sharp, have a good saturation of colors, bokeh, and contrast.
- It is weather-resistant.
- Besides, it is lightweight.
- Great IQ.
- Produces beautiful portraits.
- Awesome bokeh effect.
- Unbeatable clarity.
- Gives your images a 3D pop.
Cons
- The price is a bit on the higher side.
- In high contrast, there is a bit of purplish fringing.
- Autofocus is a bit slower.
- Sometimes it gives a squeaky noise during focusing. I have noticed a "squeak" sometimes when focusing
Verdict
A must-have for any Pentax owner. It is very good to buy.
Super 500mm/1000mm f/8 Manual Telephoto Lens
- OPTICS - A super multi-layer coating has been applied to lens elements in order to minimize lens flare and ghosting and contribute to producing contrast-rich and color-neutral imagery.
- SUPER RANGE - Manual focus 500mm or 1000mm with the 2x converter, this lens is not only a superb long-range choice but also performs well in a variety of scenes from sports to surveillance to everyday shooting. Feel free to explore the capabilities of this lens.
- SOLID CONSTRUCTION - Full metal body and rear t-mount allow this lens to withstand wear and tear much better than plastic lenses while commanding a rugged, solid feel when using.
- TRIPOD MOUNT - A built-in, rotating tripod collar offers well-balanced support for photographing atop a tripod or monopod with either vertical or horizontal shooting orientations.
- COMPATIBILITY - Can be used on all Nikon FX full frame and DX APS-C DSLR cameras including D6, D5, D4, D3, D2, D1, D7500, D7200, D7100, D7000, D5600, D5500, D5400, D5300, D5200, D5100, D5000, D3500, D3400, D3300, D3200, D3100, D3000, D850, D810, D800, D780, D750, D700, D610, D600, D500, D400, D300, D200, D100, D90, D80, D70, D60, D50, D40.
The reason why we need a telephoto lens is that we cannot always be very close to our target. Hence, we need one.
Even though we are very close to our target it is wise to use the telephoto lens to bring your target closer and manually focus for a sharper image.
This lens for Pentax K-series is a telephoto lens.
Features
This lens has an advanced and optimized design. It utilizes four mirrors. It uses 4 optical glasses to reduce aberrations. It has an anti-reflective coating to reduce ghosting and flare effects.
As a result, it produces color fidelity and great contrast. It has a full metallic rear mount and body. It has a solid feel to it. In the strong light condition, it produces awesome sharpness, clarity, and accuracy of color because of its low dispersion.
Multi-coating removes all kinds of reflection and minimizes flare and ghosts. It has various uses from professional to day-to-day photography.
It has a manual 500 mm or 1000 mm focus system. It comes with a 2x converter. It takes very good long-range photos in various conditions.
Besides, It has a nicely designed petal hood to remove the vignette effect in the picture. It helps reduce extra glare. You can position and lock the hood in any position to your liking.
This hood is good protection from potential and unwanted impact.
Pros
- High-definition Preset telephoto lens.
- Plus, High-definition telephoto converter for the SLR lens.
- Multi-coated HD UV haze glass filter.
- Good protection from impact.
- Sharp high-quality photos during daylight.
Cons
- Night vision is not as good as others on the list.
- Night photography is not impressive.
Verdict
On paper, it has great specs but active users did not find it very useful. But if you really have no other options available then go for it.
Pentax 100mm f/2.8 WR D FA SMC Macro Lens
- The SR / SRII Pentax Digital SLR K Series features an in-body stabilization that expands the limits of handheld photography with all lenses
It is another installment from the Pentax family. Although it is for macro with great specs on paper, there are other options available that beat this by many folds. Let us take a look.
Features
This 100 mm DFA macro f/2.8 lens is weather sealed. It has a 1:1 maximum image magnification. It has changed cosmetics and improved build quality with the barrel of aluminum.
There is no aperture ring and it cannot fit with the old film cameras. Rounded aperture blades mean to produce a smooth pleasing effect on photos.
The lens mount is rubber sealed. The lens front has a coating of Super Protect.
Pros
- It produces razor-sharp photo with clarity.
- Photos show great Colors.
- Autofocus is very accurate.
Cons
- Autofocus is very slow.
- Autofocus is prone to hunting.
Verdict
It has good specs. If you are in the market for a great option with great performance, this may not be the only one. So, check out other options before you finally decide to buy this lens.
How to Choose a Lens for Your Pentax K1000?
The Pentax K1000 is an entry-level film camera from the 1970s that’s still pretty popular among vintage-camera enthusiasts and people who like to shoot film because of its simplicity, durability, and price.
However, the K1000’s 50mm lens isn’t the most versatile focal length in the world, so some photographers want to upgrade to a longer or wider lens. Here are some tips on what type of lens would work best with your Pentax K1000.
- Prime Lenses
- Zoom Lenses
- Macro Lenses
If you’re considering buying a vintage camera, make sure it’s in good working order first. Then, ask yourself what you want to do with it.
Do you just want to take photos of your family and friends, or are you looking to get more creative and produce photographs that can be published or displayed in an art gallery? The right lens for your Pentax K1000 depends on your answer.
Standard Lens Cap Size
To make sure your new lens is compatible with your camera, check that it comes with a standard lens capsize. The early K1000 was shipped with a 55mm f2 lens with a 52mm diameter. But the latest bodies are supplied with 50 mm lenses with a 49 mm diameter.
This is 49mm in diameter and fits Pentax K1000 series cameras as well as other popular brands like Minolta and Canon. If you’re not sure whether or not your camera uses these, contact us! We’ll get you set up quickly and easily.
Pentax-M vs Pentax-A
The difference between these two lenses is not that significant, with a slight edge going to the more expensive M lens, since it’s better constructed. The biggest difference is that M lenses require manual focus while A lenses have autofocus. If you’re looking for a general-purpose lens and don’t plan on shooting sports or wildlife, you may find that an A lens will suffice and save you some money.
Pentax K1000 Lens Mount Lenses Need to have a Physical Aperture Ring
The lens mount on your Pentax K1000 is a bayonet, and to use a lens on it you need to make sure that it has a physical aperture ring. If you’re using automatic lenses, chances are they don’t have an aperture ring – so you’ll need to look elsewhere for a good secondhand choice.
Last Words
If you’re looking to buy a lens for your Pentax K1000, there are lots of options—and it can be tough to know where to start. Luckily, we’ve put together a handy guide that makes it easy. Take a look!