Ricoh patents Pentax 200mm f/2.8 ED IF DC lens

A new telephoto prime lens with a fairly bright maximum aperture has been patented by Ricoh. It consists of a 200mm f/2.8 lens designed for APS-C-sized Pentax K-mount cameras.

Ricoh has recently introduced the Pentax K-1 full-frame DSLR. The product has first been confirmed years ago and it should have been released in early 2015. Well, it was only announced in early 2016 and will become available soon.

One would expect the company to launch many lenses capable of covering full-frame sensors, too. However, it seems like Ricoh is still focusing on K-mount cameras with APS-C image sensors. A Pentax 200mm f/2.8 ED IF DC lens has just been patented for K-mount DSLRs with APS-C-format sensors, as stated above.

Pentax 200mm f/2.8 ED IF DC lens patented for APS-C-sized K-mount DSLRs

Photographers will be able to attach the Pentax 200mm f/2.8 ED IF DC lens to their K-1 DSLR. Nevertheless, part of the image will be darkened, as the optic does not cover the entire size of a 35mm sensor. As a result, the K-1 will function in crop mode.

The optical configuration of the Pentax 200mm f/2.8 ED IF DC lens, as presented in its patent application.

Still, this recently-patented lens will work best with K-mount cameras that have an APS-C image sensor. If it ever becomes a reality, then the upcoming optic will replace an existing model: DA 200mm f/2.8 ED IF SDM.

It is worth saying that the current generation offers superior image quality. It is part of a select club, which features a star next to its name. The star is there to signal the fact that it delivers exceptional optical performance.

Although it is not mentioned in the patent application, the future model will likely be added to the Star-series as well.

New telephoto prime lens expected to deliver stellar image quality

Ricoh has filed for this patent on September 1, 2014. The approval has been granted on April 11, 2016, so people should not expect the product to be revealed in the near future.

The new Pentax 200mm f/2.8 ED IF DC lens features 10 elements in eight groups with one Super Extra-Low Dispersion element and one Extra-Low Dispersion element in this configuration, which will help it provide an impressive image quality.

Another important thing is the inner focusing system. We have to remind you that such mechanism means that the front lens element does not move when focusing. This is particularly useful for photographers who attach polarizing filters and other accessories to their lenses.

Once again, we have to say that you should not hold your breath over this lens, as we do not expect it to be unveiled by the end of this year. Stay tuned for more information!