📸 5 MUST-OWN Lenses For Pentax K70 In 2024 [Guide]

Jan 13, 2024 | Buying Guides

Are you looking to get the best lenses for Pentax K70? There is a big chance you do because you are reading this article.

If you feel you need to upgrade your image quality with some new Pentax K70 lenses, you have come to the right place.

Upon receiving Pentax K70 with its new 24 Mpx filterless CMOS sensor and in-body image stabilization system, I concluded it is a great mid-range camera.

On the other hand:

lenses for Pentax K70

I have also concluded that choosing suitable optics can be further improved.

Which lenses make the best combination with Pentax K70? Lots of them.

But only the best five have made a list. So continue with reading and make your lens-choosing process a lot easier.

Best Prime
Best Wide-angle
Best All-in-one

Pentax 50mm f/1.8 Lens

Pentax D 15-30mm f/2.8 Lens

Pentax 16-85mm Lens

4.0
5.0
4.5
Best Prime

Pentax 50mm f/1.8 Lens

4.0
Best Wide-angle

Pentax D 15-30mm f/2.8 Lens

5.0
Best All-in-one

Pentax 16-85mm Lens

4.5
Lasso Brag

Best Prime Lens for Portraits

Pentax 50mm f/1.8 Lens

The lens in matter offers the best from two worlds; it is lightweight due to plastic manufacture, yet, it does not feel cheap.

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  • Lens Type: Normal
  • Mounting Type: Pentax KAF
  • Focal Length Range: 50mm
  • Minimum Focus Distance: 0.45 meters
  • Weight: 0.27 pounds
  • Dimensions: 1.54 x 2.48 x 2.48 inches

Pentax DA 50mm f/1.8 has rounded diaphragm blades that create a more circular aperture, which yields beautiful bokeh at significant gaps.

Unfortunately, there is no quick shift focus system for instant switching from auto to manual focus.

However:

I liked the super protective coating that repels dust, water, and grease from the lens surface.

This prime lens for Pentax K70 is exceptionally sharp, around f/2.5 to f/3.5. When I opened the lens at maximum width, I could notice slight vignetting in the corners, but it was not an issue, especially on stationary objects.

Although there was a slight vignetting, I must stress that the lens consistently produced sharp images of the same quality throughout the testing.

The lens belongs to a lightweight category due to the plastic built.

On the other hand, although it is plastic, the quality is rock-solid, and it feels helpful in the hands.

This lens works great for portraits, but with enough creativity, this can be used for all sorts of things.

Pros

  • Outstanding image quality
  • Build quality
  • All-weather sealed

Cons

  • Chromatic aberration at maximum aperture

Best Wide-Angle Lens for Landscapes

Pentax D 15-30mm f/2.8 Lens

Pentax-D 15-30mm f/2.8 is designed with eight seals that prevent water intrusion, paired with extra-low dispersion glass elements for clear and sharp images.

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Pentax D FA 15-30mm f/2.8 ED SDM WR is a lens with a supersonic direct-drive motor responsible for smooth and accurate autofocus operations while remaining quiet.

The lens has a minimum focus distance of 28 cm, so you can be assured it will be convenient to capture subjects with a well-defined sense of depth.

Since the lens is designed with eight seals, it will be safe to take it in the rain; the seals work well in repelling the water and preventing it from getting inside.

The image quality of this wide-angle lens for the Pentax K70 is outstanding. During the shooting in clear weather, all of the pictures came out with nicely saturated colors and much-preserved details.

An f/2.8 is handy in more challenging environments, mainly if you shoot from your hands.

The slight distortion at 15 mm is present, but it won’t mind if you are not a pixel peeper. Either way, it disappears entirely at 30 mm.

The only downside is the weight of this lens, which is not negligible.

However, for an ultra-wide-angle performance, it is one flaw I didn’t mind too much.

Pros

  • Build quality
  • Incredible color rendering
  • Sharp images

Cons

  • Distortion at 15 mm

Best All-Around lens for everyday photography

Pentax 16-85mm Lens

Pentax 16-85mm is a weather-resistant lens that is ready to operate under challenging conditions, including cold and dusty environments.

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Pentax HD DA 16-85mm is a weather-resistant lens, ready to operate under challenging conditions, including cold and dusty environments.

The exposed lens element is protected by its Pentax SP coating, while the ED glass optical elements offer outstanding performance. The newly implemented layer optimizes light transmission and minimizes reflection.

I found this HD technology to work exceptionally well since I have tested flare resistance, and I was delighted with the outcomes.

This all-around lens for the Pentax K70 camera is quite sharp and is excellent for casual situations and landscape photography, where the fast aperture is not usually needed. The lens is well-built but not heavy, despite the size, and the hood is designed surprisingly well.

The aperture is sufficient for most situations, but since it is not fast or constant, it would be too much to call it perfect. It tends to get slower, especially towards the long focal length end, which can be tricky in low-light situations.

The Ultrasonic focusing is high-speed and quiet, and as it’s weather-sealed when it’s put on one of the weather-sealed Pentax bodies, you have a very versatile rig. 

Also:

It is worth to mention there is only a tiny amount of distortion at all ranges, but the sharpness, color saturation, and detail amount are extraordinarily well-balanced.

Pros

  • Weather-resistant
  • Very sharp
  • Color saturation

Cons

  • Small amount of distortion

Best Telephoto Lens for Wildlife Photography

Pentax 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Lens

Pentax 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 has nine diaphragm blades and a rear focus system with a pulse motor and its construction is weather-resistant.

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Pentax HD DA 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 has nine diaphragm blades, a rear focus system, and a pulse motor. Its construction is weather-resistant. Implementation of HD coating has optimized light transmittance and minimized the reflection.

I liked the feature of a quick shift focus system that instantly changed between auto and manual focusing by twisting the focus ring.

Every picture I shot with this telephoto lens came out razor-sharp with a gorgeous color rendering. The bokeh effect is also mesmerizing, and I didn’t expect it from this lens.

Autofocus is very responsive and accurate. I could twist the focus ring and switch to manual when I needed manual tweaking. The aperture could be more comprehensive, but even an f/4.5 in combination with K-70’s high ISO performance yields incredible results.

The wide zoom range makes this lens extraordinarily useful, and for most situations, this is the lens any photographer would keep mounted on the camera.

Considering its focal length, which is quite versatile, the lens is not heavy and folds up into a very compact package when it is not in use.

Bottom line:

If you are looking for a telephoto lens to improve image quality, you get w Pentax K70 camera; this is the right lens for you.

Pros

  • Weather-resistant
  • Razor sharp images
  • Amazing bokeh

Cons

  •  The aperture could be wider

Best Macro Lens for Macro Photography

Pentax 100mm f/2.8 Lens

Pentax 100mm f/2.8 features a full-frame design that is optically optimized for digital imaging and it produces sharp images full of details.

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  • Lens Type: Telephoto
  • Mounting Type: Pentax KAF
  • Focal Length Range: 100mm
  • Minimum Focus Distance: 0.13 meters (0.43 feet)
  • Weight: 0.75 pounds
  • Dimensions: 3.19 x 2.56 x 2.56 inches

Pentax 100mm f/2.8 WR D FA SMC is a weather-resistant lens with round aperture blades for the emphasis of a background blur.

The lens, in the matter, features a total 1:1 image magnification ratio. I was surprised by this macro lens for Pentax K70 because it has taken me a while to target my subject and focus out to infinity accurately.

However:

This only applies if a photographer stands far from the focus point; if one is near the end, the lens locks the focus quite fast.

If this were the action lens, I would object to it, but it is not a deal-breaker for macro and portrait photography. Generally speaking, the lens is fantastic. It is made of aluminum, and the weather sealings do a great job.

Since it is relatively compact, it is not difficult to carry it around or shoot without the tripod. The image quality is outstanding.

All the pictures came out smoking-sharp across the frame with virtually no distortion. At an f/2.8, the image quality is excellent, with fine details and well-exposed subjects.

In low-light conditions, this is the lens that will not disappoint you. I did shooting in the late evening, with almost no external light source, and at an f/2.8, the pictures looked shockingly good.

Pros

  • Detailed images
  • Great build focus
  • Bokeh effects

Cons

  • Focusing at night

Best lenses for Pentax K70 – Wrapping Up

Pentax K70 has lots of excellent features. The camera matter can satisfy both photographers and videographers at a reasonable price.

Pentax managed to squeeze in a decent performance packed into a stylish body, and generally speaking, Pentax K70 can be a market game-changer.

It does solid work with kit lenses, but it needs some better lenses for Pentax K70 to make the glorious camera truly. If you think it is the upgrade time, pick any Pentax K70 lenses from the list, and your Pentax will shine in full glory.

Read other guides on our site, such as Pentax K3 ii lenses and Pentax K3 lenses.

Hopefully, this guide will help you make the right decision and get the best lens for your Pentax K70 camera in 2024.

For any additional questions, feel free to post a comment below.

Disclaimer: "As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."

Stacy WItten

Stacy WItten

Owner, Writer & Photographer

Stacy Witten, owner and creative force behind LensesPro, delivers expertly crafted content with precision and professional insight. Her extensive background in writing and photography guarantees quality and trust in every review and tutorial.

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2 Comments

  1. Surprised you don’t mention the 18-135 which I regard as much more a “keep on camera” lens than one starting at 55 (77 equivalent). But otherwise a useful article.

    Reply
    • Hey John,
      glad this article was helpful. Unfortunately, I couldn’t include everything on the list.

      Reply

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