This time of year, most of us who have got a Pentax DSLR camera (or three) are still wishing for more amateur photography gear. Well, I cobbled together an idea list for your spouse, family member, or friends, to pick and choose from for you. This is the stuff that if you don't already have, you're gonna wish you did. And if you haven't yet got a DSLR, by all means jump up and get either the K100D Super or the K10D, right now. The prices are incredible this season (I heard recently that an eBay store in Canada was selling new K10D bodies for just $550). While Canon, Nikon, and Sony literally throw money at retailers each year to dissuade you from buying anything but their brand, I think you'll love your Pentax just the same. When you walk into a store you're going to face the hard sell for one of those other cameras, but just remember, money can't buy you love....

This time of year, most of us who have got a Pentax DSLR camera (or three) are still wishing for yet more amateur photography gear. Well, I cobbled together an idea list of over 40 items for your spouse, family member, or friends, to pick and choose from for you. This is the stuff that if you don't already have, you're gonna wish you did. And if you haven't yet got a DSLR, by all means jump up and get either the K100D Super or the K10D, right now. The prices are incredible this season (I heard recently that an eBay store in Canada was selling new K10D bodies for just $550). While Canon, Nikon, and Sony literally throw money at retailers each year to help them dissuade you from buying anything but their brand, I think you'll love your Pentax just the same. When you walk into a store you're going to face the hard sell for one of those other cameras, but just remember, money can't buy you love....

At the recent Photo Plus Expo in New York City, Canon introduced two lenses that are currently being developed:

– a 200mm L f2.0 IS (image stabilization) USM lens
– an 800mm L f5.6 IS USM lens

Both of these pro level lenses were introduced only as prototypes — but they show great promise. Read more about these lenses on the Canon news release.

Pop Photo does its Editor's Choice thing a few times a year, giving coverage to all sorts of nice photography gizmos. This fall, they've singled out the DA 70mm F/2.4 Limited lens as being worthy of some additional ink. I have this lens and it's probably one of the sharpest prime lenses I've ever owned, so I'm not complaining. Pentax should be selling these things by the truck load and I'm glad it gets some mention in the magazine. Which leads me to wonder, has Pentax ever considered doing a special bundle of all three prime DA Limited lenses with a special discount?

From Pop Photo:

"Built to last and optimized for Pentax digital SLRs, this 105mm equivalent SMCP-DA pancake lens ($480, street) is great for portraits and is a superb choice for lightening the load in the field."

Links: 2007 Pop Photo Awards, Pentax DA 70mm Limited Lens

It seems like Tamron is giving away a lens a month at their site. This October, Tamron is having a little contest for landmark photographs and the prize is their super-zoom AF 18-250mm Di II lens, available in a Pentax AF mount (or other mounts, too). The deadline is October 31, 2007. The latest contest anounced is for photos which "express an emotion," and that deadline is for November 30, 2007. See a pattern here? Okay, so it's just another monthly contest that will be flooded with awkward and crappy photos, but that's why one of you guys stand to win it and take home a $500 lens.


Link: Monthly Tamron Contest Details

One surprise Pentax had up its sleeve is a lens that wasn't on the lens road map. Today, Pentax announced the new SMC-DA 18-250 F3.5-6.3 ED AL(IF) lens that will work with all Pentax DSLRs. That's a 28mm to 383mm equivalent in 35mm. It's a small little package with a big 14X zoom range, 16 lens elements, 7 aperture blades, and a 62mm filter diameter. Recommended retail price is $499. (Update: 1001NoisyCameras has clued us in that Pentax Japan says the lens will be shipping in late October and that they're making about 6,000 per month)

All-purpose superzooms have been getting smaller and smaller, and the current trend is for IF (internal focus mechanism) lenses that are under 1lb in weight and that have a terrific APS-C zoom range. It's true that the compromise is for softer corners and more distortion, but the small lens extension size means that there's less flash vignetting and the light weight means it's a good tourist lens. Tamron already has its 18mm-250mm lens on the market for about $499 (see the review at PopPhoto), but this new Pentax version boasts the SMC coating Pentax is famous for, and it doesn't need the Tamron's Manual/Autofocus switch (because Pentax has that on the camera body). Among the nice little design touches is the zoom lock clasp that features ribbing...