Pre-PMA 2003, 00:00 TOKYO (19th): Pentax has today announced two new SMC PENTAX-FA J ZOOM lenses. The first is the big 75 - 300 mm F4.5 - F5.8 AL, the second a 28 - 80 mm F3.5 - F5.6 AL. These lens announcements coincide with the announcement of the new *ist 35 mm film SLR and have the same silver aluminium look. The aperture range of these lenses clearly places them at the amateur photographer end of the market.

Press Release:

TWO NEW PENTAX AUTOFOCUS 35MM SLR LENSES ARE IDEAL PARTNERS FOR THE NEW SMALLER, LIGHTER *IST

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado (February 18, 2003)…Timed perfectly to complement the introduction of the smaller, lighter *ist 35mm SLR camera, PENTAX announces two new FA-series autofocus lenses. To further minimize the overall size of the *ist with a lens attached, PENTAX developed the two compact, high-performance zoom lenses as ideal partners for the *ist: the smc Pentax-FA J Zoom 28mm~80mm F3.5~F5.6 AL and the smc Pentax-FA J Zoom 75mm~300mm F4.5~F5.8 AL. \

As with all PENTAX lenses, each is treated with the acclaimed PENTAX super-multi-coating (smc) to produce sharp, high-contrast images with minimal aberrations. Both lenses will meet the demanding requirements of 35mm users from ultra-wide angle to super telephoto.

PENTAX will debut the lenses along with the small, light, full-featured *ist 35mm SLR camera at the upcoming Photo Marketing Association's (PMA) Show* from March 2-5 in Las Vegas. PMA hosts the annual trade show where manufacturers in the photography industry showcase their newest products.

* PMA Booth C140

SMC Pentax-FA J Zoom 28-80 mm F3.5-5.6 AL Specifications

SMC Pentax-FA J Zoom 75-300 F4.5-5.8 AL Specifications