The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR and the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Pentax 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR is the longer of the two lenses at 94mm. The Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM with a length of 66mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM's 70mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM weighs 375g, 23% (113g) lighter than the Pentax 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR's weight of 488g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Pentax 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR and the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM has the same Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF3 lenses are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Focal Range
Pentax 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR has a focal range of 16-85mm and
5.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-127.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Pentax DA 55mm F1.4 SDM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 55mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
