These are the best Pentax zoom lenses when you want sharp, weather-sealed coverage, quick and quiet AF, and color-rich rendering for travel, events, landscapes, wildlife, and everyday work—across APS-C and full-frame K-mount bodies. For full frame, anchor with the HD PENTAX-D FA 24–70mm f/2.8 ED SDM WR as the A-cam mid-range—fast constant aperture, crisp corners, and robust sealing—paired with the HD PENTAX-D FA* 70–200mm f/2.8 ED DC AW for pro-speed portraits, stage, and indoor sports; hikers can trade weight for stamina with the HD PENTAX-D FA 70–210mm f/4 ED SDM WR, which stays sharp, sealed, and close-focusing. Ultra-wide drama and blue-hour work are covered by the HD PENTAX-D FA 15–30mm f/2.8 ED SDM WR—strong coma control, tank-tough build—and one-lens days shine with the compact HD PENTAX-D FA 28–105mm f/3.5–5.6 ED DC WR, whose punchy micro-contrast makes it a K-1/K-1 II travel favorite. When distance decides the image, the HD PENTAX-D FA 150–450mm f/4.5–5.6 ED DC AW is the flagship super-tele: focus limiter, customizable buttons, internal zoom/focus for balance, and crisp files that pair beautifully with the 1.4× AW teleconverter. On APS-C, the HD PENTAX-DA★ 11–18mm f/2.8 ED DC AW is the ultra-wide cornerstone—fast, sealed, and corner-clean—while the smc/HD PENTAX-DA 12–24mm f/4 remains a rectilinear classic for architecture and travel. The HD PENTAX-DA★ 16–50mm f/2.8 ED PLM AW brings modern optics and lightning-fast PLM AF to the workhorse range, and the HD PENTAX-DA 16–85mm f/3.5–5.6 ED DC WR is the do-everything hike zoom with excellent contrast and weather confidence; if you want tiny and sealed with reach, the HD PENTAX-DA 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR is a proven travel companion. Tele coverage on APS-C is a Pentax strength: the HD PENTAX-DA 55–300mm f/4.5–6.3 PLM WR RE delivers snappy, silent AF-C tracking on the K-3 III in a featherweight, retractable barrel, while the smc/HD PENTAX-DA★ 50–135mm f/2.8 ED [IF] SDM remains a portrait-and-stage staple with creamy rendering; for longer sealed reach with flattering compression, the smc PENTAX-DA★ 60–250mm f/4 ED [IF] SDM stays sharp and travel-friendly. Character and compact luxury arrive with the HD PENTAX-DA 20–40mm f/2.8–4 Limited DC WR—metal build, Limited-series color, and sealing in a small walk-around zoom. Across the lineup, hallmark Pentax touches matter: HD/SP coatings tame flare and keep contrast high, Quick-Shift MF invites instant fine-tuning after AF locks, WR/AW sealing means you keep shooting through drizzle and dust, and in-body Shake Reduction stabilizes every lens for slower shutters and cleaner high-ISO color; Pixel Shift on static scenes adds micro-detail, and Crop mode on full-frame bodies turns APS-C zooms into longer-reach options without lens swaps. Practical picks: on full frame, run D FA 24–70/2.8 + D FA* 70–200/2.8 for pro events, add D FA 15–30/2.8 for ultra-wide work, D FA 28–105/3.5–5.6 for one-lens travel, and D FA 150–450 for wildlife; on APS-C, choose DA★ 11–18/2.8 for ultra-wide, DA★ 16–50/2.8 PLM as the fast mid-range, 16–85/3.5–5.6 or 18–135 WR for light all-day coverage, 55–300 PLM for featherweight tele, and 50–135/2.8 or 60–250/4 when subject isolation and stage work matter. Whether you’re threading rain-soaked city streets, hiking windy ridgelines, covering ceremonies from the back row, or tracking raptors at distance, the best Pentax zoom lenses combine robust sealing, reliable drive systems, and color-true optics—so your files stay sharp, polished, and unmistakably Pentax wherever you shoot.