Well known in North America for its vast line of cameras and lenses, Pentax has long been a source of quality telescopes and astrophotography equipment for Japanese amateurs. Now, thanks to the efforts of the folks at Oceanside Photo & Telescope (a.k.a. OPT), the Pentax line is coming to America. The optical system that caught our eye is the Pentax 100 SDUF II, a 3.9-inch f/4 apo refractor/astrograph ($2,995). Originally designed for large-format astrophotography on 6-by-7-centimeter film, this scope is one of the few currently available suited to wide-field imaging with the new generation of large-format CCDs.

Contact: Oceanside Photo & Telescope, 918 Mission Ave., Oceanside, CA 92054; 800-483-6287; www.optcorp.com

Every year the editors of Sky & Telescope present their selection of the most intriguing new products to enter the marketplace. "Hot New Products for 2007" appeared in the January 2007 issue, page 100. For further information about a specific product, contact the manufacturer or distributor. To alert the editors of Sky & Telescope to the introduction of a new product, please send e-mail to nps@SkyandTelescope.com.