Pentax SMCP A 200mm f 2.8 ED

MSPav

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Adorama.com

Summary:
This is my favourite lens by far. When I'm out shooting I look forward to using this lens, though I don't use it as much as my zooms. The bokeh is fantastic and the image quality is perhaps the best I've seen in real life use. When Pentax put their minds to it they make a great lens. This lens produces fantastic contrast and clarity. I've used some sharp lenses over the years, but this one is the best so far for me. There is no distortion at all. It even makes a good portrait lens, although the focal length certainly isn't that of a traditional portrait lens. There is a little bit of softening wide open, but only compared to how it performs when stopped down a little. Anything from f4 to f9 is just incredible.

Strengths:
Fast focus for a Pentax lens. Excellent image quality. Solidly built.

Weaknesses:
Expensive. Kinda heavy (though not compared to others in this class).

Similar Products Used:
Canon.

Customer Service:
N/A

stemked

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $750.00 from B&H

Summary:
This is simply a jewel to use and behold. It is a Pentax * lens and in direct evaluations outclasses Nikon's lens of this era. If you want to do macro with amphibians, reptiles or insects and you have access to K mount bodies, this is the lens for you (note I have personally never used the new FA 200mm from Pentax.

Strengths:
Unbelievable sharpness. Great results with Pentax 1.4X-S TC.

Weaknesses:
Rare, pricy and you won't want to loan it to your friends.

Similar Products Used:
Almost evey macro made by Pentax (50 and 100), Tamron (90mm f2.5) and several Nikon macros.

Customer Service:
Never needed

Lance

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Price Paid:  $650.00 from ebay second hand in

Summary:
This is an excellent lens. The build quality is absolutely superb and the images are tack sharp, colourful and contrasty. Good optics certainly make a huge difference to DSLR image quality and this lens definitely delivers the goods. One of my favourite lenses.

Strengths:
Superb build quality. Focus feel. Excellent image sharpness. Excellent colours Contrast.

Weaknesses:
Weight, but that is to be expected from an all metal constructed lens.

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Price Paid:  $260.00 from Munich

Summary:
Having some 135mm primes and the Canon FD 2.8/200 to compare with I bought this lens 2nd hand from a photo dealer. I made some comparable test shots and used it quite a while and it's really a wonderful lens ! Very good build quality ! Superb shots against the sun - the SMC coating gives very good flare control. The Canon isn't better so I sold it (it's been the rest of my FD gear, the only reason to stay with FD had vanished - the Pentax lens made it). Very good for portraits too - I didn't expect that, using 90-135mm lenses for that kind of shooting. YES : It is a very good lens! Highly recommendable!

Strengths:
Optical quality, flare control, very good build quality

Weaknesses:
Built-in lens hood not as tight as I would want it to be. Minimum focus distance and weight (as with most/all 200mm lenses)

Similar Products Used:
Several 135mm lenses Canon FD 2.8/200 Soligor 2.8/200 Tokina AT-X 2.8/80-200

Customer Service:
Not needed with this lens but Pentax here in Hamburg/Germany is very good !