My DA* 200 review is published

JJJPhoto · 03-21-2008, 12:52 PM

There's already been a ton of discussion on these forums about the new 200mm, but I wanted to let you folks know my review of the 200 was published today:

Pentax DA* 200mm f/2.8 Lens Review

*John Kovarik* · 03-21-2008, 01:09 PM

Thanks; that's what I would have written if I was a pro. I put my amateur obserations up a while ago........great lens.

**Buddha Jones** · 03-21-2008, 02:48 PM

Nice review indeed, one day I shall own one.

**roentarre** · 03-21-2008, 08:23 PM

It seems most of the feedback regarding this lens has been positive. However, I had not seen many pleasant bokeh so far ... Seems like the bokeh is not as great as the older Fa* 200 which is more prone to have CA

distudio · 03-21-2008, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by JJJPhoto

There's already been a ton of discussion on these forums about the new 200mm, but I wanted to let you folks know my review of the 200 was published today:

Pentax DA* 200mm f/2.8 Lens Review

You really found it massive and heavy? I only have the FA* version but I'm constantly blown away by how small and light it is.

**Buddha Jones** · 03-21-2008, 11:16 PM

What is the tale of the tape for both lenses?

JJJPhoto · 03-21-2008, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by distudio

You really found it massive and heavy? I only have the FA* version but I'm constantly blown away by how small and light it is.

Well, if you compare it to a "Bigma" then the DA* 200mm is light and compact. However, the audience over at digitalcamerareview.com tends to skew toward shutterbugs who have just purchased their first DSLR and are just learning about lenses (though there are more experienced visitors as well).

Compared to a typical kit lens or a f/4.5-5.6 70-200mm lens the DA*200 is massive and heavy.

That said, I was often shooting with that lens handheld rather than mounted to a tripod ... so the weight isn't "that" bad.

distudio · 03-22-2008, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by JJJPhoto

Well, if you compare it to a "Bigma" then the DA* 200mm is light and compact. However, the audience over at digitalcamerareview.com tends to skew toward shutterbugs who have just purchased their first DSLR and are just learning about lenses (though there are more experienced visitors as well).

I guess it's all relative then, the FA* 200/2.8 and the DA 200/2.8 are around half the weight of the FA*80-200/2.8 and both are but a fraction of the weight of a Pentax either 300/2.8.

*John Kovarik* · 03-22-2008, 04:57 AM

I my case, I was used to the weight of the T 18-250 and the DA* 200 is noticeably heavier. OTOH after some use I don't regard the difference as a negative and it balances nicely on the '20'.............

*NaClH2O* · 03-22-2008, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by JJJPhoto

There's already been a ton of discussion on these forums about the new 200mm, but I wanted to let you folks know my review of the 200 was published today:

Pentax DA* 200mm f/2.8 Lens Review

Great review. Now I'm lusting after ANOTHER lens. It's all your fault.

NaCl(I have to blame someone)H2O

Miserere · 03-22-2008, 04:14 PM

The Lion photo is really something else, both technically and artistically.

I'll add this to my ever-increasing list of Lenses I Will Never Own but Will Stay Awake at Night Crying about.

JJJPhoto · 03-22-2008, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by Miserere

The Lion photo is really something else, both technically and artistically.

I'll add this to my ever-increasing list of Lenses I Will Never Own but Will Stay Awake at Night Crying about.

Thanks for the compliments. The shadows from the chain link fence that was between the lion and me drive me crazy, but I do love that shot and it illustrates both the advantage of f/2.8 and how sharp this lens is wide open.

The hardest part about reviewing this lens is knowing that the review unit has to be returned to Pentax ... it's actually already left my possession. (Now that's something to cry about.)

I've used some 135mm f/2.8 primes over the years but the only 200mm f/2.8 lenses I've used until now have been 70-200mm f/2.8 constant aperture zoom lenses. I enjoy the flexibility a 70-200mm lens gives me, but I recently realized that most of my photos shot with 70-200mm zooms are shot at 70mm and 200mm ... rarely anything between.

I own a DA 70mm Limited which is amazingly sharp and after reviewing this lens I'm thinking about buying my own copy of the DA* 200mm and forgetting about 70-200mm zoom lenses going forward.

I just wish Pentax would release a DA 120mm Limited Macro or a DA 135mm Limited Macro. The old DFA 100mm Macro is a good lens, but it's a little short and has VERY noisy autofocus.

The upcoming DA 15mm Limited and a 120mm or 135mm macro would be all I need to cover 95 percent of what I shoot with primes.

thePiRaTE!! · 03-22-2008, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by JJJPhoto

...I just wish Pentax would release a DA 120mm Limited Macro or a DA 135mm Limited Macro. The old DFA 100mm Macro is a good lens, but it's a little short and has VERY noisy autofocus.

The upcoming DA 15mm Limited and a 120mm or 135mm macro would be all I need to cover 95 percent of what I shoot with primes.

In all its MF glory, there are still Voigtlander 125mm Macros out there - my personal favorite lens. FWIW, I'd like to see what you think of the 180 as well having handled the *200.

K.

JJJPhoto · 03-22-2008, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by thePiRaTE!!

In all its MF glory, there are still Voigtlander 125mm Macros out there - my personal favorite lens. FWIW, I'd like to see what you think of the 180 as well having handled the *200.

K.

Funny you should mention that. I actually have an old K 135mm f/2.4 and used to own a K 100mm f/4 macro. Manual focus and a steady tripod are actually the best combination for macro work, but I also want a sharp macro lens that can work as a long portrait lens and has reasonably quiet autofocus for those times I'm not taking macro photos with wide apertures and shallow DOF.

I've heard nothing but good things about the majority of Voigtlander lenses. I'm just getting older and although I still often use manual focus, more often than not I tend to use autofocus since my eyes get worse every year and I'm too cheap to pay for Lasik surgery ... for now.