Pentax-DA* 200mm F2.8 Review
Specifications
The specifications of the Pentax SMC DA* 200mm f/2.8 ED [IF] SDM are as follows:
| Lens Name | Pentax SMC DA* 200mm f/2.8 ED [IF] SDM |
| Lens Mount | KAF2 |
| Image Circle | Full-Frame / APS-C |
| Focal Length | 200mm (300mm equivalent in 35mm) |
| Aperture Ring | Not available |
| Diaphragm Mechanism | Fully Automatic |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
| Field of View | 8.1 degrees |
| Minimum Focusing Distance | 46.8" (1.2m) |
| Maximum Magnification | 0.20x |
| Autofocus Mechanism | SDM or Screw-Drive |
| Internal Focus | Yes |
| Quick Shift | Yes |
| Optical Formula | 9 Elements in 8 Groups |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 |
| Filter Diameter | 77mm |
| Front Lens Cap | O-LC 77 (pinch-type) |
| Attachable Lens Hood | PH-RBK 77mm |
| Case | S120-160 (soft case) |
| Diameter x Length | 3.3" x 5.3" (83mm x 134mm) |
| Weight | 29.1oz. (825g) |
| Weather Sealing | Yes |
| List Price (USA) | 1196.95 USD |
As with all DA type lenses, the Pentax SMC DA* 200mm f/2.8 ED [IF] SDM supports in-camera correction of chromatic aberration and distortion on modern Pentax DSLR bodies. Another notable feature of this lens is the Quick-Shift focus, allowing the user to override the autofocus and manually focus at any given moment by operating the focus ring.
This lens also includes three ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) glass elements, which minimizes chromatic aberrations, as well as a SP (Super Protect) coating on the front element, which provides a certain degree of resistance against dust, moisture, and grease.
On the topic of autofocus, the DA* 200mm f/2.8 uses the screw-drive mechanism only when attached to the following DSLR bodies:
- Pentax *ist Series: *ist D, *ist DS, *ist DS, *ist DS2, *ist DL2, K100D, K110D
- Samsung GX-1L, GX-1S
- Pentax K10D and Samsung GX-10 with firmware previous to version 1.30
All other cameras will use the newer silent SDM autofocus mechanism.
Note: Although the DA* 200mm f/2.8 is labeled as an APS-C only lens, we have confirmed that its image circle is adequate for full-frame usage (when used with Pentax film bodies), as the lens has the same optical formula as the film-era FA* 200mm f/2.8.
