The Ultimate LBA: SMC F* 250-600mm F5.6 ED [IF]

Asahiflex · 12-06-2010, 12:43 PM - **4 Likes**

Some may have seen this on Dp review already. But before I start please let me thank both Adam and Marc Langille for their valuable replies to my PM's. As some of you may know Adam has the F* 250-600 too and Marc has the FA* version. So I knew who were the experts

This one was for sale on a Dutch 2nd hand site. I could not believe my eyes, and so did the rest of the Dutch Pentax community. To make a long story short: I was the highest bidder and so I picked this up this previous saturday.

When I arrived at the seller's home I again could not believe my eyes. This lens is not only very sharp (only a few dozen have ever been built I think), but this copy is pristine. Not a scratch anywhere on the body.

After this test shot of my father (who accompanied me) at 250mm, wide open, I knew enough. I quickly bought it and returned home. Resized, not sharpened:

When I returned home I also did some 600mm test shots on a sturdy tripod. I used a 5 euro bill as a target and shot it wide open:

An 100% crop of the above:

It came with its original trunk, the SMC F series manual (not the one for this lens), the original invoice dated 1991, and the original DOF table for this lens. Of course, the original set of filters and another filter tray came with it:

It absolutely dwarfs the SMC Pentax-F* 300mm F4.5 ED[IF]:

The built-in two-part hood is interesting but a little flimsy:

Compared to my Sigma 500mm F4.5 APO EX:

Now please let me get acquainted with this beauty

Last edited by Asahiflex; 12-06-2010 at 12:50 PM.

**dadipentak** · 12-06-2010, 12:52 PM

Congratulations!

Tom S. · 12-06-2010, 12:56 PM

Color me green! (with envy!)

Bart · 12-06-2010, 12:58 PM

What a find!
Congratulations!

imtheguy · 12-06-2010, 01:08 PM - **1 Like**

Beautiful, beautiful. Amazing how coveted both the F* and FA* are just because Pentax made so few. I'll bet you feel way more satisfied having found that gem than if you were a canon-nite and won a small lottery so you could just pick up a couple 600mm from any camera store.

Enjoy!!

eddie1960 · 12-06-2010, 01:19 PM

Wow I'm supremely Jealous, beejeezuz that thing is huge, thank got for SR
looking forward to seeing shots posted (I've only seen one of these in person at a dealer show eons ago and drooled over it then)

Asahiflex · 12-06-2010, 01:24 PM

Thanks everyone!

Originally posted by imtheguy

Beautiful, beautiful. Amazing how coveted both the F* and FA* are just because Pentax made so few. I'll bet you feel way more satisfied having found that gem than if you were a canon-nite and won a small lottery so you could just pick up a couple 600mm from any camera store.

Absolutely! And the fun part is that neither Nikon nor Canon, to this day, have ever made a zoom lens with a similar (very useful!) range. If you want the 600mm then the only option you have is to buy the 600mm fixed focal length lens of the respective brand. But we, Pentaxians, have this, although there are more Rembrandt paintings in the world than SMC Pentax-F* and FA* 250-600mm lenses...

jsherman999 · 12-06-2010, 07:16 PM

It seems very sharp for such an aggressive design. I really, really would like one of those.

(Adam has one, right? Maybe Jim King also? It's pretty rare...)

.

Eagle_Friends · 12-06-2010, 07:18 PM

wow, what a beauty!

pop4 · 12-06-2010, 08:06 PM

Congratulations on a fine purchase.

Looking forward to seeing your shots with the lens

opiet70 · 12-06-2010, 08:24 PM

WOW!!!! I am SO jealous!!!

Congrats on the great purchase

macTak · 12-06-2010, 09:13 PM

I'd get one, but unfortunly Pentax only included the carring trunk, and not the mule to lug it around.

elpolodiablo · 12-06-2010, 09:26 PM

My word a mint *250-600...Seriously Jealous man.....

Frogfish · 12-06-2010, 11:07 PM

Absolutely stunning ! I have a gig lined up for a major golf event next year (HSBC in Shanghai - all the world's top golfers) and this would be perfect with the K5 ! Guess the 60-250 (with / without AFA) will have to do

Congratulations ! I am absolutely green with envy (see avatar) !!

Dan · 12-06-2010, 11:42 PM

Nice piece of glass you have there.

That's a very useful zoom range. Even though it is "only" f/5.6 it should be plenty fast given how sharp it is wide open and given the superb high-ISO performance of the K-5. As an added bonus, it isn't SDM.

While I hesitate to mention something so crude as money

, my guess is that it will prove to be an excellent investment. I can't imagine it declining in value.

I really want one!

Dan

12-06-2010, 12:43 PM - 4 Likes	#1
Asahiflex Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Netherlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,795	*The Ultimate LBA: SMC F 250-600mm F5.6 ED [IF]** Some may have seen this on Dp review already. But before I start please let me thank both Adam and Marc Langille for their valuable replies to my PM's. As some of you may know Adam has the F* 250-600 too and Marc has the FA* version. So I knew who were the experts This one was for sale on a Dutch 2nd hand site. I could not believe my eyes, and so did the rest of the Dutch Pentax community. To make a long story short: I was the highest bidder and so I picked this up this previous saturday. When I arrived at the seller's home I again could not believe my eyes. This lens is not only very sharp (only a few dozen have ever been built I think), but this copy is pristine. Not a scratch anywhere on the body. After this test shot of my father (who accompanied me) at 250mm, wide open, I knew enough. I quickly bought it and returned home. Resized, not sharpened: When I returned home I also did some 600mm test shots on a sturdy tripod. I used a 5 euro bill as a target and shot it wide open: An 100% crop of the above: It came with its original trunk, the SMC F series manual (not the one for this lens), the original invoice dated 1991, and the original DOF table for this lens. Of course, the original set of filters and another filter tray came with it: It absolutely dwarfs the SMC Pentax-F* 300mm F4.5 ED[IF]: The built-in two-part hood is interesting but a little flimsy: Compared to my Sigma 500mm F4.5 APO EX: Now please let me get acquainted with this beauty Last edited by Asahiflex; 12-06-2010 at 12:50 PM.

12-06-2010, 11:42 PM	#15
Dan Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 325	Wow! Nice piece of glass you have there. That's a very useful zoom range. Even though it is "only" f/5.6 it should be plenty fast given how sharp it is wide open and given the superb high-ISO performance of the K-5. As an added bonus, it isn't SDM. While I hesitate to mention something so crude as money , my guess is that it will prove to be an excellent investment. I can't imagine it declining in value. I really want one! Dan

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12-06-2010, 12:52 PM	#2
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	*Congratulations!*

12-06-2010, 12:56 PM	#3
Tom S. Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 4,317	Color me green! (with envy!)

12-06-2010, 12:58 PM	#4
Bart Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: WW community of Pentax users Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,646	What a find! Congratulations!

12-06-2010, 01:08 PM - 1 Like	#5
imtheguy Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,950	Beautiful, beautiful. Amazing how coveted both the F* and FA* are just because Pentax made so few. I'll bet you feel way more satisfied having found that gem than if you were a canon-nite and won a small lottery so you could just pick up a couple 600mm from any camera store. Enjoy!!

12-06-2010, 01:19 PM	#6
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Wow I'm supremely Jealous, beejeezuz that thing is huge, thank got for SR looking forward to seeing shots posted (I've only seen one of these in person at a dealer show eons ago and drooled over it then)

12-06-2010, 01:24 PM	#7
Asahiflex Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Netherlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,795 Original Poster	Thanks everyone! Originally posted by imtheguy Beautiful, beautiful. Amazing how coveted both the F* and FA* are just because Pentax made so few. I'll bet you feel way more satisfied having found that gem than if you were a canon-nite and won a small lottery so you could just pick up a couple 600mm from any camera store. Absolutely! And the fun part is that neither Nikon nor Canon, to this day, have ever made a zoom lens with a similar (very useful!) range. If you want the 600mm then the only option you have is to buy the 600mm fixed focal length lens of the respective brand. But we, Pentaxians, have this, although there are more Rembrandt paintings in the world than SMC Pentax-F* and FA* 250-600mm lenses...

12-06-2010, 07:16 PM	#8
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	It seems very sharp for such an aggressive design. I really, really would like one of those. (Adam has one, right? Maybe Jim King also? It's pretty rare...) .

12-06-2010, 07:18 PM	#9
Eagle_Friends Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 971	wow, what a beauty!

12-06-2010, 08:06 PM	#10
pop4 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: YMML Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,879	Congratulations on a fine purchase. Looking forward to seeing your shots with the lens

12-06-2010, 08:24 PM	#11
opiet70 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 499	WOW!!!! I am SO jealous!!! Congrats on the great purchase

12-06-2010, 09:13 PM	#12
macTak Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 759	I'd get one, but unfortunly Pentax only included the carring trunk, and not the mule to lug it around.

12-06-2010, 09:26 PM	#13
elpolodiablo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,637	My word a mint *250-600...Seriously Jealous man.....

12-06-2010, 11:07 PM	#14
Frogfish Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shanghai Posts: 4,490	Absolutely stunning ! I have a gig lined up for a major golf event next year (HSBC in Shanghai - all the world's top golfers) and this would be perfect with the K5 ! Guess the 60-250 (with / without AFA) will have to do Congratulations ! I am absolutely green with envy (see avatar) !!