Buy the F-70-200mm-F4-5.6-Zoom-Lens?

luxexterior · 09-10-2013, 05:47 AM

Hi there!

I've found the F-70-200mm-F4-5.6-Zoom-Lens at e-bay for £65.00.

The review here the forum is rather good:
Pentax-F 70-200mm F4-5.6 Reviews - Non-SMC Pentax Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

But I have read somwhere else here at the pentaxforums and at pentaxuser.co.uk, that it's not that good.

So, how does it compare to the 55-300? And is it worth the price?

Best regards
Lux Exterior

Macario · 09-10-2013, 06:50 AM

My copy of the lens is rather good, getting some really nice results with it. But I do think the price they are asking is a bit too steep. You should be able to get for half of that.

GibbyTheMole · 09-10-2013, 07:21 AM

I'd agree that seems a bit spendy, especially considering you could pick up a DA-L 55-300 for only 50% more. The reach difference between 200 & 300mm is considerable.

thornburg · 09-10-2013, 08:55 AM

Take this with a grain of salt, as I've no personal experience with either, but if I was shopping for a lens in this category right now, I'd choose the 55-300 over any similar zoom that doesn't have a constant aperture.

**Just1MoreDave** · 09-10-2013, 09:03 AM

That lens is often confused with the SMC Pentax-F 70-210mm f4-5.6 and two or three others that almost look the same. There are Takumar-F versions as well. The 70-200s are easy to sort out because at 70mm and infinity focus, they still have a protruding barrel in front. The 70-210s collapse into a smaller size.

The confusion makes the actual performance hard to discern - people sometimes aren't that careful about which version they have. I think I would always worry about the coatings if it didn't say SMC on it. The DA 50-200mm f4-5.6 lenses should be pretty close to this lens in performance.

luxexterior · 09-10-2013, 10:29 AM

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

@Macario & GibbyTheMole: I can't find those lenses that cheap. I did find a F70-200 in Belgium for EUR 65, though. And the cheapest DAL 55-300 I can find here in Europe goes for GBP 170 or EUR 200.

thornburg · 09-10-2013, 11:47 AM

Originally posted by luxexterior

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

@Macario & GibbyTheMole: I can't find those lenses that cheap. I did find a F70-200 in Belgium for EUR 65, though. And the cheapest DAL 55-300 I can find here in Europe goes for GBP 170 or EUR 200.

Do you need autofocus? The A 70-210 f/4 should be available for 50 EUR or less (if European and US prices are comparable).

luxexterior · 09-10-2013, 01:31 PM

Thanks for your suggestion, thornburg! Yes, I would love to have AF on my tele-zoom.

Actually, I was surprised that you could get the F70-200 for half the price of GBP 65 (ca. EUR 77), that's only about 38-39 euros. If I understood Macario right, that is :-)

bassek · 09-10-2013, 11:17 PM

Look out for the F70-210 instead, you should be able to get that one for the same price. It has SMC coating while the 70-200 doesn't.

Seb

GibbyTheMole · 09-11-2013, 06:31 AM

If you want AF reach out to 300mm (or a little more) on the cheap, you might try these:

SMC Pentax-FA 100-300mm F4.7-5.8 Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

SMC Pentax-F 100-300mm F4.5-5.6 Reviews - F Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

SMC Pentax-FA 80-320mm F4.5-5.6 Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

These are supposedly pretty good and they're low cost on the used market.

Good luck!
Bob :-)

luxexterior · 09-11-2013, 12:09 PM

Thanks Gibby! I think 200 mm will be enough reach for now.

So I have followed basseks advice and made a bid for a F70-210.
If luck strikes me, I will get it for about EUR 50.

Thanks you all for your helpfulness. It's a pleasure to be here in the pentaxforums!

09-10-2013, 05:47 AM	#1
luxexterior New Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Denmark Photos: Albums Posts: 13	Buy the F-70-200mm-F4-5.6-Zoom-Lens? Hi there! I've found the F-70-200mm-F4-5.6-Zoom-Lens at e-bay for £65.00. The review here the forum is rather good: Pentax-F 70-200mm F4-5.6 Reviews - Non-SMC Pentax Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database But I have read somwhere else here at the pentaxforums and at pentaxuser.co.uk, that it's not that good. So, how does it compare to the 55-300? And is it worth the price? Best regards Lux Exterior

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09-10-2013, 06:50 AM	#2
Macario Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hoek van Holland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,393	My copy of the lens is rather good, getting some really nice results with it. But I do think the price they are asking is a bit too steep. You should be able to get for half of that.

09-10-2013, 07:21 AM	#3
GibbyTheMole Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 2,275	I'd agree that seems a bit spendy, especially considering you could pick up a DA-L 55-300 for only 50% more. The reach difference between 200 & 300mm is considerable.

09-10-2013, 08:55 AM	#4
thornburg Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Doylestown, PA Posts: 200	Take this with a grain of salt, as I've no personal experience with either, but if I was shopping for a lens in this category right now, I'd choose the 55-300 over any similar zoom that doesn't have a constant aperture.

09-10-2013, 09:03 AM	#5
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	That lens is often confused with the SMC Pentax-F 70-210mm f4-5.6 and two or three others that almost look the same. There are Takumar-F versions as well. The 70-200s are easy to sort out because at 70mm and infinity focus, they still have a protruding barrel in front. The 70-210s collapse into a smaller size. The confusion makes the actual performance hard to discern - people sometimes aren't that careful about which version they have. I think I would always worry about the coatings if it didn't say SMC on it. The DA 50-200mm f4-5.6 lenses should be pretty close to this lens in performance.

09-10-2013, 10:29 AM	#6
luxexterior New Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Denmark Photos: Albums Posts: 13 Original Poster	Thanks for sharing your thoughts! @Macario & GibbyTheMole: I can't find those lenses that cheap. I did find a F70-200 in Belgium for EUR 65, though. And the cheapest DAL 55-300 I can find here in Europe goes for GBP 170 or EUR 200.

09-10-2013, 11:47 AM	#7
thornburg Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Doylestown, PA Posts: 200	Originally posted by luxexterior Thanks for sharing your thoughts! @Macario & GibbyTheMole: I can't find those lenses that cheap. I did find a F70-200 in Belgium for EUR 65, though. And the cheapest DAL 55-300 I can find here in Europe goes for GBP 170 or EUR 200. Do you need autofocus? The A 70-210 f/4 should be available for 50 EUR or less (if European and US prices are comparable).

09-10-2013, 01:31 PM	#8
luxexterior New Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Denmark Photos: Albums Posts: 13 Original Poster	Thanks for your suggestion, thornburg! Yes, I would love to have AF on my tele-zoom. Actually, I was surprised that you could get the F70-200 for half the price of GBP 65 (ca. EUR 77), that's only about 38-39 euros. If I understood Macario right, that is :-)

09-10-2013, 11:17 PM	#9
bassek Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 706	Look out for the F70-210 instead, you should be able to get that one for the same price. It has SMC coating while the 70-200 doesn't. Seb

09-11-2013, 06:31 AM	#10
GibbyTheMole Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 2,275	If you want AF reach out to 300mm (or a little more) on the cheap, you might try these: SMC Pentax-FA 100-300mm F4.7-5.8 Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database SMC Pentax-F 100-300mm F4.5-5.6 Reviews - F Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database SMC Pentax-FA 80-320mm F4.5-5.6 Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database These are supposedly pretty good and they're low cost on the used market. Good luck! Bob :-)

09-11-2013, 12:09 PM	#11
luxexterior New Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Denmark Photos: Albums Posts: 13 Original Poster	Thanks Gibby! I think 200 mm will be enough reach for now. So I have followed basseks advice and made a bid for a F70-210. If luck strikes me, I will get it for about EUR 50. Thanks you all for your helpfulness. It's a pleasure to be here in the pentaxforums!