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06-25-2015, 02:39 PM   #1
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Is A*200mm better than DA*200mm?

Many members of this form speak very highly about A* 200mm f2.8 lens. I was wondering if A* 200mm is better than the newer DA* 200 mm? The price of a good quality used A* lens in in upwards of $650 on ebay which is only about $150 less than the brand new DA* lens. Unless A* is much better than DA*, I don't see any reason to buy the older used lens at such a high price (unless you are buying it for your collection).

Is it worth paying that much for old A* lens? Are the prices inflated because it is no longer in production?

Thanks.

06-25-2015, 02:46 PM   #2
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You are probably right for anybody looking to use one on their modern Pentax DSLR. However, older one is definitely full-frame, and it has an aperture ring. So the older one can be used on film cameras as well as upcoming full-frame (the DA probably can too, but that is not yet proven), and is more easily adapted to other cameras because of the aperture ring, not to mention use of extension tubes or whatever. And some people prefer manual focus, believe it or not. Since it is just a great lens it is going to hold a decent value no matter what. Trying to find value consistency between all lenses past & present will make you crazy -- too many variables. The market decides...
06-25-2015, 03:20 PM   #3
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The DA* 200mm f/2.8 uses a SDM focusing system which was plagued with problems at one point in time. For people looking for old lenses on eBay, the all mechanical A* lenses not only can be use on both film & digital SLRs, it can also be serrviced "indefinitely" into the future as there are no electronic circuits or parts to replace. You can see a working all mechanical Polaroid Pathfinder 110 camera worth more money on eBay than an all electronic SX-70.
06-25-2015, 05:06 PM   #4
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I have the K 200 2.5 and was wondering the same thing. I'm thinking someday I may opt for the A* 200 over the DA 200 if the IQ is better.

06-25-2015, 05:41 PM   #5
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The DA* 200mm is a fantastic lens, the build quality is about as good as it gets with all metal body. The SDM focus is pretty fast and quite reliable for this lens. It could be slightly sharper at 2.8 and have less purple fringing but overall it is one of my favourites.

I recently compared the k3 + DA* to the Sony A7s + 70-200mm f4. The surprising result was that the AF of the Pentax was much faster and more accurate in low light than the Sony (in lightl level where you cant see much through the optical viewfinder). This is in contrast to using short and wide angle lenses on the A7s which is about the same speed as the Pentax but more accurate. I think Sony has a fair amount of work to do on their AF system befroe it can match SLRs with telephoto lenses. This is unfortunate as I might have to buy the FF Pentax now in addition to my A7s
06-25-2015, 07:40 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ayoh Quote
The DA* 200mm is a fantastic lens, the build quality is about as good as it gets with all metal body. The SDM focus is pretty fast and quite reliable for this lens. It could be slightly sharper at 2.8 and have less purple fringing but overall it is one of my favourites.
I just quickly shot a few images of my nieces softball game with my K 200 2.5 lens and K-3. The lighting was soft and low as it was about 8pm CST. Could I expect better images from the DA* 200? Images are NO crop. The only problem I have with the K 200 is that it is a manual lens and you really need to hit the focus on the head. For this reason I purchased a Pentax eyecup O-ME53 which seems to help.





This image has been the sharpest to date I've gotten out of the k 200



This one here is a favorite..

06-26-2015, 03:27 AM - 1 Like   #7
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The DA *200 is a really good lens. I haven't used the A* 200 to compare.

I personally like having auto focus, but if that isn't important to you, then you can save quite a bit by using older lenses that don't have that. With that little price difference between the DA*200 and A* 200, I would choose the DA, as I like having weather sealing and auto focus.

06-26-2015, 04:51 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Michaelina2 Quote
SDM issues with the DA*200... you sure about that? No SDM issues mentioned here...

SMC Pentax-DA* 200mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM Serial Numbers - Pentax Serial Number Database - PentaxForums.com

Please source...

Just curious... M
SDM issues are with the DA17-70 and DA* 16-50 and (to a lesser extent) 50-135 zoom lenses only. Problems exist with all lenses but the SDM problems were mostly confined to these zoom lenses. It didn't impact primes and it didn't impact the DA* 60-250.

Source: SDM Reliability Survey - PentaxForums.com

---------- Post added 06-26-2015 at 07:55 AM ----------

My preference is to get the DA* 200; it's comparably priced to the A* ($150 more) and has auto-focus.
06-26-2015, 07:22 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Driline Quote
I just quickly shot a few images of my nieces softball game with my K 200 2.5 lens and K-3. The lighting was soft and low as it was about 8pm CST. Could I expect better images from the DA* 200?
Yes (technically). With the DA*, you'd get even more resolution, much less (if any) aberrations (none of that green fringing in the out of focus areas you can see in your images), increased contrast, and better flare resistance, not to mention of course AF & WR. And naturally you'd have to pay handsomely to get it. I like old lenses and don't mind manual focus. My only real beef with them is the sometimes ugly and distracting aberrations, which sometimes are easy to remove and sometimes not. Technology is still marching forward in that area though, so even as they make new lenses better & better, old lenses are actually also getting better & better through software...
06-26-2015, 08:19 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by vonBaloney Quote
And some people prefer manual focus, believe it or not
That'll be me then...

I've always been very happy with my “Gorgeous Lady” (SMC Pentax-A* 200mm F2.8), I find it something quite special, I hope this keeps you on the right tracks, this one was shot wide open.
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06-26-2015, 08:41 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by vonBaloney Quote
Yes (technically). With the DA*, you'd get even more resolution, much less (if any) aberrations (none of that green fringing in the out of focus areas you can see in your images), increased contrast, and better flare resistance, not to mention of course AF & WR. And naturally you'd have to pay handsomely to get it. I like old lenses and don't mind manual focus. My only real beef with them is the sometimes ugly and distracting aberrations, which sometimes are easy to remove and sometimes not. Technology is still marching forward in that area though, so even as they make new lenses better & better, old lenses are actually also getting better & better through software...
I think in the shots posted, there probably wouldn't be big differences. Coatings have improved quite a bit since the K series and so, improved contrast and flare resistance would be probably the biggest differences.

06-26-2015, 10:28 AM   #12
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So the conclusion is that both DA* and A* (and possibly other manual 200mm lenses) produce good images with good resolution. But the DA* has weather sealing and auto focus which I believe are worth paying extra $150 for. If comparing the prices of used DA* vs A*, the price difference is less than $100. I see no reason to buy the A* at such an inflated price for some one who owns only a digital camera. The only advantage A* seem to have is that it is FF compatible.

Thank you all.
06-26-2015, 10:37 AM   #13
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You daughter looks ready to head to the Pow Wow there Rondec....

The DA*200, which I don't own yet has pretty much sold me on it's quality. People always mention the fringing thing wide open, and SDM is never going to be what DC can be... but, new lens compared to old etc. I'm sure I'd prefer it to an older lens. My choice is between that , the DA*300 ƒ4 and the D FA 150-450. The thing it has going of r it is it's weight. It's a half pound lighter than my DA*60-250 more with other long lenses.

With image quality, once you pass a certain point, you don't need any more, and it's certainly well past that point. If another lens is marginally better or worse, it doesn't matter.
06-26-2015, 10:38 AM   #14
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I paid $224 for my K 200 2.5 from KEH outlet, so for me the cost was significantly less than say a used DA* 200 or even A* 200. I'm just wondering if its worth ponying up the extra $600 or $700 for the DA* or A* 200mm lenses. What will I gain in IQ? Other than auto focus of course for the DA*. That would be nice.
06-26-2015, 10:44 AM   #15
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According to the user data base... the K's sharpness is .96, the DA's is (ta da), .96. According to the forum users they are pretty much the same.
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