[kaipa]

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Your post reminded me I once owned the FA* 80-200 myself. I really liked the lens. It is worth noting that the DA* 200 exhibited purple fringing far more often than the FA* 80-200 even in head to head shots with the same exposure settings and lighting. That FA* was a special animal.

Probably you had the bad copy of DA* 200. I owned both DA* 200/2.8 and now have FA* 200/2.8 that is optically the same. Very little PF even in extreme conditions. The real PF beast from star lenses was FA* 400/5.6 that had to be stopped down to f8 to eliminate PF.

I had a 'star lens sickness' some time ago, and owned or still own following lenses:

A* 85/1.4 -- sold, still regret. A fantastic lens.
A* 200/2.8 -- sold, kept K 200/2.5 instead, that is the same lens minus ED element
A* 200/4 Macro -- sold and bought back. Very special one.
A* 600/5.6 -- great for moonshots and to impress people.
F* 300/4.5 -- tele lens classic
FA* 24/2 -- my most favorite one. I like it much more than FA 31.
FA* 85/1.4 -- this one is special. I would use it more often if I do not have FA 77.
FA* 200/2.8 -- great light relatively small tele. Use it often in travel.
FA* 300/4.5 -- sold in favour of F* version
FA* 400/5.6 -- sold, could not make it usable for me
FA* 28-70/2.8 -- sold, too many great primes in this range
FA* 80-200/2.8 -- for sports and events. Unfortunately, my current camera is KP so PZ does not work. But I am going to try it on my old K5 soon to avoid manual zooming.
DA* 200/2.8 -- sold it in favour of lighter FA* 200/2.8, but built quality of DA* is better.

In the current line-up I might want to try DA* 11-18 when the prices go down a bit.

[aslyfox]

. . . In the current line-up I might want to try DA* 11-18 when the prices go down a bit.

or you could post 100 times this month and get lucky in the grand prize raffle and win one

PentaxForums 100 Year Giveaway - October - Grand Prize Raffle Entry Thread
Welcome to the raffle thread for our October giveaway! Each month, the "grand prize" raffle will feature a different theme: past, present, or future.

Once you have made 100 posts on the forum this month, you may reply to this thread to claim your raffle entry. Limit one reply per household per month.

For every 100 posts made thereafter, you will automatically receive an additional entry (as shown in the forum header). Not need to reply to claim the subsequent entries.

Prizes:

Grand prize (theme: "present"): Your choice of a D FA* 50mm F1.4 or a DA* 11-18mm F2.8 len

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/187-pentax-forums-giveaways/393148-penta...#ixzz61rXcUucX

[rogerstg]

Possibly the only star lens not worth the star designation is the DA 16-50/2.8

Mine has been fabulous. Q is easily on par with my DA* 50-135. I've had it since 2008 and it's my most used lens, by a lot..
Best thing about the 16-50 is that all the repeated complaints and warnings of SDM issues result in great values on the used market.

[UncleVanya]

Probably you had the bad copy of DA* 200. I owned both DA* 200/2.8 and now have FA* 200/2.8 that is optically the same.

I don't think so. I have shot an FA* 200 a long time ago but it wasn't on digital. Maybe I'm overselling the pf on the da*. My copy has minor pf, the FA* 80-200 had none. The pf on the 200 prime is not objectionable. The 80-200 has a lot more complex optical formula and just seems to control pf slightly better. I found no differences in sharpness between the two lenses btw.

[aslyfox]

there is now a new lens club on the forum started by pepperberry farm

the DA* 55mm f1.4 SDM Club - PentaxForums.com

take a look and if you want, show what you have accomplished with the SMC Pentax-DA * 55mm F1.4 SCM

[aslyfox]

any one have any experience with this star lens ( green stripe and star )

Description:
The SMC Pentax A* 200mm F2.8 employs the finest of Pentax optical engineering, including extra-low dispersion elements. It can deliver exceptional photos, is relatively compact, and features a built-in hood.

Read more at: SMC Pentax A* 200mm F2.8 ED Reviews - A Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database


________________

one is being listed on EBAY

SMC PENTAX-A GREEN STAR 200mm f2.8 LENS WITH CASE & UV FILTER K MOUNT | eBay

[ChristianRock]

I received my new-to-me DA*16-50 f/2.8 this weekend... initial impressions are positive. I'm surprised at the image quality at f/2.8 both at 16mm and 50mm on my K-50. Using in-camera correction takes away any hint of CA at both ends at f/2.8 so I know that there being CA, it will be taken care of in RAW processing as well (my test is my keyboard by the window - those black and white keys are unforgivable and my Sigma 30 1.4 Art, for example, fails that test even at f/5.6 - but I still love the lens anyway. Yet my 16-50mm succeeds!).

The AF was converted to screwdrive and was spot on at both ends, not adjustment necessary - on the K-50, my K-S1 is more finicky so we'll see how that one goes... I did compare AF speed with the DA 16-45 and the DA 16-50 is slower even on screw drive. Probably because the focus throw is longer.

It's early days as they say but so far I'm very very happy, especially since those screw driver converted lenses with dead motors are a very good deal - I paid exactly what I was expecting to pay for a good copy of the DA 21, which is actually what I was going to buy, when I decided to replace the DA 16-45 instead.

[rogerstg]

the DA 16-50 is slower even on screw drive.

Congrats on the new to you lens. FWIW, my two SDM lenses that work properly are noticeably faster than any of my screw drive lenses. I think that people see an improvement in speed after conversion are basing it on their failing SDM, so of course the conversion improves theirs that was struggling.

[ChristianRock]

Congrats on the new to you lens. FWIW, my two SDM lenses that work properly are noticeably faster than any of my screw drive lenses. I think that people see an improvement in speed after conversion are basing it on their failing SDM, so of course the conversion improves theirs that was struggling.

Well my 16-45 is a particularly fast focusing lens. It'll focus very fast and sometimes come to a stop in a somewhat violent way I think the 16-50 isn't bad, just not quite as quick and the focus seems more "refined" if that makes sense - I think the element group being moved must be larger. It's still faster than my DA 35 Limited Macro...

[hjoseph7]

Wow after looking at your list, I just realized that I don't own a single DA*/FA* lens although the 55 mm f1.4 and the 60-250 mm f4 are on my short list. Since I don't own any of these lenses, I can't really say anything good or bad about them. I personally decided to stick with the smaller Limited lenses, or lenses that are no longer than 3 inches, like my 50 mm f1.7 . They fit better on my smallish K5 II...