[Andrea K]

Ehm... a lens must also be carried and in my backpack the space for the "70-200" zoom is exactly the size of the DA*. I can't also add the huge and "not so smart" extra tripod collar.
When the lens is attached to the camera the length is not that important, above all if this means an advantage in the focal range. Another plus is the CPL window in the lens hood.

Sure it hasn't the circular iris, the HD coating, the new SDM and the AF is a problem (mostly because is prone to fail so often a slowness report is in reality an SDM fail report) but my experience with it says that it can be used with a K-1 with great satisfaction.

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Last edited by Andrea K; 05-27-2021 at 05:17 AM.

[Sandy Hancock]

The DFA*70-200 is awesome (I have it), but a landscape lens has to be something you're willing to carry.....

[RICHARD L.]

a landscape lens has to be something you're willing to carry.....

I carry it in my 5-ton Ford (lol !) and I never get very far from my truck when I photograph on the go. Seriously, it weighs a ton and benefits from using a tripod, so you have to make sacrifices sometimes to achieve "the" picture you're after. You learn to be a masochist with these tele-zooms. Last winter, I got a P67 500 mm f/5.6 for my 645Z, so using the DFA* 70-200 mm f/2.8 is a "lesser evil" ... lol !

Best Regards

[volley]

I know the DA*60-250 has its fans

I guess I am one of these
There are not so many lenses in the review section with 61 reviews and an average rating of 9.57
Yes, I know several members had SDM failures. But I can only judge my copy. I bought it exactly 10 years ago and I never experienced any problems. It was by far my most used lens on APS-C and it is still frequently used on my K1 now.

Great for landscape



or portraits ...

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Last edited by volley; 05-27-2021 at 04:53 AM.

[angerdan]

Guys, what is your experience with this lens on FF?

Did you check this threads?

How to Modify the DA* 60-250mm F4 for Full Frame - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com
DA* 60-250 mod for FF - PentaxForums.com
What is the Size of the DA* 60-250 on Fullformat - PentaxForums.com
Thoughts on the 60-250mm for the K-1? - PentaxForums.com
Pentax DA* 60-250 vs. Tamron 70-200 on FF (K1)
photo comparison between 150-450mm DFA versus 60-250mm DA with a AFA 1.7x tc - PentaxForums.com
SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vs. Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD Macro - PentaxForums.com
70-210 versus 60-250 - PentaxForums.com
Pentax DA* 60-250mm f4 lens with the K-1 - PentaxForums.com
On Safari with the K-1 and the Pentax-DA 60-250mm lens - PentaxForums.com
Lens correction with modified 60-250mm - PentaxForums.com

[bdery]

It can be turned into a full frame lens via some minor butchery, but it cannot be turned into a reliable lens. Owners are playing Rusdian Roulette with this lens regarding the very failure prone autofocus.

Users with failed SDM have been particularly vocal (understandably so) but the vast majority of users have had no problems. It's still not a glorious aspect of Pentax's customer support but let's not pretend a majority of lenses are defective.

I have not changed it because the 70-210 is a little longer and does not have the tripod collar.

Indeed. See here for more info:

HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

the latter extends a mile at the long end

A short mile, maybe?

[angerdan]

I have not changed it because the 70-210 is a little longer and does not have the tripod collar.

Indeed. See here for more info:
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

It is known since 15 months that the optional Tamron A034TM tripod collar also fits to the K-mount version.
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR Reviews - D FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Tripod collar for HD PENTAX-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR? | PENTAXever.com

[Wheatfield]

Users with failed SDM have been particularly vocal (understandably so) but the vast majority of users have had no problems. It's still not a glorious aspect of Pentax's customer support but let's not pretend a majority of lenses are defective.

All you are saying is there might only be a couple of bullets in the chamber. A 60-250 buyer is still making a pretty big leap of faith when they are buying a lens with a known defect that causes it to fail with alarming frequency, and over and over again.
It's an OK lens glass wise, it has serious focus breathing, and there are far more reliable choices out there, including one with the Pentax name on it.
Ricoh should just remove the 60-250 from the catalogue until they can put something on the market that doesn't suffer from sudden death motor syndrome.

[HoundFrog]

Did you check this threads?

How to Modify the DA* 60-250mm F4 for Full Frame - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com
DA* 60-250 mod for FF - PentaxForums.com
What is the Size of the DA* 60-250 on Fullformat - PentaxForums.com
Thoughts on the 60-250mm for the K-1? - PentaxForums.com
Pentax DA* 60-250 vs. Tamron 70-200 on FF (K1)
photo comparison between 150-450mm DFA versus 60-250mm DA with a AFA 1.7x tc - PentaxForums.com
SMC Pentax-DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM vs. Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 Di LD Macro - PentaxForums.com
70-210 versus 60-250 - PentaxForums.com
Pentax DA* 60-250mm f4 lens with the K-1 - PentaxForums.com
On Safari with the K-1 and the Pentax-DA 60-250mm lens - PentaxForums.com
Lens correction with modified 60-250mm - PentaxForums.com

Yes, I checked some of the threads mentioned, but not all of them. Thanks for putting them all together!

The lens range seems to be ideal for my purposes (landscapes/cityscapes) and, honestly, I don't care much about AF. When I need precision I use manual anyway. So I'd gladly buy an optically good copy with a dead SDM for a good price and won't even bother fixing it.

[RICHARD L.]

So I'd gladly buy an optically good copy with a dead SDM for a good price and won't even bother fixing it.

Same here. If the AF died, I would use it simply as a manual focus lens. I took pictures with manual focus equipment most of my life anyway. This lens is so awesomely performant optically I would never part with it.

Regards

[photoaki]

Yes, I checked some of the threads mentioned, but not all of them. Thanks for putting them all together!

The lens range seems to be ideal for my purposes (landscapes/cityscapes) and, honestly, I don't care much about AF. When I need precision I use manual anyway. So I'd gladly buy an optically good copy with a dead SDM for a good price and won't even bother fixing it.

Pm’d you

[Andrea K]

It is known since 15 months that the optional Tamron A034TM tripod collar also fits to the K-mount version.
HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR Reviews - D FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Tripod collar for HD PENTAX-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR? | PENTAXever.com

I know that there is an optional tripod collar but it is very awkward, it's huge, you have to disassemble it to remove or install, no click stop at 90°....

[bdery]

A 60-250 buyer is still making a pretty big leap of faith when they are buying a lens with a known defect that causes it to fail with alarming frequency

Buying new nowadays, the risk is gone, Pentax fixed the problem many years ago.

It's an OK lens glass wise

I completely disagree with that assertion. I rate it optically about as good as the FA77.

it has serious focus breathing

So does the 70-210, and almost all internal focus zooms.

[Wheatfield]

Buying new nowadays, the risk is gone, Pentax fixed the problem many years ago.



I completely disagree with that assertion. I rate it optically about as good as the FA77.



So does the 70-210, and almost all internal focus zooms.

Documentation please about Pentax fixing a design flaw issue that seemed unfixable.
The 77, for all it's cult status isn't exactly an optically stellar lens. Its kind of soft wide open, undercorrected spherical aberrations, and some fairly serious fringing issues aren't exactly ooh woo this is great.
Of course, as I have a D FA* 85/1.4, I have a great lens to compare it to.
The 70-210 has the advantage of more reliable AF, as they have done away entirely with the overtorqued watch battery sized motor, and IIRC, doesn't have anywhere near the level of focus breathing that the 60-250 has, though this is just my recollection from what I've read here.
Either way, I wouldn't recommend a 60-250 to anyone based on my experience with it and the myriad reports of failure I've read about from other users.
Decent glass just doesn't make up for its well earned reputation for terrible reliability.

---------- Post added May 28th, 2021 at 10:53 AM ----------

Yes, I checked some of the threads mentioned, but not all of them. Thanks for putting them all together!

The lens range seems to be ideal for my purposes (landscapes/cityscapes) and, honestly, I don't care much about AF. When I need precision I use manual anyway. So I'd gladly buy an optically good copy with a dead SDM for a good price and won't even bother fixing it.

Same here. If the AF died, I would use it simply as a manual focus lens. I took pictures with manual focus equipment most of my life anyway. This lens is so awesomely performant optically I would never part with it.

Regards

The cost to fix a dead 60-250 was over Can$600.00 when I paid to fix the one that was bought from me. SDM worked when I boxed it and was DOA on arrival.

That should make a used lens worth about Can$200.00 if the SDM is dead. I wouldn't pay more for a used one, as there is no guarantee that one with working SDM won't require an expensive repair, probably over and over again.

[Wheatfield]

My beloved DA* 60-250 mm f/4 paid for itself a long time ago with the stellar images it produces. Cost is not even a part of the equation. If AF dies, the optics remain.

That's sort of like saying if the engine in my truck dies I'm good with that because the leather upholstery is really nice..
Apologists come up with the best leaps of logic.