PENTAX 'L' class zooms??

quenched · 01-10-2009, 05:00 AM

Pardon my ignorance(s) just checking if Pentax produce anything that compares in image quality to the 70-200 L and 28-70 L.

thanks in advance
S

Ben_Edict · 01-10-2009, 05:07 AM

Originally posted by quenched

Pardon my ignorance(s) just checking if Pentax produce anything that compares in image quality to the 70-200 L and 28-70 L.

thanks in advance
S

16-50/2.8
50-135/2.8

all lenses with the "Limited" designation and all with the "DA*" designation. If you look at the secondhand market all lenses with the "*" (Star) designation in general are easily comparable and sometimes superior to any Canon L glass.

And yes, there is even a "real" L-glass, the Pentax 2x-L and 1.4x-L tele converters, which are among the best of any manufacturer...

Ben

angelodn · 01-10-2009, 05:21 AM

"L" is like Star

quenched · 01-10-2009, 06:40 AM

Thanks heaps people!

ogl · 01-10-2009, 07:14 AM

Fa*28-70/2.8
fa*80-200/2.8

Torphoto · 01-10-2009, 07:44 AM

lets not forget the limiteds as L glass to, but I think the limiteds are better.

clawhammer · 01-10-2009, 11:11 AM

not to be confused with the new DA-L 18-55 and 50-200 at the opposite end of the spectrum

kristoffon · 01-10-2009, 01:03 PM

I wonder if anyone else had the felling Pentax put the "L" in the new entry level line to confuse things a bit...

Mechan1k · 01-10-2009, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by kristoffon

I wonder if anyone else had the felling Pentax put the "L" in the new entry level line to confuse things a bit...

They just used L for Lightweight ... that's all
The higher end is denoted with the * anyway.

dylansalt · 01-10-2009, 02:10 PM

And lets not forget about the prohibitive cost of Canon L glass.

Here in SA the Pentax 14mm 2.8 Prime costs R 12 000, the equivalent Canon in L glass costs R 28 000 and the Nikon R 25 000!!

D

clawhammer · 01-10-2009, 03:14 PM

aye, that's true, but the other two are full-frame, the DA 14 is not

I'd love to use it on my Zx-l

**Ron Boggs** · 01-10-2009, 09:19 PM

When the FA*80-200/2.8 was released appx 10 or 12 years ago it was subject of one of the Popular Photography Lens Tests. Nobody takes the SQF charts in Pop Photo terribly seriously, but I still enjoy gawking at them. During that general time frame Pop Photo also tested the Canon L and Nikon equivalent f. 2.8 zooms. The Pentax FA* came out better than either of the "big" brands (in the SQF charts). Perhaps one of the most interesting findings was that the Pentax actually increased in sharpness as you zoomed toward the 200mm end of the range. Virtually all other zooms I've seen in those Pop Photo "kinda" tests gets less sharp toward the long end of the zoom. I own that lens myself and love it dearly. Likewise for the FA*28-70/2.8. It's a real honey if you don't do much with split neutral density filters as the front element rotates (polarizers need some care as well). With Lightroom 2. and the easy split neutral density grad., this is less an issue nowadays than it was when the lens was first released.
Look for *'s and look for Limiteds and you'll be all "L"ed up.

kristoffon · 01-11-2009, 02:39 PM

Originally posted by Mechan1k

They just used L for Lightweight ... that's all
The higher end is denoted with the * anyway.

I know that, and you know that, but a clueless newb who walks into a store and heard a fellow comment on some "great L glass" may not know that

quenched · 01-23-2009, 05:59 AM

Thankyou all for your assistance.

Can anybody tell me where i can find a list of all the '*' glass please?

Regards
q

soccerjoe5 · 01-23-2009, 09:09 AM

Originally posted by quenched

Thankyou all for your assistance.

Can anybody tell me where i can find a list of all the '*' glass please?

Regards
q

Here you go: Camera Lens - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site

Diego

01-10-2009, 05:00 AM	#1
quenched Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: byronbay Photos: Gallery Posts: 60	PENTAX 'L' class zooms?? Pardon my ignorance(s) just checking if Pentax produce anything that compares in image quality to the 70-200 L and 28-70 L. thanks in advance S

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01-10-2009, 05:07 AM	#2
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	Originally posted by quenched Pardon my ignorance(s) just checking if Pentax produce anything that compares in image quality to the 70-200 L and 28-70 L. thanks in advance S 16-50/2.8 50-135/2.8 all lenses with the "Limited" designation and all with the "DA" designation. If you look at the secondhand market all lenses with the "" (Star) designation in general are easily comparable and sometimes superior to any Canon L glass. And yes, there is even a "real" L-glass, the Pentax 2x-L and 1.4x-L tele converters, which are among the best of any manufacturer... Ben

01-10-2009, 05:21 AM	#3
angelodn Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Florence - Italy Posts: 289	"L" is like Star

01-10-2009, 06:40 AM	#4
quenched Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: byronbay Photos: Gallery Posts: 60 Original Poster	Thanks heaps people!

01-10-2009, 07:14 AM	#5
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	Fa28-70/2.8 fa80-200/2.8

01-10-2009, 07:44 AM	#6
Torphoto Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Trinidad W.I. Photos: Gallery Posts: 612	lets not forget the limiteds as L glass to, but I think the limiteds are better.

01-10-2009, 11:11 AM	#7
clawhammer Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Logan, Utah Photos: Gallery Posts: 971	not to be confused with the new DA-L 18-55 and 50-200 at the opposite end of the spectrum

01-10-2009, 01:03 PM	#8
kristoffon Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Brazil Posts: 532	I wonder if anyone else had the felling Pentax put the "L" in the new entry level line to confuse things a bit...

01-10-2009, 01:31 PM	#9
Mechan1k Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,891	Originally posted by kristoffon I wonder if anyone else had the felling Pentax put the "L" in the new entry level line to confuse things a bit... They just used L for Lightweight ... that's all The higher end is denoted with the * anyway.

01-10-2009, 02:10 PM	#10
dylansalt Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Durban, South Africa Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,052	And lets not forget about the prohibitive cost of Canon L glass. Here in SA the Pentax 14mm 2.8 Prime costs R 12 000, the equivalent Canon in L glass costs R 28 000 and the Nikon R 25 000!! D

01-10-2009, 03:14 PM	#11
clawhammer Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Logan, Utah Photos: Gallery Posts: 971	aye, that's true, but the other two are full-frame, the DA 14 is not I'd love to use it on my Zx-l

01-10-2009, 09:19 PM	#12
Ron Boggs Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: MT Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,349	When the FA80-200/2.8 was released appx 10 or 12 years ago it was subject of one of the Popular Photography Lens Tests. Nobody takes the SQF charts in Pop Photo terribly seriously, but I still enjoy gawking at them. During that general time frame Pop Photo also tested the Canon L and Nikon equivalent f. 2.8 zooms. The Pentax FA came out better than either of the "big" brands (in the SQF charts). Perhaps one of the most interesting findings was that the Pentax actually increased in sharpness as you zoomed toward the 200mm end of the range. Virtually all other zooms I've seen in those Pop Photo "kinda" tests gets less sharp toward the long end of the zoom. I own that lens myself and love it dearly. Likewise for the FA28-70/2.8. It's a real honey if you don't do much with split neutral density filters as the front element rotates (polarizers need some care as well). With Lightroom 2. and the easy split neutral density grad., this is less an issue nowadays than it was when the lens was first released. Look for 's and look for Limiteds and you'll be all "L"ed up.

01-11-2009, 02:39 PM	#13
kristoffon Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Brazil Posts: 532	Originally posted by Mechan1k They just used L for Lightweight ... that's all The higher end is denoted with the * anyway. I know that, and you know that, but a clueless newb who walks into a store and heard a fellow comment on some "great L glass" may not know that

01-23-2009, 05:59 AM	#14
quenched Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: byronbay Photos: Gallery Posts: 60 Original Poster	Thankyou all for your assistance. Can anybody tell me where i can find a list of all the '*' glass please? Regards q

01-23-2009, 09:09 AM	#15
soccerjoe5 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,343	Originally posted by quenched Thankyou all for your assistance. Can anybody tell me where i can find a list of all the '*' glass please? Regards q Here you go: Camera Lens - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site Diego