DA*60-250's review at photozone.de.

ogl · 01-11-2010, 01:21 AM

Pentax SMC DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED [IF] SDM - Review / Test Report

As for me. Very good-ballanced lens without any serious weakness.

Boris · 01-11-2010, 03:32 AM

Quoting from the review:

Quote:

Following a bit of a Pentax tradition the tested sample wasn't perfectly centered specifically at 60mm where the left side of the image field showed a slightly stronger performance than the right one. A perfect sample should show better border results at 60mm a possibly a marginally higher center performance at f/4.

Depending on reader's perspective this is either no big deal or rather opposite. But I think it is worth pointing it out anyway...

**dadipentak** · 01-11-2010, 05:00 AM

Too bad it's SDM.

falconeye · 01-11-2010, 05:09 AM

Hi everybody,

the lens tested by Klaus is my sample.

I will send it to Pentax service for a better centering as it is under warranty.

Nevertheless, I agree with Klaus: it is a highly desirable lens

BTW, the sample images are all made in Cuba.

**Rondec** · 01-11-2010, 05:45 AM

Seemed like he really like the 60-250 and really, really liked the DA 15. Not so much on the DA 55. The DA 60-250 is a really strong offering, matching the 70-200 f4 from Canon, but giving more reach on both ends. Very nice.

asdf · 01-11-2010, 06:30 AM

Originally posted by ogl

As for me. Very good-ballanced lens without any serious weakness.

At 200mm, it produced better MTF50 numbers than the DA* 200 f/2.8 prime. It has practically no barrel and/or pincussion distortion. It has relatively low chromatic aberration. Purple fringing wasn't a problem. I'd say it deserves more stars.

ogl · 01-11-2010, 07:08 AM

Originally posted by falconeye

Hi everybody,

the lens tested by Klaus is my sample.

BTW, the sample images are all made in Cuba.

Your photo with K-x is sharper than with K-7.

Why?

ogl · 01-11-2010, 07:10 AM

Originally posted by asdf

At 200mm, it produced better MTF50 numbers than the DA* 200 f/2.8 prime. It has practically no barrel and/or pincussion distortion. It has relatively low chromatic aberration. Purple fringing wasn't a problem. I'd say it deserves more stars.

Under PHOTOZONE classification: 1950/1952 and 1960/1966 LW/PH are VERY GOOD.
1751 and 1755 LW/PH are GOOD.
I don't understand why Klaus says "The center resolution is not exceedingly high at 200/250mm and the borders @ 60mm are only about average. The CAs are good but not great"

Why "only ABOUT AVERAGE"?

As for center - DA*60-250/4 has better center resolution than DA*200/2.8 at 200/250 mm at f/5.6-8. And a bit weaker at f4. But it's zoom lens, not prime.

Klaus said about DA*200
The Pentax lens produced pretty impressive resolution figures in the MTF lab.

Urmas R. · 01-11-2010, 07:15 AM

Isn't it curious that Popphoto has the exact contrary opinion of what Photozone found about the 200mm and 60-250mm lenses? They rank the 200mm 2.8 lens as the sharpest Pentax telephoto lens, followed by 300mm and then by 60-250mm. Could it be due to sample variation?

asdf · 01-11-2010, 07:16 AM

Originally posted by Urmas R.

Isn't it curious that Popphoto has the exact contrary opinion of what Photozone found about the 200mm and 60-250mm lenses? They rank the 200mm 2.8 lens as the sharpest Pentax telephoto lens, followed by 300mm and then by 60-250mm. Could it be due to sample variation?

It's due to popphoto making up things out of thin air.

creampuff · 01-11-2010, 07:16 AM

I've said it before and I'll say it again... stop testing with the long discontinued K10D. I seriously think photzone needs somebody to lend them a K-7 or K-x more than they need lenses for testing.

ogl · 01-11-2010, 07:34 AM

Originally posted by Urmas R.

Isn't it curious that Popphoto has the exact contrary opinion of what Photozone found about the 200mm and 60-250mm lenses? They rank the 200mm 2.8 lens as the sharpest Pentax telephoto lens, followed by 300mm and then by 60-250mm. Could it be due to sample variation?

I think PopPhoto is one of the funniest site.

ogl · 01-11-2010, 07:38 AM

Originally posted by creampuff

I've said it before and I'll say it again... stop testing with the long discontinued K10D. I seriously think photzone needs somebody to lend them a K-7 or K-x more than they need lenses for testing.

Klaus said that Canon and Nikon are number 1. This brands have priority in tests.
Pentax is marginal brand.

You can calculate resolution at K-7 of all Pentax lenses tested at photozone with Falk's formula.

I asked Falk he said that it's not hard. Or ask Falk how to do it.

kenyee · 01-11-2010, 07:48 AM

Originally posted by creampuff

I've said it before and I'll say it again... stop testing with the long discontinued K10D. I seriously think photzone needs somebody to lend them a K-7 or K-x more than they need lenses for testing.

AFAIK, the K10D should have higher MTF numbers because of the weaker AA filter...and he's using the K10D so that numbers from different reviews can be comparable. Otherwise, he'd have to retest all lenses on the K7...

falconeye · 01-11-2010, 07:50 AM

Originally posted by ogl

Your photo with K-x is sharper than with K-7.

Why?

Why not? I don't shoot lab tests in the field

And K-x has fewer pixels, of course, and with the given subject, some part of the K-x subject must have had perfect focus. The 118mm shot from K-7 has a wider aperture and mild motion blur as it was getting dark already.

Originally posted by ogl

I don't understand why Klaus says "The center resolution is not exceedingly high at 200/250mm

I agree that the performance at 200mm/5.6 is pretty good! But to be fair, he rated the DA*200 and DA*60-250 the same, 3.5 stars. There ARE better 200mm lenses. From Pentax too (FA* 200/4). Just not from the current lens lineup.

Only a few K-mount lenses got 4 stars or better: FA31/1.8, FA35/2, DA40/2.8, DA70/2.4, [D]FA100/2.8, FA*300/4.5 and Tamron AF 90/2.8. And no zoom.

01-11-2010, 01:21 AM	#1
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	*DA60-250's review at photozone.de.** Pentax SMC DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED [IF] SDM - Review / Test Report As for me. Very good-ballanced lens without any serious weakness.

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01-11-2010, 03:32 AM	#2
Boris Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Israel Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 932	Quoting from the review: Quote: Following a bit of a Pentax tradition the tested sample wasn't perfectly centered specifically at 60mm where the left side of the image field showed a slightly stronger performance than the right one. A perfect sample should show better border results at 60mm a possibly a marginally higher center performance at f/4. Depending on reader's perspective this is either no big deal or rather opposite. But I think it is worth pointing it out anyway...

01-11-2010, 05:00 AM	#3
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Too bad it's SDM.

01-11-2010, 05:09 AM	#4
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Hi everybody, the lens tested by Klaus is my sample. I will send it to Pentax service for a better centering as it is under warranty. Nevertheless, I agree with Klaus: it is a highly desirable lens BTW, the sample images are all made in Cuba.

01-11-2010, 05:45 AM	#5
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,663	Seemed like he really like the 60-250 and really, really liked the DA 15. Not so much on the DA 55. The DA 60-250 is a really strong offering, matching the 70-200 f4 from Canon, but giving more reach on both ends. Very nice.

01-11-2010, 06:30 AM	#6
asdf Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,252	Originally posted by ogl As for me. Very good-ballanced lens without any serious weakness. At 200mm, it produced better MTF50 numbers than the DA* 200 f/2.8 prime. It has practically no barrel and/or pincussion distortion. It has relatively low chromatic aberration. Purple fringing wasn't a problem. I'd say it deserves more stars.

01-11-2010, 07:08 AM	#7
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382 Original Poster	Originally posted by falconeye Hi everybody, the lens tested by Klaus is my sample. BTW, the sample images are all made in Cuba. Your photo with K-x is sharper than with K-7. Why?

01-11-2010, 07:10 AM	#8
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382 Original Poster	Originally posted by asdf At 200mm, it produced better MTF50 numbers than the DA* 200 f/2.8 prime. It has practically no barrel and/or pincussion distortion. It has relatively low chromatic aberration. Purple fringing wasn't a problem. I'd say it deserves more stars. Under PHOTOZONE classification: 1950/1952 and 1960/1966 LW/PH are VERY GOOD. 1751 and 1755 LW/PH are GOOD. I don't understand why Klaus says "The center resolution is not exceedingly high at 200/250mm and the borders @ 60mm are only about average. The CAs are good but not great" Why "only ABOUT AVERAGE"? As for center - DA60-250/4 has better center resolution than DA200/2.8 at 200/250 mm at f/5.6-8. And a bit weaker at f4. But it's zoom lens, not prime. Klaus said about DA200 The Pentax lens produced pretty impressive resolution figures in the MTF lab.*

01-11-2010, 07:15 AM	#9
Urmas R. Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 179	Isn't it curious that Popphoto has the exact contrary opinion of what Photozone found about the 200mm and 60-250mm lenses? They rank the 200mm 2.8 lens as the sharpest Pentax telephoto lens, followed by 300mm and then by 60-250mm. Could it be due to sample variation?

01-11-2010, 07:16 AM	#10
asdf Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,252	Originally posted by Urmas R. Isn't it curious that Popphoto has the exact contrary opinion of what Photozone found about the 200mm and 60-250mm lenses? They rank the 200mm 2.8 lens as the sharpest Pentax telephoto lens, followed by 300mm and then by 60-250mm. Could it be due to sample variation? It's due to popphoto making up things out of thin air.

01-11-2010, 07:16 AM	#11
creampuff Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,953	I've said it before and I'll say it again... stop testing with the long discontinued K10D. I seriously think photzone needs somebody to lend them a K-7 or K-x more than they need lenses for testing.

01-11-2010, 07:34 AM	#12
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382 Original Poster	Originally posted by Urmas R. Isn't it curious that Popphoto has the exact contrary opinion of what Photozone found about the 200mm and 60-250mm lenses? They rank the 200mm 2.8 lens as the sharpest Pentax telephoto lens, followed by 300mm and then by 60-250mm. Could it be due to sample variation? I think PopPhoto is one of the funniest site.

01-11-2010, 07:38 AM	#13
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382 Original Poster	Originally posted by creampuff I've said it before and I'll say it again... stop testing with the long discontinued K10D. I seriously think photzone needs somebody to lend them a K-7 or K-x more than they need lenses for testing. Klaus said that Canon and Nikon are number 1. This brands have priority in tests. Pentax is marginal brand. You can calculate resolution at K-7 of all Pentax lenses tested at photozone with Falk's formula. I asked Falk he said that it's not hard. Or ask Falk how to do it.

01-11-2010, 07:48 AM	#14
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	Originally posted by creampuff I've said it before and I'll say it again... stop testing with the long discontinued K10D. I seriously think photzone needs somebody to lend them a K-7 or K-x more than they need lenses for testing. AFAIK, the K10D should have higher MTF numbers because of the weaker AA filter...and he's using the K10D so that numbers from different reviews can be comparable. Otherwise, he'd have to retest all lenses on the K7...

01-11-2010, 07:50 AM	#15
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by ogl Your photo with K-x is sharper than with K-7. Why? Why not? I don't shoot lab tests in the field And K-x has fewer pixels, of course, and with the given subject, some part of the K-x subject must have had perfect focus. The 118mm shot from K-7 has a wider aperture and mild motion blur as it was getting dark already. Originally posted by ogl I don't understand why Klaus says "The center resolution is not exceedingly high at 200/250mm I agree that the performance at 200mm/5.6 is pretty good! But to be fair, he rated the DA200 and DA60-250 the same, 3.5 stars. There ARE better 200mm lenses. From Pentax too (FA* 200/4). Just not from the current lens lineup. Only a few K-mount lenses got 4 stars or better: FA31/1.8, FA35/2, DA40/2.8, DA70/2.4, [D]FA100/2.8, FA*300/4.5 and Tamron AF 90/2.8. And no zoom.