The Latest

Forum

Cameras

Lenses

Pentax Lens Review Database » Film Era Pentax K-Mount Lenses » A Prime Lenses

**SMC Pentax-A* 1200mm F8 ED [IF]**

Sharpness	9.5
Aberrations	8.5
Bokeh	9.0
Handling	9.0
Value	10.0

Reviews	Views	Date of last review
3	63,524	Fri July 6, 2018

Recommended By	Average Price	Average User Rating
100% of reviewers	$8,833.33	9.67

supersize	supersize	supersize
supersize

Description:

This is the the longest non-mirror extreme-telephoto lens ever made by Pentax. Manual focus, auto aperture.

*SMC Pentax-A 1200mm F8 ED[IF]** © www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format Full-frame / 35mm film	Lens Mount Pentax K	Aperture Ring Yes (A setting)	Diaphragm Automatic, 9 blades
Optics 9 elements, 6 groups	Mount Variant KA Check camera compatibility	Max. Aperture F8	Min. Aperture F45
Focusing Manual		Min. Focus 800 cm	Max. Magnification 0.23x
Filter Size 150 mm (Rear: 49 mm)	Internal Focus Yes	Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.) APS-C: 1.4 ° / 1.1 ° Full frame: 2.1 ° / 1.7 °
Hood Built-in, slide out	Case Dedicated trunk case
Lens Cap Leather	Coating SMC	Weather Sealing No	Other Features Drop-in Filter Holder,Tripod Mount
Diam x Length 170 x 684 mm	Weight 8580 g	Production Years 1986 to 2000
Engraved Name smc PENTAX-A* 1:8 1200mm ED[IF]		Product Code 24970	Reviews User reviews
Notes Two ED elements.

Features:

Price History:

Author:

Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-3 of 3

SteveM

Veteran Member

Registered: January, 2009

Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

Posts: 3,294

11 users found this helpful

Review Date: August 7, 2010

Recommended | Price: $9,000.00 | Rating: 10

Pros:	Results, build quality, usability for such a focal length
Cons:	Cost, Weight

There are two reactions when someone sees this lens. One group thinks that you must be able to take unreal pictures with ease (not the case), and the other group offers advice on how to take advantage of the capabilities of this lens (thanks!).

I would highly recommend anyone thinking of buying a lens over 300mm to read the following post (the A*1200 is 23X compared with the 25X telescopes listed);

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/29502-tips-usi...s-like-c5.html

First the challenges:

Long lenses can be extremely difficult to use. Pressing the shutter button can cause shake to continue for 3 seconds or longer, ruining a good shot. Trying to find your target takes a lot of practice and taking a shot at reasonably close range wide open can create the area of focus to be less than a centimeter (half an inch). You can have a bird’s eye in focus and the beak blurred. Good luck if the bird moves, which they do constantly.

This is also a heavy lens, which requires a heavy tripod and support. Expect to invest on a tripod and head, which can support the weight. If you take into account the challenges, how are you going to track that duck moving or even adjust for the moon (it can move out of frame due to the earth's rotation from the time you setup, focus, and hit the 2 second timer), let alone nail a shot of an eagle if you are only using a studio tripod? I can pack it and the tripod a ways by folding the legs and resting it on my shoulder, but I am not going on a hike and I am in reasonable shape. The lens weighs almost 19 pounds and then you need to add the tripod and head.

Now the positive:

The clarity, crispness and saturation are superb for any lens, let alone one that is a huge distance from its subject. CA/Purple Fringing are ridiculously controlled for such a lens. The reality is that there is no other Pentax lens that can capture shots where the subject is difficult to get close to, in as high quality as this lens. Adjusted to today’s dollar, this is a $30,000 lens and there is a reason for it. Anything over 500mm can’t use regular glass and correct fringing. This lens uses low dispersion glass, which at this size took forever to produce, creating few copies at huge cost.

Build quality is unbelievable; it is built like a tank. Focusing is smooth and quick, and it feels right when using such a large monster of a lens. If you have read the post I provided earlier in this review, you can understand what it might be like finding a moving target at this focal length. With this lens, and the right tripod, I have been able to track wind surfers and birds in flight with limited trouble. It is well balanced and fast to focus.

I really enjoy using this lens. It delivers shots that are in much better shape than could be possible with cropping. Expensive yes, but worth it.

goubejp

Veteran Member

Registered: October, 2007

Location: France

Posts: 804

4 users found this helpful

Review Date: October 12, 2013

Recommended | Price: $11,000.00 | Rating: 9

Pros:	Good sharpness wide open, few CA, high contrast
Cons:	No AF, F8 is a bit on the slow side - but relatively fast for a 1200 mm
Sharpness: 9 Aberrations: 8 Bokeh: 8 Handling: 9 Value: 10 Camera Used: K5iis

Got this lens yesterday and tested it carefully all day on my K5iis
Sharpness is good wide open, slightly improves stopped down, sweet spot seems to be at f9.5 (1/2 stop from wide open).
Very few lateral CA.
Contrast at a very high level wide open, increases the impression IQ.
Some bokeh fringing wide open (magenta halo for objects before the focus plane, green halo for those beyond).
Don't think about stopping it beyond f11 (1 stop from wide open) diffraction will eat your IQ.
Relatively easy to handle for a 1200 lens, but don't think you'll be able to use it handheld
You must carefully avoid any vibration, even a high end tripod couldn't be sufficient, and this thing is sensitive to Wind. For me my main usage will be in a hide, the lens lying on a rice bag to stabilize it.
For the bokeh, typical long focal, but subjects near the focal plane doesn't render as with a FA43 for instance, they are a bit nervous.
Still have to test it on the field.
Edit as of 24 October 2013
Got quickly outstanding shots with the lens; I'm used to 600 mm lenses, used with converters sometimes, this helps. Sharpness is excellent if you are able to carefully avoid any vibration of the lens. SR doesn't help, results seem worse with SR on (SR range is limited to 800 mm anyway on the K5). Best results with lens lying on a double rice bag. Some blue fringing in contra light situation, or with pure white birds like egrets, could be annoying. In good light conditions very sharp indeed

Crop of the head

Note that it is not possible to have the whole bird in focus; depth of field is 4 cm only here at 12 m f11

Ducatigaz

Pentaxian

Registered: February, 2010

Location: Blunsdon,Wiltshire, UK

Posts: 1,500

2 users found this helpful

Review Date: July 6, 2018

Recommended | Price: $6,500.00 | Rating: 10

Pros:	Very sharp if you can nail the focus, great for distant subjects
Cons:	Very,very heavy
Sharpness: 10 Aberrations: 9 Bokeh: 10 Handling: 9 Value: 10 Camera Used: K-3ii/K-5

I have fitted a 200mm Arca Swiss plate to the lens and it now balances when fitted to my gimbal head

Pentax A*1200mm F8 ED [IF] by Gary Chalker, on Flickr

Pentax A*1200mm F8 ED [IF] by Gary Chalker, on Flickr

Next to a Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG

Pentax A*1200mm F8 ED [IF]/ Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG by Gary Chalker, on Flickr

Homemade Neoprene lenscoat.

Pentax A*1200mm F8 ED[IF] by Gary Chalker, on Flickr

Size comparison between Pentax A*1200mm F8 ED ( IF) , Sigma 800mm F5.6 APO EX, Pentax FA*600mm F4 ED (lF)