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SMC Pentax-M* 67 400mm F4 ED [IF] Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax-M* 67 400mm F4 ED [IF]

Sharpness 
 10.0
Aberrations 
 9.0
Bokeh 
 10.0
Handling 
 8.0
Value 
 10.0
Reviews Views Date of last review
8 53,347 Thu July 28, 2022
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $1,966.88 9.63
SMC Pentax-M* 67 400mm F4 ED [IF]

SMC Pentax-M* 67 400mm F4 ED [IF]
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SMC Pentax-M* 67 400mm F4 ED [IF]
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Description:
A 400mm lens in a modern optical design with internal focusing and a low dispersion lens element for the Pentax 6x7 system. It is heavy at quite 3.7 kg. Only one variant was produced:

SMC Pentax-M* 67 400mm F4 ED[IF]
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution | Check camera compatibility
Image Format
6x7
Lens Mount
Pentax 6x7
Aperture Ring
Yes (no A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 9 blades
Optics
9 elements, 9 groups
Mount Variant
Inner Bayonet
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F4
Min. Aperture
F45
Focusing
Manual
Min. Focus
280 cm
Max. Magnification
0.01x
Filter Size
67 mm (Rear)
Internal Focus
Yes
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)
12.7 ° / 10 °
Hood
Built-in, slide out
Case
Lens Cap
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Drop-in Filter Holder,Tripod Mount
Diam x Length
132.5 x 305 mm
Weight
3700 g
Production Years
1986 (start of production)
Notes
Engraved name: smc PENTAX-M* 67 1:4 400mm ED[IF]
User reviews
Features:
Manual FocusInternal FocusingAperture RingMedium-Format SupportAdapter needed for DSLRsDiscontinued
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax-M* 67 400mm F4 ED [IF]
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Site Supporter

Registered: October, 2008
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 8,085
Review Date: July 28, 2022 Recommended | Price: $1,200.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Optics, pro lens features.
Cons: A bit heavy for a 400mm lens.
Camera Used: 6x7 MLU, 67, 67II   

The old 6x7 Takumar 400/4 was redesigned in the mid 1980’s and the Pentax 67 M*400/4 was released in 1986. This is the last 400mm lens made for the Pentax 6x7 system. The SMC Pentax 67 M*400/4 remained in production until the entire Pentax 6x7 system was discontinued in the early 2000’s.

Build/Handling:
The 67 M*400/4 is built like a tank and is not too long to be considered a hassle transporting it to your shooting location. I use a LensCoat 3Xpandable backpack to carry the lens. The 67 M*400/4 does weighs 3700 grams or 8.16 pounds, so forget hand holding it with a P6x7 camera.

Usage/Observations:
While the 67 M*400/4 is not nearly as heavy as its big brother the M*800/6.7, I still use the same tripod, long lens support and camera end support that I use for my 800mm lens. I also use MLU and a cable release for shutter speeds slower than 1/60 of a second.

TRIPOD: I’m currently using a Manfrotto 028B Triman tripod, a Manfrotto 229 3D super pro head and a Manfrotto 359 long lens support for the camera end. I also have a Hejnar 8” rail & clamp between the tripod and lens.

OPTICS: The 67 M*400/4 has stunning optics, one of the sharpest 6x7 lenses that I own. The optical design features 9 elements in 9 groups and the lens also has extra low dispersion elements (ED).

FOCAL LENGTH: The 67 M*400/4 has the field of view of a 35mm format 215mm lens, so I like using this lens for everything from landscapes to flowers. It’s a great focal length for close-up detail work as well.

SPEED; No complaints for f/4 as the maximum aperture. If it were any faster, you’d have a massive lens to transport!

FOCUSING: The 67 M*400/4 features internal focusing, as well as a focus -preset. The IF is a benefit, but the focus-preset is something I’ll never use. It’s used if you are shooting at two different distances and you want to be able to go back to the previous subject quickly, there is a focus-preset locking screw on the lens to do this.

REAR CONVERTERS: The 67 1.4x rear converter is recommended for the 67 M*400/4. This is the only 6x7 rear converter that the manual for the Pentax 67 M*400/800 lenses recommends that you use. Using the 67 1.4x rear converter does result in one stop of light loss and some reduction in optical performance. Results are satisfactory using the 67 1.4x rear converter with the 67 M*400/4.

FILTERS: The 67 M*400/4 uses 67mm screw in filters, or Pentax 6x7 67mm bayonet filters. There is a removable filter holder near the rear of the lens, that also locks into place, so if you turn the lens upside down the holder will not fall out. Pentax made an optional "CPL 67*" filter holder with an adjustable polarizer for this and the 67 M*800/6.7 lenses. Pentax also made an optional 112mm protective filter for the front of the lens. I have both and they are highly recommended

EXTENSION TUBES: Using any 6x7 extension tubes with the 67 M*400/4 lens will cause vignetting. Since the 67 M*400/4 has a minimum focusing distance of 2.8 meters, you don’t really need one.

CASE: The 67 M*400/4 comes with a dedicated metal trunk. The size/weight of the trunk are as follows:
Length - 17 inches or 43.18cm
Width - 7 3/4 inches or 19.69 cm
Height - 8 1/2 inches or 21.59cm
Weight - 6.4 pounds or 2.9kg

HOOD: The 67 M*400/4 has a built-in hood that rotates/extends and locks in place. The 67 M*400/4 came with a padded leather bag that fits over the front of the lens & hood, this bag has a draw-string to keep it nice and snug.

STRAP: The 67 M*400/4 has strap-rings on either side of the lens for an optional strap. This strap helps in lifting the heavy lens out or into a lens backpack or maneuvering it onto your tripod.

Summary:
The 67 M*400/4 is the best choice if you are looking for a telephoto lens for your Pentax 6x7 system, in the 300mm to 600mm range. It’s the only 6x7 lens in this focal range with all the “pro” lens features and only one that I would give a perfect 10 to.

Price: I bought my 67 M*400/4 from a fellow form member and it cost $1200.00USD. It was in EXC- condition and came with the original accessories.

Sample shots taken with the 67 M*400/4. Photos are medium resolution Lab scans from original slides or negatives.

Camera: 6x7 Film: Kodak T-Max 400 ISO: 400



Camera: 6x7 Film: Kodak T-Max 400 ISO: 400



Camera: 6x7 Film: Ilford Delta 400 ISO: 400



Camera: 67 Film: Fuji Provia 100F ISO: 100



Camera: 67II Film: Kodak Portra 400 ISO: 400



Camera: 67II Film: Kodak Portra 400 ISO: 400
With 1.4x Rear Converter
   
Moderator

Registered: July, 2011
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 1,729

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: July 31, 2020 Recommended | Price: $2,600.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Quality imaging
Cons: weight

There hasn't been a review of this lens for 5 years so I thought I should give a review using the current Pentax digital camera. I couldn't be more impressed with the 67 M* 400mm f4 ED(IF). I have used it on the 67II and had excellent results on film, however I thought the K1 and digital sensor might be a little too challenging for this old workhorse. Nope , everything I threw at it turned out fine, the only limitation was me. I tried shooting into the sun, macro, teleconverters. Not a single time was I able to notice any issues with the image quality. Mounted on the K1 with the original Pentax 67 K adapter, it was easy to go from landscape to portrait orientation with the turn of a small locking screw, it is best to rotate it so that the grip is at the bottom rather than the top otherwise it is a little hard to loosen/tighten the screw on the converter. The lens has a slot for a polariser in the body of the lens and a little wheel lets you turn the polariser without taking it out of the lens, very handy. Not quite as handy was the weight of the combo, basically it was always used on either a sturdy Manfrotto monopod or tripod. The lens has a tripod foot that balances nicely on the monopod and the K1 with battery grip was easy to work with. Compared to the 150-450 you miss out on autofocus, however the image quality is better than the modern zoom at the long end. Paired with the AF 1.7x converter, it makes a pretty good wildlife combo for chasing little critters. Sometimes the bokeh seemed a little busy, not objectionable , but sometimes a little noticeable, mostly with harsh light on foliage behind, normally it just went to buttery smoothness. I used the lens with the 67 extension tubes and the quality stood up very well. Just as a stupid test I even added the 2 grey 67 converters a 1.4x and 2x to give an effective 1120mm f11 lens and the focus confirmation was usable with the K1 and the resulting photo of the lamb below was the result, no fiddling needed in post processing just straight out of the camera. Very happy with the lens I chose and here are my favourite shots from using the lens every day for the Single in challenge.
port pano by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr

old ties mono by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr

lamb by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr

pot by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr

short bull by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr

if interested the Flickr album for the lens is
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmPamMTf
   
New Member

Registered: September, 2014
Location: Sydney
Posts: 4

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: August 27, 2015 Recommended | Price: $2,230.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Build quality is sensational as is sharpness and bokeh.
Cons: None
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: 645Z   

This lens, originally for the Pentax 67 was made when quality and craftsmanship was a major priority. I believe Pentax still have these traditions and values firmly entrenched in their design philosophies for their top end products and the 645Z is a great example.
Matching the 67 400mm to the camera with a genuine Pentax 67 to 645 adaptor is a seamless operation, I have a few of these as I really like the performance of the 67 lens, despite their age these days.
Using f4, 5.6, 8 and 11 this lens is of the highest standard when it comes to image quality. CA in not detectable, which is a remarkable thing given my lens was made in 1986.
The focusing ring is very smooth and the accuracy of the 645Z appears to be spot on however using the live view with magnification is always available for double checking.
So putting the sensational image quality aside what are the challenges of using this lens. The obvious thing is it's weight and that's considerable. If you're considering hiking with this lens you won't be taking too much else with you besides the camera body and perhaps the 1.4 teleconverter. Along with your tripod you would have made the decision that this is a 400mm telephoto hike. Because this lens is such a beautiful product though your mindset won't take much convincing and you'll plan accordingly.
Using a manual lens is a technique that many might turn their noses up at but the quality of this product makes this choice almost irresistible however and it will depend on what you're shooting. I wouldn't regard the lens as one you'd use for moving targets, it's camera/lens weight combination makes that a real challenge. Mounted on a very sturdy tripod with camera and lens support is the best approach. Handheld can be done or on a monopod but when you've got such a great capacity for crystal clear images I personally wouldn't do but I'm sure it's doable . I mount mine through a long Arca Swiss plate attached to the camera and the lens. I had to make a spacer to make this possible but connecting the assembly to the Clamp then makes it easy. The balance can then be adjusted by moving the unit forward or aft in the clamp. I have my clamp mounted on a sturdy Benro Gimbal Head on a Large Benro Carbon Fibre tripod. This system makes it easy to manoeuvre once you've settled on your composition.
I've read in previous reviews that mounting is a challenge but I think with the introduction of the 645Z and it's high iso capacity shooting at 800 and above from f11 to wide open at f4 is yielding excellent results.
A truly remarkable piece of engineering from a by gone era that's now reinvigorated on a 645Z. I'm very happy with my choice and that I was fortunate enough to find a near mint lens on eBay.
Adding to this review I'd like to mention the 67 1.4 converter that I have. As this is a Pentax product made specifically for the 67 range of lens and even more so for their telephoto lense. You won't be making a mistake by picking one of these up. They match the lens perfectly and the effect on image quality is almost undetectable ie sharpness and CA.
If I had to rate the quality of manufacture, image sharpness, CA, bokeh I'd give this lens a 10. However in the real world of use there are some compromises because of weight but when you consider what you're dealing with it can be considered a negative. Accordingly I've assigned a handling value of 8 and an overall of 9. It just depends on your priorities and value for money to my mind is 10.
   
Senior Member

Registered: July, 2008
Location: montreal
Posts: 136

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: August 12, 2009 Recommended | Price: $1,250.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharpness,color rendition,heavy
Cons: heavy

This is an update of my previous review because now it's been around 8 months that i'm using that lens on my K20D.I will add some comments but what i said in my previous review is still true.

I said "Heavy" in both the Pros and Cons because it's an heavy lens to lug around in the forest but it's weight is beneficial when using it with an appropriate tripod to reduce vibration. I use it now with a Gitzo GT 2330 and with my old Manfrotto 469RC Proball head.
It is now my favorite lens for shooting frog in water or water's edge with Ext. tubes.

I did try to handhold it but due to it's weight it's hard to do it for a long time to get sharp images ...even with the SR of the K20D.

That lens is fully capable of holding on for sharpness with the 14.6 MP of the K20D,very sharp...i even tried it down to f/16 for bird shots and it came out very good!

I had sensor flare on a couple of occasion now but it's not that frequent so i can live with it.

Still a great lens to own for the price
   
Junior Member

Registered: May, 2009
Location: S. Ontario
Posts: 30

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: May 29, 2009 Recommended | Price: $2,400.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Stunning at f/5.6 & 8. Sharp to the edge.
Cons: It's big and heavy - but handles and balances well.

Some landscape work - but my tripod is not up to the task - but still produces excellent results with faster shutter speeds and MLU.

Mostly used for astro photography of the Milky Way and nebulae. This will test any lens and show any weakness, especially wide open. This lens has a very flat field - no visible distortions - with some vignette at f/4 being normal. Stars are tack sharp even at f/4. F/5.6 - sharp to the edge.

Focus at infinity is adjustable - and rightly so - due to atmospheric distortion lower on the horizon. Easier to achieve very good focus using a 2x magnifier on a bright star. Do I love this lens - YES. A keeper.

I use a Lowe pack which carries the 400 - 90 - 200 one P67 - tripod - stuff. I can hike all day - taking my time - but typically use a bicycle on country roads. Where there's a will - there's a way - even at 61 years young.
   
Senior Member

Registered: July, 2008
Location: montreal
Posts: 136

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: December 26, 2008 Recommended | Price: $1,255.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Very sharp,good tripod collar.
Cons: Heavy compared if compared to a 35mm format lens

I bought that lensabout a month ago,i was looking for a lens longer than 300mm and found that lens used.All i have to say is that's a great lens.It is sharp at f/4.0 and very sharp at f/5.6.In some extreme contrast scene,like a dard bird on snow,the OOF contour of the bird show some green CA at f/4,but that's an extreme situation.Never happened in other situation and at f/5.6 either.The tripod collar is very sturdy ,which was something i was missing on my FA*300mm/4.5.
Thank you to the focusing ring that do a complete 360° from Minimum focus distance to infinity,so you can achieve very precise focus,it's a charm compared to AF lenses.It's certainly an heavier lens than if i would have bought a 400mm/4 made for 35mm SLR,but it's worth it.I use it on my Manfrotto 055 tripod (old aluminium version) and Manfrotto 469RC Proball head,steady enough for sharp photos.I tried it with my Pentax TC 1.4 X-S and Tamron TC AF 1.4X converters and both renders sharp photos but the images are sharper when stopped down to f/5.6.

Combineed with my K20D it balances well on the tripod collar , so it's why the combination is easy to use on my tripod.

Will update the review when i will have more experience with it.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: February, 2008
Location: MT
Posts: 1,349

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: March 6, 2008 Recommended | Price: $2,800.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: sharp, contrasty, rugged,
Cons:

Bought a used copy and have been very happy ever since. Purchased this lens for "critter work" and have found it to be an awesome landscape lens as well. Per the Luminous Landscape review, I also like the results with the matched 1.4X converter. Due to mirror slap from the oversized mirror in the 67II, you really need to work carefully with this lens. Of course for animal work, you just have to trip the shutter at fairly high shutter speeds.
For landscape stuff, I use a Bogen (now Manfrotto) long lens support which supports the camera, connecting it to the tripod. So the lens is supported at the tripod collar and the body is also supported. Then I use mirror lock-up and a remote trigger--sometimes with timed release so even the vibrations of a mechanical remote release don't vibe the shot. With the extra effort, this lens produces very impressive results. Without the extra effort, you'll see soft results.
Got lucky and found the last N. American copy (so I was told) of the drop in circular polarizer. This is a drop-in filter drawer with an external wheel to spin the polarizer while it's inside the lens (I also got the second to last one for the FA* 35mm superteles). Invaluable for landscape work. I previously had troubles with focusing while using a 112mm Kaesemann Circular Polarizer on the front element plus multiple Cokin X system grads. out front. Apparently the optical formula is touchy to adding too much out front? I added the Pentax Protective Front Filter (slight skylight color) as well. This filter is standard on my 35mm superteles, but the Protective Front, plus Kaesemann, plus neutral density grad, plus internal drop-in 67mm cloudy just was too much for this lens. I consider the issue "driver error" not a lens flaw.
That means my 112 Kaesemann Polarizer is now available for someone--hint, hint.
You really must visit the Luminous Landscape site to read the extensive praise for this lens. I second their review!
   
Junior Member

Registered: February, 2007
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Posts: 25

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: February 20, 2007 Recommended | Price: $2,000.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: range, image quality, build
Cons: weight, cost

I bought this lens used on ebay and it had already had a long life as a rental lens in San Diego (fashion shoots on the beach). I had read a great review on the luminous landscape website and saw this as a chance to get a lens that costs around 5000 dollars new at a good price.

The lens is excellent. I think it is one of Pentax's best. Fantastic colours and sharpness. It is however a heavy lens after hiking with camera gear to get to the snow monkey hot spring pools I felt pretty exhausted. You also are going to need a very sturdy tripod. I used a gitzo 1348 with a arca swiss ball head but this was on the limit.

http://www.travel67.com/features/snow_monkey_magic/5/

There are very few medium format telephoto lenses out there and this is quite simply one of the best. Hopefully the Pentax 645 digital will allow me to use this lens even more for wildlife photography.

Chris

www.travel67.com
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