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SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF] Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF]

Sharpness 
 9.7
Aberrations 
 9.3
Bokeh 
 9.5
Autofocus 
 9.3
Handling 
 8.5
Value 
 9.5
Reviews Views Date of last review
21 134,609 Sun March 8, 2020
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
90% of reviewers $1,320.63 9.57
SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF]

SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF]
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SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF]
supersize
SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF]
supersize

Description:
The pro-grade SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF] is fast for this zoom range. It is quite heavy because of the fast F2.8 maximum aperture and because it employs an all-metal barrel. It includes the Power Zoom feature, which can be taken advantage of on high end Pentax DSLRs as well as select film bodies. This lens also features a tripod collar.

You switch between autofocus and manual focus by pushing the focusing forwards (autofocus) or pulling it towards the camera (manual focus). The camera body should be set to autofocus.

SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 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
16 elements, 13 groups
Mount Variant
KAF2
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F2.8
Min. Aperture
F32
Focusing
AF (screwdrive)
Quick-shift
No
Min. Focus
140 cm
Max. Magnification
0.19x
Filter Size
77 mm
Internal Focus
Yes
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 20-8.2 ° / 17-6.9 °
Full frame: 30-12 ° / 25-10.3 °
Hood
PH-RBC77
Case
S120-230
Lens Cap
Plastic clip-on
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Internal Zoom,Power Zoom,Push-pull AF/MF Focusing Ring,Tripod Mount
Diam x Length
88 x 195 mm (3.5 x 7.7 in.)
Weight
1510 g (53.3 oz.)
Production Years
1994 to 2004
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX-FA* 1:2.8 80-200mm ED[IF]
Product Code
27590
Reviews
User reviews
In-depth review
Notes
Four ED elements.
Features:
Screwdrive AutofocusInternal FocusingInternal ZoomingPowered ZoomingAperture RingAutomatic ApertureFull-Frame SupportDiscontinued
In-Depth Review: Read our SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF] in-depth review!
Sample Photos: View Sample Photos
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF]
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Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-15 of 21
Loyal Site Supporter

Registered: March, 2008
Location: Working From Home
Posts: 26,276
Review Date: March 8, 2020 Recommended | Price: $790.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, colors, AF speed,
Cons: Heavy
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: Pentax K-1   

Quick entry with more to follow when I have more experience with the lens. Quick test images attached, light processing, just to show sharpness at 200mm

K-1 FA*80-200/2.8 @150' 1/2500 sec. f/5 200mm ISO 3200


Actual Pixels crop

   
Loyal Site Supporter

Registered: October, 2018
Location: Quebec City, Quebec
Posts: 6,493

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: May 24, 2019 Recommended | Price: $1,150.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Extremely sharp and contrasty at all apertures between f/4 and f/16
Cons: Heavy, particularly with the K1.
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: Pentax K1   


Death Valley Sand Dunes, California


Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona


Ile-aux-Coudres, Quebec

Quebec City seen from Isle d'Orleans

Sainte Petronille, Isle d'Orleans

   
Senior Member

Registered: June, 2016
Location: Paris
Posts: 124

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: June 23, 2016 Recommended | Price: $1,200.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: everything
Cons: none
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-1   

A superb piece of Pentax engineering and optics.

I still find it fun to use to powerzoom from time to time on K-1.

If it fails me one day, i'll try repairing or look for the same one, as i don't see the point of replacing this lens with the new HD WR 70-200mm.

AF is blazing fast and accurate. AF tracking works like a charm. Pure unfailing screwdrive
The front element is top notch glass, no filter needed.
The hood is compact and solid.
The tripod collar is small and convenient.
The built quality is awesome.
The size and ergonomy are so so so perfect.
Bokeh magnificent in almost every circumstance.
Microcontrast is bluffing.
The IQ is amazing at any range on a 36MP camera.

One photographer can not expect a better zoom lens for this range and aperture.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: August, 2010
Location: zurich
Posts: 409

4 users found this helpful
Review Date: June 24, 2015 Recommended | Price: $1,100.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp (prime like), 2.8, nice colors, Power Zoom
Cons: Heavy, CA in Backlite situations, Silver finish
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-7, K-5, K-3   

Lovely lens! Heavy, silver, 2.8 and sharp.
And now that the Pentax D-FA* 70-200mm is delayed it was an even better decision. Half the price and available on Ebay...:-)
Its front heavy and the tripod foot is a bit too short for my taste...
AF is quick on the K-3 (even BIF works great), much more than on the other two bodies...
I do like the Power Zoom it's a shame that they have not followed this route.. they have used the power zoom contacts for the SDM and DC AF....

I have started to carry this lens together with the DA 12-24, FA* 28-70, DA100 Macro WR in my backpack every day... its a heavy kit but worth the schlepping... (Bike, Walk and Train)
This is my high IQ Zoom Kit... was hard to carry in the beginning but its a good training...:-) and I don't feel the weight anymore. And I can spot something during the train ride and go there by bike and capture almost everything.. It even allows me to take Wildlife, like the birds below. It's harder than with the DA* 300 or Fa* 400 as you need to get fairly close...:-) but you have a F2.8 gain for speed... the best camera is the one you have with you :-)







Crop 100%


   
Senior Member

Registered: May, 2012
Location: Washington, USA
Posts: 160

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: October 13, 2014 Recommended | Price: $1,250.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: fast, image quality, bokeh, build
Cons: AF accuracy, heavy
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 7    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: k-5   

I purchased this lens cause I wanted to have the range and speed that this category of lens gave me. I was hoping to explore portraiture photography with a fast telephoto. Here is what I got.

Feel:
This thing is heavy. But honestly that doesn't bother me. If you are purchasing a lens like this, I'm sure you know enough about photography to understand that good glass costs something... price and weight. And considering that it was made in the 90's, it feels and works great! Manual focus is smooth and autofocus works fairly quickly. Zoom feel isn't as nice as I hoped, but it's nothing to complain about.

Images:
Images from this lens can be astounding! Sharpness and bokeh truly work together for spectacular pictures. This lens can do some great things when the focus is spot on. At times there are some chromatic aberrations but the bokeh and sharpness overshadow that. I feel it struggles a little in low light though.

My biggest complaint:
On the k-5, this lens has trouble with focus accuracy. I have the in camera focus adjustment set to +7. This aids in it's accuracy but it still doesn't catch accurate focus all the time. This can be frustrating because as I stated in the "Image" section above, the images this lens creates when focus is spot on are amazing.

Final word... A heavy lens with speed that creates awesome bokeh and sharpness are what you get. Just make sure the frame is in focus.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: June, 2013
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 1,954
Review Date: June 21, 2014 Recommended | Price: $1,450.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, fast AF, colours, bokeh
Cons: unsure haven't met any yet
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 9    Camera Used: K5   

When setting out to collect/ use legacy glass I decided to stick to primes. Over time I realised that sometimes it would be nice to have an AF zoom on the camera for action. What to do since I was used to the qualities of top primes?

After much research I distilled my interest to the 80-200mm range. I decided that this was the 'working' focal range where a zoom was called for as shorter focal lengths were not useful for subjects in action scenes with longer focal lengths also best covered by primes.

Three notable brands compete in this space. In this respect I selected the Pentax over the other as IQ was the highest priority (Pentax weighs the most and has noisy(ier) AF - these being purported downsides). I was not disappointed.

Sharpness is fantastic across the focal range. I know this as I have compared results with various primes (including Pentax F 135mm) with almost indistinguishable results).

Colours are warmer than expected. Greens and yellows are prominent but not overly so. Good saturation and vibrance without PP.

Bokeh is excellent. I love how it enhances subject isolation giving a 3D effect.

Aberrations are there but very minor and controllable.

Handling requires perseverance. It is a heavy lens but that is the price you pay for lots of glass.

AF is fast and is a little noisy. I do, however, find that the AF is not always spot on. Care is required to make sure you are shooting accurately.

The lens gets a 10 as it performs, to me, like a stack of primes.

   
Site Supporter

Registered: November, 2006
Location: Norway
Posts: 702
Review Date: April 17, 2013 Recommended | Price: $1,100.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp and fast AF
Cons: Heavy
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Autofocus: 9    Handling: 8    Value: 8    Camera Used: K-5   

This lens is optically excellent, especially at 200mm. It is sharp wide open and have a nice bokeh. Autofocus is fast. I wasn’t too happy with the AF performance on K-5, but on K-5 IIs, focus is spot on every time. The hood is to short and the lens is heavy and this is the only negative with this lens.
   
New Member

Registered: September, 2012
Location: NYC
Posts: 2
Review Date: September 21, 2012 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Amazing IQ and handling
Cons: Lack of modern WR
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: K5   

This lens is truly great, just like everyone said. I spontaneously pulled the trigger when I saw this lens on ebay for $1400, and have no regrets. I love IQ from this lens and the size has not been an issue so far. Unfortunately this does not have WR (like the DA* lenses), which makes me nervous about bringing with me when I go skiing. However, that is a small price to pay for amazing pics and owning a piece of Pentax history.
   
New Member

Registered: September, 2012
Posts: 1
Review Date: September 4, 2012 Recommended | Price: $1,200.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Fast AF, sharp, excellent bokeh, color, internal focusing
Cons: overall poor design, hood, serviceability of this old model
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: K5   

Amazing transparency and speed of AF. Everybody loves the output of this lens. The weight is not a problem when we think of the incredible quality of image. Compring other zoom lenses, we can't complain about the weight. This is even lighter than 70-200 of Nikon/Canon and cheaper while the image quality is same or above.

Recommed to use other hood to this model as hood design is very poor. I don't use power zoom because its not faster than I need. Anyway this is the best lens I've ever seen in Pentax world.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: May, 2010
Location: Hong Kong / Irvine, CA
Posts: 636
Review Date: July 21, 2011 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: sharp, sharp, sharp, amazing bokeh
Cons: very good work out :D, stupid hood
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Autofocus: 10    Handling: 7    Value: 10   

Legendary lens.
very sharp lens and i would sell my wife to buy the lens. lol
The bokeh is amazing, nothing like the FA50/1.4 can give me.
   
Forum Member

Registered: February, 2008
Location: WA
Posts: 65
Review Date: December 15, 2010 Recommended | Price: $1,300.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros:
Cons: Noise of power zoom during video recording

after
   
New Member

Registered: May, 2010
Posts: 5
Review Date: November 28, 2010 Recommended | Price: $1,550.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Everything but Price
Cons: Price

If I were reduced to one lens, this would be my baby. This is an absolutely amazing lens. The colors are fantastic and the sharpness is banging! The only negative aspect of the lens is the weight. Please keep in mind however, that a lens in this focal length with f/2.8 comes with weight. It's simply part of what must be expected.


Sharpness: 10
Color rendtion: 10
Build quality: 10
   
Site Supporter

Registered: February, 2010
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 1,902
Review Date: August 15, 2010 Recommended | Price: $1,050.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Great focal range @ 2.8 on APS-C, nice bokeh, sharp
Cons: Heavy. Did I say heavy? After shooting with DA* glass, you just wont believe how heavy.

This glass really is an engineering marvel. From the results, you may think you're shooting with a prime.

Sharpness edge to edge is amazing. Out of focus blur is nice. The AF speed is super zippy. Color rendition is stunning.

At 2.8 you hay have some PF/GF, but what glass doesn't.

The only downside to this lens is that when you pick it up after holding any of the DA* glass, you'll be daunted by it's weight. I guess if you want 2.8 glass @ 200mm, you best be willing to suffer a little for your art.

My copy has a broken power zoom, but I cant think of a reason I would need it with this lens. It's just going to eat power you'll want for pictures.

All in all? Buy a copy if you can find one and afford it.
   
Inactive Account

Registered: November, 2008
Location: Stavanger, Norway
Posts: 150
Review Date: June 8, 2010 Recommended | Price: $1,200.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Excellent quality, awesome bokeh,
Cons: Heavy

This is an absolutely amazing lens. Going from my earlier lens, the 16-50/2.8, this was another world. The colors are amazing and the sharpness is off the hook! The only negative aspect of the lens is the weight. But really, Nikon and Canon users usually tell me they envy the compact and light-weight design compared to their own equivalents. A lens in this focal length with f/2.8 just has to be this big and heavy to get quality like this. It's also much less pricey than canon and nikon.


Sharpness: 10
Bokeh: 10
Colur rendtion: 10
Build quality: 10
   
Senior Member

Registered: November, 2006
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 115

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 12, 2009 Recommended | Price: $1,650.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Rendering, Color, Bokeh, Range
Cons: Weight

GREAT lens.

I love the color and rendering of F*/FA* 300, and this lens has an almost identical rendering characteristics. It's sharp through out it's range even wide open (you may have to adjust the focus on your K20 using the micro-AF adjustment). The constant F/2.8 makes it a great portrait lens as well.

I also like the 80-200mm range which makes a perfect companion to the *300.

It's fairly compact compared to the other brands' 70-200/2.8 lenses.

For my use, the only negative is the weight. I almost never use a tripod during the day (can you say SR), but the weight of this lens requires some sort of support if you plan to take it out for a long shoot.

Update:
Well, I sold this lens due to the weight. But, I kept going back to the images I had made with it and decided to get another one. And, I was lucky enough to find another good sample. Life is good again
Add Review of SMC Pentax-FA* 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF]



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