Pentax-DA* 200mm F2.8 Review

Conclusion

Although the price is a tad on the high side, the DA* 200mm f/2.8 offers an excellent optical performance and it's well-crafted, with a lot of attention to detail and robustness along with unique features such as weather sealing. As we can observe in our test, its sharpness is top-notch. On minor optical issues such as vignetting and distortion, the performance of this lens is practically perfect. Its durable and compact construction is a value-added feature that greatly adds versatility and usability to this telephoto prime.

As good as the optical performance may be, the DA* 200mm f/2.8 is not without flaws. The most notable issue is the lag in the SDM autofocus mechanism. While not a deal-breaker, it does require some more skill from the user to take the most advantage of this lens. The performance in chromatic aberration and flare resistance are also a bit below our expectations. 

Pros

• Relatively light and compact (for a lens of this aperture and focal length)
• Excellent buld quality
• Very good sharpness across a large range of apertures
• Dust/Weather sealing
• Internal focusing for added robustness
• Pleasant bokeh rendition
• Good handling, location and size of controls are appropriate
• Practically non-existent vignetting
• Does not exhibit perceptible distortion
• User friendly integration of manual and autofocus via Quick-Shift mechanism
• Compatible with older non-SDM bodies and unofficially full-frame compatible

Cons

• SDM latency issue, overall slowness in autofocus speed
• Flare and chromatic aberration performance could be better
• Price is rather high, as compared to some large aperture telephoto zoom lenses
• Some user might find a tripod collar to be useful for this lens, which is not included
• A bit too heavy for single-handed use

Who is it for?

We find the DA*200mm f/2.8 to be a well built large aperture telephoto prime with an formidable optical performance. Making best use of its superb build quality and unique dust/weather sealing, this lens can be comfortably used for a variety of outdoor shooting applications, including wildlife, nature, adventure, and all sorts of outdoor sports. It's beautiful rendition of bokeh and sharpness makes this lens very suitable for portraits, as well as for other types of people photography such as street and candids. In regards to indoor and travel photography needs, the light and compact nature of the DA*200mm f2.8 can also be of advantage.

To be able to make the most of this lens, like any other telephoto lens, some level of skill is required. Although the DA*200mm f/2.8 is very user friendly, compact, and highly usable, we find it necessary to warn the reader it's not for everybody. Apart from the obvious price considerations, shooting  handheld with a 300mm of full-frame equivalent focal length requires technique from the user in order to get the most blur free images. Features such as a good high-ISO performance and SR (Shake Reduction) of Pentax bodies surely help a lot, but we find the lack of tripod collar to be disappointing for some users on certain shooting situations. This lens, just like any other lens of similar focal length, is certainly not geared toward photography beginners. 

Bottom Line

If we had to recommend a large aperture telephoto prime, we would not hesitate to suggest the DA*200mm f/2.8. Although it does have a number of flaws, we consider them to be overshadowed by the strengths of this lens, which are its optical performance and quality construction. Apart from the SDM failure probability and SDM latency, we believe that all other issues are relatively minor and that they should not detract a potential buyer from considering this excellent lens. 

The DA*200mm f/2.8 is a lens designed for enthusiast and professional level users. This is not only reflected in the price and optical quality, but also on the crafting. The construction of this lens is made to be robust and long lasting, as well as elegant. We have no complaints regarding the build tolerances and attention to detail. Value added features such as the SP (Super Protect) coating and dust/weather resistance are welcomed additions, which increase the value and durability of this lens. Since outdoor, nature, and wildlife photography are a significant portion of the telephoto lens market, we are certain that the DA*200mm f/2.8 is a well suited candidate for these tasks.

At the end of the day, the DA* 200mm didn't blow us away quite as much as the DA* 300mm F4 did.  It's a solid lens with impressive sharpness, but if you want exceptional all-around image quality and won't mind a slightly longer reach and slower aperture, you may be interested in considering the 300mm lens.

Rating

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