pentax A 70-210 f4 macro

want some old qualty glass i here this lens is ok ?is it worth the punt?
advice please

I think this is the one I've heard rave reviews of - just make sure it's the SMC version. The only snag will be that, as with all manual zooms, you'll have to set the shake reduction on the camera and then decide what to do when you change the focal length.

pentax-A 70-210 f4 there is only one version... and it ROCKS !!!
buy it blinded

The majority of my macro shots are taken with this lens with a Raynox DCT 250 attached. It is also a great lens for general use- mine cost £24.99 off ebay- mint condition with both caps- best buy ! Cheers, Gary

I think there's one on there as we speak for £30, at that price you'd be daft not to buy it!

I would, but I already have the Pentax-A 200mm f4 and Pentax-M 80-200mm, so I have my manual zoom and A series 200mm needs covered. The early version of the M 80-200mm is a rebadged K series lens and very sweet to use.

I've had the M 80-200mm (v1)since new and the only lens I've found better at the 200mm end (max f/3.5 aperture)was another M 80-200mm It's a lot easier to use than the A 70-210mm which equals it performance wise. The big advantage of the A lens is having the aperture in the viewfinder.

Matt, how do the Pentax-A 200mm f4 and Pentax-M 80-200mm compare at f/5.6 and f/8. I sold my Pentax-M 200mm f4 because it was identical to the Pentax-M 80-200mm in performance.

I haven't really tried them head to head - I use the M 80-200mm on film and the A 200mm on digital, as the A setting makes it a lot more compatible with a DSLR. I'll give it a go in a controlled environment (tripod, same subject at same distance) and post a couple of sample photos.

The M 80-200mm really was an impulse buy after seeing it for £20. It arrived with an original front cap and a few paint scuffs but mint optics and no dings on the retractable lens hood. It's obviously been used by someone who cared for their gear.

A quick and dirty test is the lettering on a burglar alarm about 25-35 metres away. Better on a tripod, but as long as both are the same it gives a good guide.

I`ve been watching the 300 F4 - still seems to be a steal even at £82 - I`m watching to see what mine is worth !

Tony

What 300mm f/4? Obviously not Pentax

I used my kitchen cupboards - the wood grain is quite good for checking sharpness. First, the 80-200mm at 200mm. I've posted links to avoid resizing the images:

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x21/Kingofthemountains/IMGP2811-2.jpg

Second, the 200mm. Both shots taken at f8 with the same camera settings then uploaded:

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x21/Kingofthemountains/IMGP2813-2.jpg

Interestingly when I tried shooting with the 200mm in A mode (using Av and setting it to f the resulting image was darker than that produced by the same lens in M mode, set to f8 and using stop-down metering. Given that I had to use the latter with the 80-200mm anyway I decided to use it for both in the interests of fairness, although when I put the lens back into A mode the camera claimed that it was overexposing by 2ev.

I don't think there's much in it TBH. The A series is obviously easier to use, it's also a bit shorter and lighter than the zoom. They're pretty close in terms of image quality however, and if you use an LX, KX or MX you get the aperture in the viewfinder anyway!

Thanks Matt, Interesting. The 200mm A is the sharper there, but you wouldn't normally use it so close, so it's still worth doing another test at about 25m. Lenses sometimes give different results close up. Now that I think about it I think the 70-210mm zoom was like that, but at 25m the A and M were almost identical. The A was slightly better wide open.

: What 300mm f/4? Obviously not Pentax

Sorry Algi - you knockin` my glass ?

Tony