pentax fa 400 mm f5.6 EDIF

I am interested in buying the fa 400mm 5.6,but i want to know if it is a sharp lens at all f-stop.Anyone have this lens,is it good?

Thank you
Steeve

I have never used any of these really long Pentax lenses, but at that sort of price and with plenty of experience of superb Pentax optics, I think it will be safe to assume it is an outstanding lens.

Typically, lenses of this sort will be very even in performance throughout the range.

Hi Steve,
There are some useful comments on Stan's site here http://stans-photography.info/ A small extract from the comments there say "On the optical side . . . IMO, the FA*400 is good enough for shooting animals at wide open, but (still only my experience) that resolution improves at f/8 and f/9.5."

Kim

with photodo this lens http://www.photodo.com/nav/prodindex.html

comes out as grade 3, the 300 4.5 ED has a grade 4. i use this lens for theater work and it is very nice. i do not know the difference in price....
but with an 1.4x extender you would have the same as the 400 5.6, but with better glass...

Thank you for the information of the site on lens test.I think i will buy the 300mm 4.5 after all!!

thank you

Steeve

If you can, get the F* 300mm, not the FA*. They are optically the same, but the former is preferred because of the detachable tripod mount and excellent built-in lens hood.

The F* 300mm is eminently hand-holdable too, and tracks flying birds reasonably well.

It's one of the greatest Pentax lenses.

G