Pentax SMC P-DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED users?

Hello All

The Pentax SMC P-DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED has been available here in North America for a couple of months now but I have yet to find an on-line review for it. I am very interested in this lens for my *ist-Ds to supplement the 18-55mm kit lens and a Pentax FA 50mm f/1.7 and would like to hear some opinions from users (or anyone else with an informed opinion for that matter)

BTW, it is selling here in Canada for approx. CAD $349

Thanks

Drew

Excellent lens, perfect match for istD.

Thanks Rienhuizer, I hope that means you have tried one out and liked it. I was hoping for more 50-200mm users to reply but possibly it hasn't been released in the UK or Europe yet.

I just returned from a 4 day trip to the wilderness and thought about this lens the whole time I was there. My 18-55mm kit lens was very adequate for close-ups and wide-angle landscapes, and my f/1.7 50mm AF was excellent in the dark forest, but I really "longed" for a longer lens. The 50-200mm is not an overly expensive lens but Pentax has produced a few less than stellar lenses in the past and I would really like to find some reviews on this one before I put down my hard earned cash.

Thanks again for the reply.

From what I have heard, it is OK, but not as good as the 16-45 which most owners rave about.

By "OK", I don't mean to damn it with faint praise. If you're after a zoom in that range I'm sure you'll be happy. If it suffers by comparison with the 16-45, that is only because the latter is extremely good, and seems to exceed most people's expectations. The 50-200 will stand comparison better with your 18-55.

I hasten to say that I haven't personally tried either, but I do spend an inordinate amount of time reading about these things!

G
(Waiting to see the 12-24 before deciding on whether to buy a 12-24, a 14, or the 16-45 to plug the wide-angle gap.)

Hi Drew,

Like you I have tried to find a review of this lens but could not so I bought one anyway.

The results so far have impressed me greatly. It gives bright, very sharp pictures with loads of contrast over the full 50 to 200 range and is great to use on the Ds. I have done a couple of simple tests and it does suffer in that the light falls off slightly towards the corners across the whole zoom range but this it not noticeable on normal shots. I have only checked this at fully open aperture. Also, there is very slight pin cushion distortion but you will not notice it unless you look for it.

My verdict: A great lens for the price without a wobbly front element!

Dave.

As of yesterday B & H in the USA has the lens now.

Thank you for you replies. George, I value your learned lens opinions but your recomendations exceed my modest budget. Not sure why you are telling me about wide angle lenses though. I will however continue to buy lottery tickets . Your comparison of the 50-200mm with the 18-55mm is good and makes me feel confident it is a good choice for me in an affordable Pentax lens.

Dave's input and tests are valuable and appreciated. If I don't find a technical review soon I will probably do what Dave has done and just buy one because like Reinhauser says "perfect match for istD" - or so it seems.

Thanks all

Drew

PS: joelw135, amazing B&H took so long to get it. I have seen it here in Canada at London Drugs for 2 months now.

Check here for sample pics:
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/pentax

Just remember a 4x zoom is really pushing it. I use the 16-45, and I have a 45-125. Those are superb lenses, and distortion is very well controlled. I don't know if I'd risk using a zoom with such a large ratio, a zoom and a couple of primes might be a better way to go.

Thanks for the advice but… too late, I already bought it despite still not having found any technical reviews online. I bought it on the condition I could return it if I was not satisfied. Turns out - I am satisfied and I am keeping it. I have no argument that there are indeed better lenses for sale but as stated I was looking for a telephoto zoom to supplement my 18-55mm DA. (not replace it)

The 50-200mm lens is a perfect fit for me and is almost as small and light as the 18-55mm DA. The pair gives me a 28-300 mm equivalent range and it even shares the same 52mm filter size. Yes, I already own a few analogue prime lenses that are very sharp but I have grown weary of hauling them all around for maybe 10% use. These two DA lenses and my featherweight *ist DS have totally changed how much equipment my wife has to lug for me when we are hiking, and… I am getting a bigger percentage of keeper photos in the process.

My mini review: The 50-200mm DA feels very good in the hand due to the oversized rubber zoom grip. It is also feels very well balanced on the camera. I have found no vignetting as mentioned by Guest Dave but I do agree with his finding of very minor distortion. I have noticed very slight edge softness at both ends of the zoom range but I have seen absolutely no chromatic aberration or purple fringing. The auto-focus is quick and accurate but slightly easier confused in poor lighting conditions than the 18-55mm. A very minor nit-pick is the lens cap is almost impossible to remove with the (included) cylindrical lens hood attached but I solved that problem by replacing the cap with a center pinch release cap.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this lens to anyone with limited funds but who still wants reasonable quality and value. In my opinion I would rate it’s overall quality as a 7.5 out of 10. Price paid $315 CDN

Regards

Drew Peabody

I ordered one also. I took a few shots in the shop, that had one as a bundle - and wouldn't split, so I asked to take some shots and after about 20 minutes of handling I knew it would be an excellent compliment to the DA 40mm I already have.

I still would like to get a wide angle 28mm, 24mm, 20mm - around there - sometime when I can afford it.

Well I decided to get rid of mine. I have never had dust inside a lens, that I ever noticed(!) so easily. I add I have cleaned many front-elements in my camera life, mostly Canon, one Fuji and so forth and never have I seen dust.

Having said this, I am happy with the pictures, but have decided to buy 2 prime lenses instead. One is a 100mm F4 Macro. The other a 200mm M lens.

I am a bit worried about the quality of construction or rather the subjective feel of the focus ring, and whether or not dust will become a problem with it, but maybe I am being finicky. Other than that it handles very nice, and of course having several focal lengths in one lense is a boon.

It'd be worth trying the same shot but stopped down to F8 or F11. My own experience with similar lenses is that they tend to be quite soft wide open, but improve a lot when used a stop or two down. With digital you've got more flexibility to use the smaller apertures handheld as you can always up the ISO if necessary. The SMC-FA 28-200 I've got is very soft wide open at the long end, but significantly better a stop or two down.