Congratulation with the K 200mm, John! Quite a bargain! Is it better than the M - or just harder to find? Thanks for posting your results. They make me happy :-)).
I always wanted a 200mm, when I shot film (Got a 135mm and a 300mm - (K and M*). I'd like to have the FA 2.8/200mm, which is excellent. But this baby has a list price of 3200 USD here in Denmark, really!! And can be purchased for 1.359 Euro in Germany (which is about half, but still a lot of money)! I guess I'll nevfer get the FA 2.8 :-) But my K 2.8/105mm gives me "2.8/158mm" on the *ist D - Brilliant lens! I'll never part with that one. Razor sharp at f2.8! It's true, that the F70-210mm is a litle too slow - especially for film, that doesn't give me the option of changing ISO on the fly. I've ruined some sports photographs because of that :-/ Jens Bladt mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: John Whittingham [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 6. marts 2005 20:57 Til: [email protected] Emne: Re: M 4/200mm vs F 4-5.6/70-210mm at 200mm > I took a few test shots today. > To see how the SMC-M 4/200mm is doing. > Not so bad - compared to the SMC F 4-5.6/70-210mm. > I think the prime is the sharper lens of the two. I came to the same conclusion some time back with several lenses tested. Using a tripod, refconverter A @ 2x, manual focus, cable release, no filters fitted and using the respective lens hoods all @ f/8 listed in order of best performance: 1. SMC Pentax-M f/4 200mm (highest image quality, good contrast) 2. SMC Pentax-FA 80-320 @ 200mm (slightly warm, v.good contrast) 3. SMC Pentax-A f/4 70-210 (better contrast than 200 f/4 M) 4. SMC Pentax-A f/4 200mm (worst performance overall, sold it!) I sold my F 70-210 before the test after aquiring the FA 80-320, the aperture of f/5.6 I deemed to slow for a 70-210mm lens. I've since enabled myself with a K 200 f/4 in mint condition (�30) can't wait to try it :) John ---------- Original Message ----------- From: "Jens Bladt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 17:09:44 +0100 Subject: M 4/200mm vs F 4-5.6/70-210mm at 200mm > I took a few test shots today. > To see how the SMC-M 4/200mm is doing. > Not so bad - compared to the SMC F 4-5.6/70-210mm. > I think the prime is the sharper lens of the two. > > Both photographs shot at f 5.6 and app. 1/2000 sec. handheld. > No editing except autolevels and very little cropping (almost the > full frames). > > See for yourself: http://gallery37564.fotopic.net/p12447314.html > Jens Bladt > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt ------- End of Original Message -------
