Peter is right, the "Pentax-F 70-200/4-5.6" has been called a "ringer" for the "SMC Pentax-F 70-210/4-5.6 ED". Watch for the "SMC" in the name, it will be absent from the cheaper, non-SMC Pentax-F and Takumar-F lenses. My experience thus far with the Pentax-F and Takumar-F lenses has been very disapointing. Contrast has been well below their SMC counterparts, flare resistance has been much lower. Confusing enough? BTW: The 70-210s always seem to get better reviews than any of the 70-200s. The SMCP-F 70-210/4-5.6 ED is indeed a fine lens, though a bit pricey.
Don > -----Original Message----- > From: P. J. Alling [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2005 3:02 PM > To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net > Subject: Re: Difference between F and FA lens? > > > That's the SMC F 70-210. Which I mentioned in my post. There was no > 70-200 version of this lens, (nor is there one mentioned on Boz's site), > if I remember correctly. > > Rick Womer wrote: > > >I don't believe that you guys are completely correct. > > > >IIRC, there was a non-SMC (Takumar) 70-200 F zoom, > >quite inexpensive. Though it was sharp, it was very > >prone to flare. > > > >However, there was also an SMC F 70-200 F zoom, shown > >on Boz's site here: > > > >http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/lenses/zooms/long/F70-210f4-5.6.html > > > >The FA 70-200 has a power zoom motor, is not very well > >built, and is optically mediocre (I have one). > > > >The SMC F 70-200 has a considerably better reputation. > > > >The FA lenses, as a group, have a chip that sends MTF > >data to the camera body (so that the MTF program > >exposure will work), and send focus distance to the > >body (used for metering and flash). The F lenses do > >not send MTF information, and I don't think they send > >focus distance either. > > > >Some FA lenses have power zoom motors, and some do > >not. The more recent ones do not. > > > >Rick > > > > > >--- "P. J. Alling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > >>The camera metering should work identically with > >>either lens. > >> > >> > >> > >>The Pentax FA is a SMC lens, (with power zoom), and > >>you can see it here: > >> > >> > >> > >http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/zooms/long/FA70-200f4-5.6.html > > > > > >>The Pentax F is a non SMC (bargain lens) and you can > >>see it here: > >> > >> > >> > >http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/zooms/_non-SMC/pen-F_70-200f4- > 5.6.html. > > > > > >> > >>This lens looks a lot like the SMC-Pentax 70-210mm > >>F, but don't be > >>confused it's a very different beast. > >> > >>The two 70-200mm lenses have the same optical > >>formula according to Boz's > >>site. > >> > >>The price difference is probably due to the SMC > >>glass and Power zoom > >>capability. > >> > >>Glen wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >>>I noticed that there are Pentax 70-200 f4-5.6 zoom > >>> > >>> > >>lenses with both F > >> > >> > >>>and FA suffixes. What is the difference? The F > >>> > >>> > >>version is a LOT > >> > >> > >>>cheaper on the used market. I think they are both > >>> > >>> > >>autofocus, so I > >> > >> > >>>suppose the difference might involve how the > >>> > >>> > >>camera metering works > >> > >> > >>>with the lens? > >>> > >>>Does anyone have any comments on the quality of > >>> > >>> > >>these two particular > >> > >> > >>>Pentax 70-200 zoom lenses? If I were to get one, > >>> > >>> > >>it would be for use > >> > >> > >>>on an *istDS. I hear that some of the non-DA > >>> > >>> > >>lenses don't do so well > >> > >> > >>>on the DS camera, so I would want to avoid lenses > >>> > >>> > >>that didn't get > >> > >> > >>>along well with the DS. > >>> > >>>Also, I'd love to find an on-line chart that > >>> > >>> > >>described what all these > >> > >> > >>>lens suffixes represented. > >>> > >>>thanks, > >>>Glen > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>-- > >>When you're worried or in doubt, > >> Run in circles, (scream and shout). > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > >__________________________________ > >Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 > >http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > > > > -- > When you're worried or in doubt, > Run in circles, (scream and shout). >
