> > Omigosh, I just discovered the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX APO IF listed on the > Adorama site for only USD$649!! That's quite alot cheaper than B&H, I > wonder why that would be?!? > > I also just discovered that Pentax has a Pentax SMCP-FA 28-70mm f/2.8 AL and > a Pentax SMCP-FA 80-200mm f/2.8 ED (IF) but at USD$979 and USD$1349, I am > sad to say that they are out of my reach. What a shame! Does anyone know > how the Pentax versions weigh up to the Tamron/Sigma/Tokina versions?
The Pentax FA 80-200/2.8 is probably as good a zoom as you're going to get. As with all zooms I've seen in this range there is detectable light fall-off from center to corner; that's not a problem for sports photography, but it can be an issue for other purposes. Probably the biggest drawback of this lens is the weight; what with the zoom mechanism (and even the motor for the power zoom) it definitely gets to be a strain on the arm muscles after a while. Despite all that, though, it's the lens I use most. It even performs tolerably well with the Sigma 1.4x AF TC (although I suspect that the 80-320 I accquired recently will probably do nearly as well, and be a great deal easier to carry).
