Pentax SMC-DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED - Review / Test Report - Sample Images & Verdict
Lens Reviews - Pentax
Article Index
Introduction
Analysis
Sample Images & Verdict

Page 3 of 3

Sample Images

Here're some quick'n dirty sample images taken with the K10D and RAW-converted via ACR 3.7.

Click on a thumbnail to view the original file (opens in a separate window). Please note that the originals are FULL SIZE (=several megabytes) which requires quite some bandwidth for downloading so please don't waste the limited resources here.

Make PENTAX Corporation
Model PENTAX K10D
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Exposure Data: f/4.0 @ 1/1000s
Size 2592x3872
Make PENTAX Corporation
Model PENTAX K10D
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Exposure Data: f/5.6 @ 1/1250s
Size 3872x2592
Make PENTAX Corporation
Model PENTAX K10D
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 68.0mm
Exposure Data: f/4.5 @ 1/640s
Size 3872x2592
Make PENTAX Corporation
Model PENTAX K10D
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 88.0mm
Exposure Data: f/4.5 @ 1/500s
Size 2592x3872
Make PENTAX Corporation
Model PENTAX K10D
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Exposure Data: f/11.0 @ 1/160s
Size 2592x3872
Make PENTAX Corporation
Model PENTAX K10D
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 50.0mm
Exposure Data: f/4.0 @ 1/4000s
Size 2592x3872
Make PENTAX Corporation
Model PENTAX K10D
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 200.0mm
Exposure Data: f/5.6 @ 1/500s
Size 3872x2592
Make PENTAX Corporation
Model PENTAX K10D
ISO Speed 200
Focal Length 138.0mm
Exposure Data: f/4.5 @ 1/500s
Size 2592x3872

Verdict

Lately we've seen a couple of impressively performing budget tele zooms like the Nikkor AF-S 55-200mm f/4-5.6 IF-ED VR but, unfortunately, the Pentax SMC-DA 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED is not in this league. The resolution characteristic of the lens is rather mediocre - the image borders at 200mm and more so at 50mm are very soft at large aperture settings. For portraits or close-ups this is a lesser problem because the borders are usually a non-issue here but for long distance images you better stop down to f/8 or better f/11 to get decent results. On the plus side the bokeh (out-of-focus blur) is pretty nice (for a slow-speed lens) and CAs as well as distortions are quite well controlled. The level of vignetting is fairly high at wide-open aperture although not a big issue beyond. The build quality of this extremely compact lens is pretty decent. All-in-all you should prefer the Pentax DA 55-300mm f/4-5.6 ED instead.

Optical Quality:
Mechanical Quality:
Price/Performance:

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