SMC-A 70-210mm f4

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Impatient while waiting for Adorama to deliver on the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8, I picked up a SMC-A 70-210mm f4 on

ebay. It's a very interesting lens! It's built like brick house (and in very fine condition) with a built-in

hood.

 

It was described as "heavy" in some reviews but I don't find it so: it is long though and that makes handling a

bit awkward. For someone who's just getting comfortable with MF, a one-touch (push/pull) MF zoom is an

interesting challenge--but kinda fun. It also has macro focusing at the short end of the range (I'd have

preferred the long end) .

 

It seems to me it's capable of pretty good IQ but it'll take a bit of getting used to. I'm thinking I'll keep it

in the kit even after the Sigma arrives just for fun.

 

Here's a shot of my neighbor's bad-ass cat.<div></div>

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and a macro<div></div>

[garry_young1]

Looks like good IQ on that lens Dave. That cat sure wants to feed on your carcass!

 

The damsel is great, except for the dof, but the green bokeh is sweet!

[les_lammers]

"I'm thinking I'll keep it in the kit even after the Sigma arrives just for fun."

 

I would rather use a manual lens in inclement weather than risk damaging a motorized lens. :-)

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Yep, that cat has real evil streak, Gary. That macro does give very shallow dof (this was f9) but the lens is clearly capable of good sharpness and bokeh. I thought having the near part of the insect out of focus would be kind of a different spin on the subject.

 

Good point, Les! The Sigma is not weather sealed.

[miserere_mei]

It seems to me that all these old Pentax f/4 zooms have great IQ. I recently got a Pentax-M 80-200mm f/4.5 just to play with (while I *don't* wait for a Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8) and was blown away by the IQ. If Pentax keeps this up with the 60-250mm f/4, they'll have a winner.

 

Dave, not sure what's meant to be wrong with the macro shot; the plane of focus is exactly where I would expect it to be: across the insect's head.

[hagar]

I would only shoot that cat with the long end of a telephoto Dave! lol. I think the reason your damsel looks 'different' is as somebody mentioned earlier, the human brain is more used to seeing the nearer stuff out of focus and the rest in focus.. Having the tail and the wings+ part of the rock out of focus looks a bit disconcerting.. I think it's a fine photo.. I would have cropped a bit more out of the foreground..your little beastie is a bit lost out there.

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Trust me, Haig, the cat was taken at the long end. That damsel shot was cropped to a 8.4MP tiff: this one is

2.7MP. It's a sharp lens.<div></div>

[matt miller cambridge, ia]

I have the same lens. I bought it for $100. The quality is amazing, the bokeh beautiful. I returned my copy of the 55-300 because I get better results from the 70-210. Pentax made/makes some mighty fine lenses.

[markus maurer]

Hi Dave,

I promise you that the Pentax A-70-210mm F4 can even do a lot better in all modes. It is a great zoom but heavy and has a bit of zoom creep. It was my first longer zoom lens more than 20 years ago and I used it a lot with film.

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I can certainly believe I've just scratched the surface with these trial shots, Markus. Zoom creep doesn't

bother me much but the one-touch is a bit challenging: I can't really use the "zoom in to focus, zoom out to

compose" technique.

 

I considered canceling my order for the Sigma but I'm certainly going to want it for low-light situations, quick

candid portraits and sports. Still, I think the smc-a 70-210mm f4 is going to have a niche as a "good light"

walk around lens with a wide prime or two in my pocket. I'm going to have to get a longer holster bag for it though.

[hagar]

Aaah.. I like that crop much better.. And you're right, that is one nice lens. We'll look forward to some more shots :-)

[michael_kuhne]

Dave, this lens may very well be better than the Sigma!! The Sigma models have recieved both good and not do good reports. maybe sample QC issues. But this lens you have is very impressive!

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I agree, Michael, this lens has replaced the Sigma 24-60mm as the default on the k10d but for Clara's sports and the kind of candid portraiture I like to do I think I'll really want the speed and AF of the Sigma (or something of that ilk.)