LBA is complete: FA* 250-600/5.6 – first images of the lens

[marclangille]

<p>I am thinking my FA* LBA is complete! Received the super telephoto zoom lens last Friday, but I’ve been quite busy these last few days!</p>

<p>Well the stars finally aligned and I have purchased the same lens you see in our own PF lens review database. I had the honor of meeting up with the owner of this lens in October, 2008 for a shooting session. A sincere thank you to Jay for letting me spend some time with this lens last fall and come to the realization that it’s in a class of it’s own! Thank you again for packing it so well and shipping it to me... </p>

<p>It’s brilliant yet sharp wide open from 250mm through 600mm and really sharp stopped down just a bit. This is a larger lens at close to 13 pounds, but it’s literally as new! I already have a Wimberley MK Gimbal that I will test drive to confirm its place in my support system arsenal, alongside my Arca-Swiss Z1 head that I normally use in a blind. I’ll be getting either the Gitzo 5541LS or Gitzo 3541XLS as the tripod of choice.</p>

<p>Here's a teaser shot of lens in the trunk...<br>

<img src="http://www.marclangille.com/photos/680256807_gzjJa-L.jpg" alt="" /><br>

More images to follow... 8-)<br>

<br /> Regards,<br /> Marc</p>

 

[marclangille]

<p>Here's the badge detail on the trunk:<br /> <img src="http://www.marclangille.com/photos/680289243_U9K4x-L.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="514" /><br>

I opened the trunk and I see a nicely padded interior, cutouts and of course the beautiful curved silver surfaces of the FA* 250-600/5.6:<br /> <img src="http://www.marclangille.com/photos/681076066_mNFGC-L.jpg" alt="" /> <br /> <br /> I pulled out the lens and removed the lens hood (aka hood bonnet):<br /> <img src="http://www.marclangille.com/photos/680280055_rtTbE-L.jpg" alt="" /> <br /> <br /> Closer details of the lens barrel:<br /> <img src="http://www.marclangille.com/photos/680255203_RpT9Q-L.jpg" alt="" /> <br /> <br /> For some reason I like this one a great deal - a little tighter and it's almost like a product shot:<br /> <img src="http://www.marclangille.com/photos/680281379_wQZ3n-X2.jpg" alt="" /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Here's the scale of size test - from left to right: trunk and accessories, Wimberley lens plate (P-50, which I already had), FA* 80-200/2.8, FA* 200/4 Macro, FA* 300/2.8 and FA* 250-600/5.6.<br /> <img src="http://www.marclangille.com/photos/680284007_LWnxZ-L.jpg" alt="" /> <br /> That little black lens in front of the FA* 200/4 Macro is the DA 50-200...<br /> <br /> <br /> Last image for now - this is much better at showing the physical size of each lens:<br /> <img src="http://www.marclangille.com/photos/680282644_Umzhz-L.jpg" alt="" /><br>

For reference, the FA* 250-600/5.6 with the hood extended is ~21.5 inches long.</p>

<p>I hope you enjoyed them!<br /> <br /> Regards,<br /> Marc</p>

[snik75]

<p>Wow! That's all I can say.</p>

[pj_vesterback]

<p>Drools....</p>

[johnw436]

<p>You could see into the future with that thing!</p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>Marc,<br>

Congratulations. I've shot that lens affixed to a K-7 for a few minutes during the Pentax K-7 road show stopover in Seattle. It is on my fantasy list. I was impressed with how balanced it felt even for the weight, and how remarkably smooth the zooming function was. The handle alone is larger than most of my lenses.<br>

I'm happy for you.</p>

<p>ME</p>

[marclangille]

<p>@Nick, Patrick and John: thanks guys!</p>

<p>@ Michael: then you met up with the previous owner, Jay! That's the same lens. Thanks for the kind words and I'm hoping that I can prove with the right glass and some skill, results can follow.</p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>Marc, yes indeed, Jay's a good man. You got a good 'un there, I watched Jay handle that piece very very carefully. It was a near mystical experience seeing the whole rising out of the case--I felt like I was with curators at the British museum :)</p>

<p>ME</p>

[sudhakar.com]

<p>LBA is complete. You must be kidding. Congratulations on new toy</p>

[frank_b._baiamonte]

<p>Nice. That is one big lens. Looking forward to seeing some shots from it.</p>

<p>So, you really think that the LBA is gone now? Good luck with that. I just got the DA35 today, I can tell you that one would fit quite nicely under the extended hood of any one of those silver lenses, and would come in handy in case something shows up closer than whatever the minimum focus distance is on those monsters. I'm just saying.</p>

[miserere_mei]

<p>Beware little hummingbirds, beware...</p>

<p>:-)</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>I'm not alone in thinking that an end to LBA is just wishful thinking. Was this lens acquired new or used? I am suspecting it may still be possible to special order one of these bad boys. What is with the ghetto turquoise rubber band (?) near the lens mount, is that holding a filter drawer shut?</p>

<p>How is the autofocus performance on that? Do I see some controls for a focus limiter?</p>

[bkpix]

<p>Jealous. Jealous. Jealous. </p>

[laur1]

<p>Beautiful collection. Thanks for sharing!</p>

[bob-c]

<p>Marc, where did you say you lived? Congrats! That's a fine collection. Enjoy!</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Congratulations, Marc! I love lenses that come in trunks (just took delivery of one myself :~) </p>

<p>I share the skepticism about the "end of lba" The important thing is that that lens is in very capable<br>

hands.</p>

[les_lammers]

<p>LBA complete? Where are the DA Limiteds? :-)<br>

Enjoy the lens!</p>

[shaloot]

<p>oh my... that is quite gorgeous... wow. hopefully you'll be providing images soon, and I like the fact you threw in there the 50-200... haha...</p>

<p>Do you know why the previous owner sold it off?</p>

<p>That line up is just beautiful...</p>

[tomadakis]

<p>Marc, thanks for the family photos!!!<br>

I was planning to go birding but I will stick with basket weaving for a bit longer...</p>

[garry_young1]

<p>Great collection of lenses - and if the weather doesn't let you get out - you can always stay home and shoot pics of the lens collection!!!! Looking forward to seeing shots with the big guy.</p>

[sleahy73]

<p>Wowee! I want one! (any one of them!)</p>

[yuri_huta]

<p>Wow that is an amazing lens. I once dreamed of getting a Canon FD 150-600 f/5.6 LD decades ago. Then this lens came out and... lots of drooling ensued. Great purchase!</p>

<p>I think it was a little unfair to show those other beautiful lenses together.</p>

<p>The 200mm f/4 Macro was overkill, what another amazing lens.</p>

<p>Thank you for sharing these. Please post some images taken with the new beast.</p>

[Robin Smith]

<p>I hate the loud "Pentax" so prominently on them - very tacky I think.</p>

[les_lammers]

<p>"I hate the loud "Pentax" so prominently on them - very tacky I think."<br>

The agony..paint them white and put a Canon logo on them...nah...IQ will decrease. :-)</p>

[dugger]

<p>Suhhhhweeeet! I wanna one myself... (one can dream can't he?)</p>