PENTAX DA 50-200mm F/4-5.6 ED WR

The new Pentax DA 50-200mm F/4-5.6 ED WR has an excellent build but is it excellent quality?

An updated version of the Pentax 50-200mm, this new telephoto zoom continues to feature an ED glass element for top optical quality, but with an improved construction. The build is excellent including a metal lens mount, smooth zoom and focus rings and a water resistant coating that makes it an ideal partner for Pentax D-SLRs featuring weather seals like the new K7. There’s even a little access window in the lens hood to rotate a circular polarising filter, which is a nice touch, and focus distance markings on the barrel, something you don’t often see on zooms. The finish is good too, using a more refined mottled black plastic with rubber studs on the zoom and focus rings. The top marks don’t continue on the performance however. There’s no AF/MF switch for switching between modes and the AF is generally noisy with a tendency to hunt a bit, particularly in low-contrast conditions.

Specification
Street price: £200
Lens mount: Pentax K-AF
Max aperture: f/4-5.6
Min aperture: f/22-32
Minimum focus: 1.1m
Filter size: 49mm
Image stabiliser: No
AF/Manual Focus switch: No
Autofocus motor: No
Lens mount construction: Metal
Distance window: No
Construction: 11 elements in 10 groups
Aperture blades: 6
Dimensions (DxL): 69x79.5mm
Weight: 285g

Visit: www.pentax.co.uk