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SMC Pentax-A* 200mm F4 Macro ED Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax-A* 200mm F4 Macro ED

Sharpness 
 10.0
Aberrations 
 10.0
Bokeh 
 9.9
Handling 
 9.0
Value 
 9.1
Reviews Views Date of last review
16 99,661 Fri June 23, 2023
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $1,607.47 9.94
SMC Pentax-A* 200mm F4 Macro ED
supersize


Description:
This is the manual-focus version of Pentax's 200mm macro.



SMC Pentax-A* 200mm F4 Macro ED
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
Full-frame / 35mm film
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
Yes (A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 8 blades
Optics
10 elements, 9 groups
Mount Variant
KA
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F4
Min. Aperture
F32
Focusing
Manual
Min. Focus
55 cm
Max. Magnification
1x
Filter Size
58 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 8.1 ° / 6.9 °
Full frame: 12 ° / 10 °
Hood
Built-in, slide out
Case
Hard case HF-185B
Lens Cap
Plastic clip-on
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Tripod Mount
Diam x Length
71 x 145 mm
Weight
895 g
Production Years
1984 to 2000
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX-A* MACRO 1:4 200mm ED
Product Code
28805
Reviews
User reviews
Notes
One ED element.
Features:
Manual FocusBuilt-in HoodAperture RingAutomatic ApertureFull-Frame SupportDiscontinued
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax-A* 200mm F4 Macro ED
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Site Supporter

Registered: February, 2014
Posts: 501

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: June 23, 2023 Recommended | Price: $760.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Image quality, build
Cons: too few to mention
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 8   

I've had a love affair with this lens since 1984, the year I bought it. Clearly one of the best lenses Pentax has ever made. Besides being an outstanding macro, it's extremely versatile as the attached images make clear. While I've used it as a macro lens 99% of the time, today I shot the swallow at its nest box from about 15-20 feet away. Amazing for a 40+ year old.

I've dropped it three times. The second one was near catastrophic: It slipped out of the jaws of a macro rail while attached to my K-1 which was attached to my tripod over my shoulder. Luckily the hood was extended when it hit the ground. It was bent elliptical, jammed in place. No optical damage whatsoever (nor was my K-1 damaged).To say that it's built like a tank is no boast. I was able to free the hood by placing a C clamp on the rubberized leading edge. Rinse & repeat 'til it slid back(not quite all the way). It's a bit of an ugly duckling now but that makes no difference to me. If you ever find one for sale, buy it, you won't regret it at almost any price.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: March, 2015
Location: Almere, The Netherlands
Posts: 1,665
Review Date: March 20, 2023 Recommended | Price: $1,875.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Color rendering, bokeh, focal range
Cons: Knob on the right side, no IF
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: K 3 mark III   

Great lens that at an age of almost 40 years still produces magnificent photo’s. The lens is build like a tank. Only negatives are the annoying knob on the right side (to which you get used) and the fact it has no internal focus (which has my personal preference, but alas you can’t have everything).
The 200mm range is a real bonus with macro, especially if you need a bit of reach/working distance.
If you can get one of these lenses, do not hesitate. They are not cheap but in my opinion well worth it.

Honeybee by Richard Oude Egbrink, on Flickr
   
Junior Member

Registered: April, 2011
Location: Velbert, a small town near Düsseldorf, Germany
Posts: 37

4 users found this helpful
Review Date: June 21, 2022 Recommended | Price: $2,000.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: focal length, sharpness, color rendering
Cons: right knob disturbes a bit, price
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 8    Value: 8    Camera Used: Pentax K3 III   

Yes, it is an expensive optic, but it is also a very good optic.

And it is still up to date today and performs excellently!
Built like a tank and focussing is still smooth after all these years.

The lack of AF is not to be rated so negatively with macro - with the good, clear viewfinders of the Pentax cameras, focusing even works freehand.

The longer focal length allows a slightly greater distance and you are usually outside the flight distance of insects.

The locking on the right side is clearly annoying at first, but you can get used to a lot - so only a small point deduction.

Here are a few macro shots from the last few days...the young blue tit is an example of what the lens can do as a "normal" 200mm.
All pictures were shot without tripod!



   
Site Supporter

Registered: October, 2008
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 8,085

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: May 3, 2020 Recommended | Price: $2,550.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Optics, focal length, handling & build. Magnification & subject isolation.
Cons: Expensive.
Camera Used: LX, Z1-p, MZ-S   

The A*200/4 Macro was released in 1984 and remained in production until 2000. It was replaced by the optically different Auto-Focus version, the FA*200/4 Macro that year.

Optics:
Superb optics, which is no real surprise as it’s the norm for any other Pentax macros that I own. The A*200/4 Macro features a (FREE) focusing system and (ED) extra-low dispersion elements. The A*200/4 Macro also produces a very nice bokeh.


Focal Length:
Finally, a macro lens that gives you some elbow room when shooting at higher magnifications. Ever try and shoot a 50mm macro lens outside, between .5x to 1.0x magnification? You are centimeters way from the subject, blocking light and creating unwanted shadows. With a 200mm macro you have some space to maneuver and get shots that you could not with the wider macro focal lengths.

I did some rough measurements at .5x magnification, this is the camera to subject distance with various macro focal lengths that I have:

200mm: 66.8cm or 26 ¼ inches.
100mm: 33.66cm or 13 ¼ inches.
50mm: 19.05cm or 7 ½ inches.

As well with the narrower 200mm focal length, the subject isolation is also better than the wider macro lenses. This is one of the top features of the A*200/4 Macro.


Build:
The A*200/4 Macro is built like a tank and on par with any older Takumar/K/M series lens I own. No cheap silver finish like the FA* lenses, everything is top notch. The aperture and focusing rings are smooth as butter when you turn them. Absolutely superb build that no new lens can match.


Usage/Handling:
The A*200/4 Macro weighs 895 grams and has a removable tripod collar. While it’s possible to hand-hold the A*200/4 Macro, I would recommend using a tripod. I also use a Pentax macro focus rail between the lens and tripod for extra control, so I can avoid repositioning the tripod on some shooting situations. The tripod collar on the lens also lets you easily switch between horizontal and vertical shooting. I’ve only used this lens on Pentax film cameras and the tripod collar’s knobs don’t get in the way of the camera body. (I understand on Pentax DSLRs they do)

The A*200/4 Macro has a minimum focusing distance of 0.55 meters, which is not as good as the wider macro focal lengths, but nevertheless way better than a regular 200mm prime lens. The A*200/4 Macro does not have (IF) internal focusing, so it does get bigger when you focus. (The newer FA version does have IF). The A*200/4 Macro has an excellent distance/magnification scale, which you don’t find on auto focus lenses, so this lens is a breeze to manual focus. At higher magnifications, some form of focusing assistance is required, so I use the Pentax Refconverter A which has a 2x magnifier switch. (If I’m using my LX, then I just swap the finder to the Magnifier one)

The A*200/4 Macro has a 58mm filter ring and has a built-in in lens hood which pulls out or pushes in. The hood has a rubber ring around the top, so you can rest the lens against a hard surface and not damage the hood. The A*200/4 Macro came with the HF-185B hard lens case or the S80-160 soft case. I have the soft lens case and the lens will fit in the case with the tripod collar attached.


Speed:
F/4.0 is OK for a macro lens of this focal length, yes it would have been nice if it were a faster F/2.8 macro, but that would have added extra weight/cost to the lens at the time of release. The replacement FA version is also a F/4.0.


Magnification:
The A*200/4 Macro has 1.0x magnification, which is what you’d expect for a lens of this caliber.


The A*200/4 Macro vs my other macro lenses:
The only Pentax lens that you can really compare to the A*200/4 Macro is the FA*200/4 Macro, which I don’t have. Ranking a 200mm macro lens to a 50mm macro lens is hard to do, just like it would be with a regular prime lens of different focal lengths. However, I do have seven other Pentax macro lenses and the A*200/4 Macro is just as well built and optically as good or better than these others:

-K50/4 Macro (0.5x magnification)
-K100/4 Macro (0.5x magnification)
-K100/4 Bellows (magnification depends on the bellows)
-A50/2.8 Macro (0.5x magnification)
-A100/2.8 Macro (1.0x magnification)
-67 100/4 Macro (1.0x magnification with LSC)
-67 135/4 Macro ((0.31x magnification)

The A*200/4 Macro is the best by far for working distance and subject isolation, so it would rank as my favorite macro lens of the group. I have rated some of these other macro lenses a perfect 10, but the A*200/4 Macro gets an even higher “Pentax Hall of Fame” level 10.


Summary:
I do a lot of macro shooting had been wanting to get the A*200/4 Macro for years. I finally added it to my Pentax collection late last year. It has everything I like in a macro lens; good optics, 1.0x magnification, excellent build, good handling, as well as the added bonus of an extended working distance. On top of that the A*200/4 Macro is a historical & highly collectible Pentax lens. Can’t really ask for much more in a macro lens!


Price:
The A*200/4 Macro is on the pricey side due to its 200mm focal length, as well you are paying for its collectability. I bought my A*200/4 Macro on eBay and it’s in mint condition. I paid $2550USD, I purchased the lens case separately.

Sample shots taken with the A*200/4 Macro. Photos are medium resolution scans from original slides and negatives.


Camera: MZ-S Film: Kodak Ektachrome 100 ISO: 100



Camera: MZ-S Film: Kodak Ektachrome 100 ISO: 100



Camera: MZ-S Film: Kodak Portra 400 ISO: 400



Camera: LX Film: Kodak Ektachrome 100 ISO: 100



Camera: LX Film: Kodak Ektachrome 100 ISO: 100
   
Loyal Site Supporter

Registered: August, 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 58,957

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: July 22, 2019 Recommended | Price: $750.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: outstanding IQ
Cons: a modern DSLR cannot be rotated to vertical unless a short extension tube is added

Marco lenses are generally excellent for IQ, bokeh, etc., but even in this extremely high quality, competitive field, the 200mm macro is a stand out. I have owned and used numerous macros (50mm f4 preset Takumar; 90 mm Series 1 Vivitar; pre-set and auto versions of the 100mm f4 bellows; 125mm f2.5 Voigtlander; 90mm f2.5 Tokina; 50mm f2.8 SMCA; 35mm f2.8 DA; 100mm f2.8 Pentax DA) and the 200mm has an edge over all of them for IQ. It is the near-perfect lens for insect photography in the field, bettered perhaps only by the FA 200mm f4 with internal focusing which would keep the lens balanced on a tripod when close-focusing. One problem is that modern DSLRs all have an overhanging prism/flash above the lens mount. This strikes either one of the two knobs on the tripod collar and prevents the camera from being rotated to vertical. This can be corrected by mounting the lens via a short extension tube that has electric contacts and aperture connection (I use the shortest tube from a Kenko auto set).



My copy has tolerated being mounted on many camera bodies: Ricoh XRM, LX, PZ 10;ZX 5n, *ist; K20, K5, K3, K1.
   
Senior Member

Registered: January, 2012
Posts: 244

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: December 16, 2018 Recommended | Price: $1,650.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Versatile Focal Length, Macro, Bokeh, color, sharpness
Cons:
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K1   

I bought this lens because of the 10 rating on the reviews....so, had to know what a 10 rated lens was like. I bought on eBay after many attempts to find one. Very hard to come by.

At first impression, I felt it was too much lens for me. I couldn’t nail the focus, and struggled with exposures, too narrow DOF... I thought the lens was probably great, but not the user.

Yet, I couldn’t take it off my camera. I was drawn to it. The sharpness, the colors the versatility. I just kept practicing, and practicing. I have a zillion pictures of household boring subjects (coffee cups, pens, books, plants, doilies) as I tried and tried. I never had to work so hard to learn how to handle a lens.

Absolutely love it now. I know what I need to do to get the shot I want. I love the focal length for so many situations. And finally, I own a macro that doesn’t leave me wishing I had a different version.

I have the A*85mm and *135mm, the M*300mm...and this has completed my * collection. (Famous last words!).

If you’re an amateur like me, willing to pay the price and learn the feel of this lens, you’ll never regret buying it.
   
New Member

Registered: December, 2014
Posts: 16

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: July 21, 2016 Recommended | Price: $2,300.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: 200mm, Bokeh, compact + ligthweight
Cons: Tripod mount
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 7    Value: 9    Camera Used: K-1; K-5IIs   

Surprisingly small for a 200mm macro. Not a lot larger than a 100mm.
Nothing to complain about the image quality. Excellent sharpness and good controlled aberrations even fully open. Bokeh and colours are very good, too. Wish it would have 9 aperture blades.

Now the negative aspects:
Handling on the K-1 is very bad because you can´t switch the tripod mount to vertical orientation... it collides with the huge protuding prism. The screw on the right side of the mount is very near the cameragrip and don´t leave much space for the fingers. Even my small fingers...
Very frustrating to work with that issues.

A larger focus throw would be nice for better focusing at close distance. It´s already easy, but could be better.

A little bit overpriced...

I´ve only used that lens for macro work. So I have no experience how it performs on longer distances.
Output is outstanding, but the usage is sometimes not a joy.

It performs outstanding with the Rear Converter A 1.4x-L, too. Even fully open absolutely pleasing image quality. This is my tool to eliminate the mentioned negative things with the tripod mount.

Pictures are in my album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskgTMb5H
   
Veteran Member

Registered: June, 2013
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 1,954

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: September 9, 2014 Recommended | Price: $2,000.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Vivid colours, sharp wide open and stopped down, excellent working distance, wonderful focusing helicoid
Cons: tiny little bit of fringing - can be removed in PP with some effort

This lens is an amazing piece of engineering. It is an excellent macro (1:1) as others have raved about. It provides fantastic working distance for those tricky subjects such as spiders, particularly jumping spiders. Colours are superb, natural but with a nice vibrant lift. Sharpness is there from wide open with DOF not too punishing like 50mm lenses can be. Best of all, this lens can be stopped down a loooong way without diffraction damaging IQ.

I have also used this lens for distant portraits. Surprisingly, the lens gives a wonderful 3D effect owing to the narrower FoV and simply stunning OoF Bokeh. The 200mm allows for subject isolation in crowded spaces giving the impression of intimacy when it is not really there. I used this feature to great effect by snapping candid portraits without the subject knowing.

IQ loss is almost negligible when used with a quality teleconverter turning the lens into a 300mm. I would like to try the Pentax AF teleconverter to see what is offers.

Focusing on subjects at medium to long distances is very easy through tiny finger tip twists of the focusing helicoid, while macro subjects are dealt with through effortless yet pronounced focusing adjustments giving a sense of control - although movements are never overly involved (some adjustments on other lenses can take an uncomfortably long time to adjust when close focusing). The tripod mount is perfectly designed as a focusing aid when hand held shooting. The mount sits nicely in the palm of my hand while I toggle the focusing helicoid with gentle fingertip control.

There is some fringing evident and when it emerges can take some effort to remove in PPing. Not overly distracting but noticeable. Perhaps the only negative. I have market it down in that regard.

The lens costs a lot of money and is a very serious investment. Not having the benefit of testing the lens prior to purchase was a significant barrier to making a $2000 investment - BUT - I took the leap of faith and glad I did. This lens will be with me till the end, then, hopefully, enjoyed by my children. It is heir loom quality - no doubt about that.
   
Junior Member

Registered: November, 2013
Posts: 40
Review Date: May 4, 2014 Recommended | Price: $2,258.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: very sharp (in the focal plane), lovely color rendering, best bokeh of any Pentax lens I've used (including medium format), fairly small, and good balance with tripod mount
Cons: A little tricky to use the mount; cost
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: Pentax K3   

I'm usually more active with medium format, but I do a lot of excursion hiking where hauling around a 645 and several lenses is just a bit too much to lug around for 10 miles. The 200mm A macro is one of those things you read about and shake your head at the prices they usually go for- but given my experience with 645 120 mm macro and 67 100mm macro's, I suspected this might be one of the best lenses for Pentax 35mm. I don't think I'm going to be disappointed in that regard, though I believe it will take some time and practice to get the best out of it. Using it as a conventional telephoto is possible, but focus at infinity is more tricky than for a conventional tele. Initial results are very, very pleasing.

One thing I find essential at my level or lack of skill to getting good focus is using Live View with magnification on the K3- this can make all the difference in the world in getting the part of the image you want in sharpest focus. I also have a K7, and it would be much harder to use effectively on that camera, which to my recollection lacks Live View.

For any good camera system, the lenses are the biggest part of the investment, and a wise person invests for the future. In this case, I think it's ironic that I continue my investment for the future (coming full frame Pentax 35mm someday!) by buying older film era prime lenses almost exclusively (DA* 16-50mm being the exception).

While expensive, if you're looking for a long macro, and you can find one in an acceptable condition to price ratio, there doesn't seem to be any alternative to this excellent lens, except it's even more rare FA successor.
   
Forum Member

Registered: March, 2011
Location: Ontario
Posts: 89

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: March 21, 2014 Recommended | Price: $1,600.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Insanely sharp! Great working distance. Extremely well made.
Cons: None
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Many   

This is the best 200mm MF macro lens ever made. What else is there to say?
   
New Member

Registered: August, 2010
Posts: 3

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: April 22, 2012 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: very sharp , superb build, great color/contrast
Cons: Lenshood to short for crop
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: k-5   

Perfect image quality !!
Perfect build quality !!
Very stable and variable tripod mount !
Not only can be used in the macro range !
Just look at my shots:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaherdin/sets/72157629362495881/
   
Site Supporter

Registered: September, 2007
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 61
Review Date: August 18, 2011 Recommended | Price: $1,070.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, contrast, smooth bokeh (macro & close-focus), relatively small size, colour rendition, build quality
Cons: Hard to find (who would want to part with this?), Can be very expensive on the used market, No weather sealing
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 9   

I was lucky to find this lens used for a relatively good price and wow, am I ever glad I bought it. This lens coupled with the K5 camera is simply outstanding! It is my favourite camera/lens combination. The lens is tack sharp wide open at f/4 with great contrast and beautiful colour rendition. There are no CA's or purple fringing at high contrast borders or specular highlights that I can see.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: February, 2009
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 527
Review Date: February 20, 2009 Recommended | Price: $800.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: beautiful macro, best I ever owned, tripod mount
Cons: heavy

This was my standard nature macro lens on film cameras. Admittedly I use it less now with digital. Mine had an accident and now the focusing is a bit stiff and the color doesn't stay on. Still it remains one of my favorite lenses. Worked wonderfully also with the 1.4X-S Pentax TC.
   
Site Supporter

Registered: February, 2008
Location: MT
Posts: 1,349
Review Date: March 2, 2008 Recommended | Price: $999.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: sharpness, color rendition, small size, low tripod collar,
Cons: pricey

Optical quality beyond comment. You couldn't wish for better. Color and sharpness really pop. Images are so sexy that some could call them "porn" regardless of content. Functionality deserves praise--small, only 58mm filter, with compact "low rise" tripod collar...lens hood built-in slider type so nothing to fumble with or lose. 1.4XL teleconverter is a "matched" quality item giving 1.4x lifesize image magnification with very little change in image quality. Rubber rimmed lens hood allows for "touching the glass" aquarium work. This is a lens that not only produces stunning images, it's a great working item.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: October, 2006
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 11,783
Review Date: January 28, 2008 Recommended | Price: $2,200.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, high contrast, vivid colour, amazing resolving power
Cons: f4 is a tad too dark

This lens is just an incredible lens. Fantastic build, reliable image rendering ability. I hardly need to adjust colour and ocntrast as it is already saturated when the images are taken.

The only problem is that k10d has to be negatively compensated by 2 stops when this lens was used. Not sure why. It just happened like that.

My sample shots of this lens is shown here


A* 200mm f4 macro shots
Add Review of SMC Pentax-A* 200mm F4 Macro ED



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