How's the Pentax 645 200mm f/4?

Anon Ymous · Feb 8, 2023

Hi

I recently acquired a Pentax 645, the original version, with a 45mm lens and I am looking forward to get a decent set of lenses. The 75 and 150mm lenses are what I'd like to get in the near future. Surprisingly, the 200mm f/4 lens is quite cheap, unusually so. The question is, how good is it?

ant! · Feb 8, 2023

In general, you can find some reviews for all those lenses at https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-645-Medium-Format-Lenses-i4.html , but maybe you know this one already.

I have both the 150/3.5 and the 200/4, but haven't used them much yet. On 35mm, I prefer 85-100mm over 135mm, so the 645 150mm fits me a bit better (as it is around 93mm in 35mm terms, while the 200mm is a 124mm equivalent). Not sure why the 200mm is cheaper then the 150mm, but in Minolta 35mm manual lenses, the 135mm are also cheaper then the 100mm or the 85mm.

I don't think there are any really bad lenses in the Pentax 645 system (the 45mm gets a bit lower ratings, but is probably good enough as well for general use. Maybe it is just that the others are so much better).

The 150mm is also a bit lighter and shorter, which I like. But yes, the 200mm sells quite a bit cheaper. (I have actually a 200mm to sell, but I am in Canada and shipping probably doesn't make that much sense...)

There are also two different 150mm, the A-150/3.5 and the FA-150/2.8, so the autofocus version is a bit faster, but also more expensive. I use the manual focus version on my 645n (which I use with the optional split-image focus screen...).

Anon Ymous · Feb 8, 2023

@ant! Yes, I've seen this site and obviously the page for this particular lens. It's the polarising reviews that I find strange. Two reviewers giving it high score and another pretty much saying that it's soft. That's why I'd like to hear more opinions here ...

ant! · Feb 8, 2023

I see in the combined reviews of the A and FA version of the 200mm two bad reviews (one has actually good looking images when not pixel peeking...), all the others are good. Also, the reviews are a bit a mix of use on film and on the digital cameras (645D and 645z) which have a smaller sensor, so results might differ a bit. I think if you like the focal length, you are likely not doing much wrong in trying it out...

The A-75/2.8 is my most used lens, love how compact it is!

pentaxuser · Feb 8, 2023

Anon Ymous, on the PentaxForums site there was one person at least who gave a personal review with photos of the 200. I cannot recall his name but for some reason the name denney rings a bell Whatever his name was, he used a phrase with his name as well that rhymed. Sorry this sounds so vague

His shots. all in colour of course as no-one there seems to use b&w film and few still use film P645s but I think that the 200 can be used on a digital equivalent of the Pentax 645

Anyway I hope this reply may be of use

pentaxuser

GRHazelton · Feb 8, 2023

Watch for the 35mm lens. It is truly excellent, even Ken Rockwell loves it. I'm also very happy with the 120mm macro, which also makes a fine portrait lens.

GRHazelton · Feb 8, 2023

pentaxuser said:
Anon Ymous, on the PentaxForums site there was one person at least who gave a personal review with photos of the 200. I cannot recall his name but for some reason the name denney rings a bell Whatever his name was, he used a phrase with his name as well that rhymed. Sorry this sounds so vague

His shots. all in colour of course as no-one there seems to use b&w film and few still use film P645s but I think that the 200 can be used on a digital equivalent of the Pentax 645

Anyway I hope this reply may be of use

pentaxuser

Yes, the Pentax digital 645 will use all the film camera's lenses. This fact, sadly, has driven up the prices of the 645 lenses, especially the autofocus versions.

ant! · Feb 8, 2023

GRHazelton said:
Watch for the 35mm lens. It is truly excellent, even Ken Rockwell loves it.

I have the FA-35mm since I got it for a good price a with some of the zooms. I found multiple times in forum posts that the FA version would be less good then the A and DFA versions , even though the FA and DFA seem to have the same optical design.... so not sure what is actually behind this...

ant! · Feb 8, 2023

GRHazelton said:
I'm also very happy with the 120mm macro, which also makes a fine portrait lens.

And of course, then there is still the 80-160 which covers the same range, it's just on the large side. And the 135mm leaf shutter lens, a bit shorter but in case you like fill flash it would be useful.

I don't have the 120mm macro (not so much interested in macro...), but beside this pretty much everything else in that range...

Hassasin · Feb 23, 2023

There are no weak lenses in P645 line up (provided no zooming in to see "problems"), especially the original MF ones, even if some would fair better than some others on pure testing scale. All however are very good to excellent optically and top build mechanically. Go with focals you need or desire and enjoy this one of the kind camera.

Anon Ymous · Feb 23, 2023

One day I might buy the 200mm, but I found a reasonably priced 150mm one from Japan, which is on the way. Next one will be the 75mm.

The other day I was shooting with the Pentax 645, which is undoubtedly a noisy beast, then switched to the Canon EOS 33V. Then I fully appreciated how silent the 33V is...

Hassasin · Feb 23, 2023

Anon Ymous said:
One day I might buy the 200mm, but I found a reasonably priced 150mm one from Japan, which is on the way. Next one will be the 75mm.

The other day I was shooting with the Pentax 645, which is undoubtedly a noisy beast, then switched to the Canon EOS 33V. Then I fully appreciated how silent the 33V is...

Noise of P645 is the unfortunate side effect of what Pentax wanted to deliver, and they did with aplomb, but not without consequences. It is still arguably one if not THE most solid MF camera ever built. Give it time and you may warm up to its noise, even if it'll prevent its use under some conditions.

On lenses, 75 is sort of a must, 35 hard not to love, but 120 Macro is a beauty, especially if macro is a thing for you too.

Anon Ymous · Feb 23, 2023

Hassasin said:
Noise of P645 is the unfortunate side effect of what Pentax wanted to deliver, and they did with aplomb, but not without consequences. It is still arguably one if not THE most solid MF camera ever built. Give it time and you may warm up to its noise, even if it'll prevent its use under some conditions.

On lenses, 75 is sort of a must, 35 hard not to love, but 120 Macro is a beauty, especially if macro is a thing for you too.

Luckily, I don't shoot under any conditions where the noise would be a problem, so I don't really care. Overall, it's a nice camera, which is still fairly affordable. Anyway, given enough time, I'll make a collection of P645 lenses, just like I did for the other systems I use.

How's the Pentax 645 200mm f/4?

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