wide focal range, good close focus, SMC coating, excellent lens hood included.

too long when zoomed to 200, no zoom lock, obstructs camera's built in flash, slow at long end (5.6)

The FA28-200 is quite an underrated lens. It is quite good by any measure between 28-135 but is soft at 200 (actually 190). In fact, in that range it is as sharp wide open, as my A50 f1.4, wide open. Of course the 50mm has much less edge distortion and stopped down is sharper.

Customer Service

Never needed it.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax-A 35-210 3.5-4.5 (a worse lens) Pentax-F 80-200 4.7-5.6 (very good lens) Pentax-M 75-150 4 (an excellent lens)

light-weight, AF, lens hood included (recomended to keep on at all times except when using flash, because when shooting against harsh light, flare is really bad with this lens!),
covers most photographic needs.

when pointed down, then lens "falls" down to a zoomed in position ((have been told though that Pentax would have either made it "looser" or in the future it would otherwise tighten up when lubrication wears away)), bad flare when aginst harsher light.

good all-round use lens for the average photographer, especially if one is to get into photography and not really know where they are heading specifically....portaits, landscapes, etc....it gives you the wide angle and zoom for many opportunities to experiment.....picked up mine new for $475+tax Canadian.....descent price for high use/opportunity.

Customer Service

none

Similar Products Used:

older 80-200, MF....heavier.

Lightvright and easy to carry. Large zooming range allows to use it without spending time for lens change.
Front element is not rotating, so filters may be use with ease.
Cheaper then any combination of two lenses with the same range.

Sharpness is far from top Pentax standards - obviously seen on slides made on slow film (like Velvia, etc.)
Obstructs a built-in flash up to 80mm, so may not be used at parties, etc. - you should either purchase a separate flash or use lower-range lense.
Filters may be expensive due to the large diameter needed.

Good universal lens if price and ease-of use are more important then top image quality.

Customer Service

Not tryed.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax 28-105 and 80 - 320 combination is heavier to carry, more expensive and requires lens interchange - but much, muc

Well designed, compact and well made.

I haven,t been able to obtain satisfactory results, especially in the lower range 28-80mm. I have owned this lens for about two years and have shot many rolls of film with it. Many that were disappointing, just not sharp at all. Do not enlarge beyond 8x10 with this lens.

I have owned and still own many Pentax products, from a Spotmatic purchased new in 1967 to the present PZ-1p. I beleive that this is a Tamron product marketed under the Pentax name. The standards at Pentax must have slipped since the days of the screw mount! My wifes point and shoot is way ahead of this lens.

Customer Service

Pentax service has always been great. However, I spoke with a Pentax representive concerning this lens and showed him what I considered to be an unsatifactory photo (8x10). He felt that it was very satisfactory.

Similar Products Used:

I own several Tamron and Pentax zooms. No other 28-200's.

Light weight, compact, large zoom range, decent build quality, focuses quickly on my Pentax MZ3, lens hood is included, reasonable price....I paid around $450 CDN as a package with the MZ3. (total price $975 CDN)

A bit of light fall off in the corners at 28mm. It could be sharper, but it's pretty good for a moderately priced zoom with a 7:1 ratio. Wide open at 200mm it's at it's worst, and that's still pretty good. Flare is a real problem, like most wide zooms. 77mm filters are expensive, but that's hardly news. Oh yeah, and when you're carrying it, the lens zooms out...so what?

Yes, it's a Tamron. The shop I dealt with was very up front about that. The only real difference between the lens is that Pentax puts their SMC coatings on the ones with their name on them. Unfortunately, the Tamron/Pentax comes in three flavours, the old/ first ones, that have pretty poor optical quality from what I've heard and read, the newer ones, like mine that are pretty good. And a newer one that's just come out that's supposed to be a little better. If you're buying used, be very carefull. Otherwise, for the personal travel photography I do, it's great.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Tokina 28-70 f3.5-f5.6
Tokina 80-200 f3.5-f5.6

Cost effective, good for travelling.

Average optics especially at 200mm.

Flare control, colour reproduction and sharpness are average. The image is soft especially at 200mm. However, it is still very useful for travelling and the best economic choice.

Customer Service

No experience

Similar Products Used:

Nikon AF24-120, Canon EF24-85.

Price is very good to attract you to buy it.

The quality is as poor as a small auto-camera. It is far from a big camera lense standard.

What I can say is do not buy this lense unless you want to try something bad. It is lucky to know from a reviewer that Pentax stopped producing this lense, so no victor any more!

If you want to join our Pentax family, please try the 24-90mm/f3.5-4.5 or 28-70mm/f4.0 for your zoom lense and buy some 135mm/f2.8, 50mm/f1.4, 85mm/f1.4, etc.. It is what I get from all Pentax fans.

I like to use Pentax. You can have your Nikko and Canon.

Customer Service

Web information is limited. Send email to website never got any reply.

Similar Products Used:

Nikko 28-200
Tarmon 28-200