The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED and the Pentax DA 200mm F2.8 ED for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED is the longer of the two lenses at 203mm. The Pentax DA 200mm F2.8 ED with a length of 134mm, is 69mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED also has a larger diameter of 92mm compared to the Pentax DA 200mm F2.8 ED's 83mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Pentax DA 200mm F2.8 ED weighs 825g, 52% (930g) lighter than the Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED's weight of 1755g.
Filter Threads
Both the Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED and the Pentax DA 200mm F2.8 ED have the same Filter thread size of 77mm.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount whereas the Pentax DA 200mm F2.8 ED has the Pentax KAF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF3 Mount and Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount.
Focal Range
Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED has a focal range of 70-200mm and
2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 300mm.
On the other hand, the Pentax DA 200mm F2.8 ED is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 200mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 300mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
