The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR and the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW 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 560mm F5.6 ED AW is the longer of the two lenses at 522mm. The Pentax FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR with a length of 175mm, is 347mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW also has a larger diameter of 130mm compared to the Pentax FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR's 79mm 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 FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR weighs 819g, which means it is 2221g (73%) lighter than the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW which has a weight of 3040g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW has a 112mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR:
And these are the 112mm filters that we recommend for the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR has the Pentax KAF4 lens mount whereas the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW has the Pentax KAF3 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 KAF4 Mount and , and for the Pentax KAF3 Mount.
Focal Range
Pentax FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR has a focal range of 70-210mm and
3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
105-315mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Pentax 560mm F5.6 ED AW is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 560mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 840mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
