HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW review

The HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW gives good super-telephoto reach but could be better

HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW
(Image: © Ricoh Imaging)

Digital Camera World Verdict

This super-tele zoom gives powerful reach on a full-frame camera, even more so on Pentax’s APS-C format body, equivalent to 225-675mm. It has solid build quality and although it’s weighty at 2,000g, isn’t much heavier than Pentax’s 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom. It’s a good performer overall but loses out to the likes of Sigma and Tamron 150-600mm for autofocus speed and telephoto reach, as well as lacking optical image stabilization.

Pros

  • +

    Strong build quality

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    Good handling characteristics

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    Weather-sealed constructions

Cons

  • -

    Sharpness could be better

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    Pedestrian autofocus system

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    No optical stabilization

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The HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW is an attractive proposition. There are often times when we can’t get as close as we’d like. If you’re shooting anything from small timid birds to planes at an air show, from athletes to motor sports, or wildlife on safari, you’ll need a lens that really covers the distance. A super-telephoto lens will get you there, and a zoom beats a prime for flexibility when your movements are limited. That’s especially true if you’re confined to a hide for shooting wildlife, or in a spectators’ area at a sporting event.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.