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Introduced in 1963, this
lens remained in production till 1977. The design consists of 4
elements in four groups with F stop setting from 4 to 22.
Mechanically, the lens sports a pull out lens hood and is light weight
relative to its size. This makes the lens a delight to hand hold.
Optically, the lens does
not produce the tact sharp images that more recently designed lenses
produce which contain low dispersion glass. However, the less
than tact sharp image rendition can be quite effective in outdoor
portraiture. The lens can render portraits smooth with pleasant
coloration.
The original version of
the 200 F4 (shown at left) was very popular in its day and can be found
readily available in the used equipment market. The used price is
quite reasonable since most photographers prefer zoom lenses in the 200 mm
range.
I've come to appreciate the finish of
the lens being a combination of metal and plastic. I have used this lens
more often over a longer period of time and the lens looks almost perfect.
Even the finish on my so-called pro lenses hasn't stood up as well.
I try to take care of my equipment so I don't abuse it as some pros might,
and I wouldn't expect the mechanical integrity of the lens to stand up to
a pro lens. But it does look a lot better after a lot of careful
use.
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