How do the lower-end Canon lenses compare to the lower-end Pentax lenses? For example, how does the Pentax DA 50-200mm f4-5.6compare to the Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6? These lenses are roughly the same price, how do they compare quality-wise?

When it comes to optics, you pretty much get what you pay for.

Iseem to begetting this impression (correct me if I'm wrong), as far as lower-end (possibly mid-grade)lenses go, you will get better quality for the dollar with Pentax, however, Pentax doesn't come close to offerring anything with the quality of the high-end super-expensive Canon lenses. Is there any truth to this impression?

Yes, the Pentax lenses available generally offer good bang for the buck, but they don't have the full pro lens lineup that is available for Canon or Nikon. They do have two new higher quality zooms coming out this year though, the 16-50 f2.8 and 50-150 f2.8.

Some of the better options for Canon on the low end come from third parties, like the Tamron 17-50 f2.8.

I'll second Ken. Canon's low end offering is not that great. But third parties have really come on strong and offer great advantage. As you move up the food chain Canon lenses get much better.

The Canon 55-200mm has a USM focusing motor.

Contriver wrote: Tough call. I can't find anything that would allow a fair comparison, and I think it is unlikely that any such comparison exists. The problem with comparisons like this is that Canon users that may be accustomed to top-of-the-line lenses might not respond nicely to a $200 lens, or that Pentax users mightsee themselves as underdogs and become zealots hawking products that are only available for their camera brand. (I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN! I'm just saying that it might.)

But when I read this question, I was wondering why you would ask it. Have you narrowed down your choices to a Pentax and a Canon dSLR, and the final purchase decision will come down to the perceived quality of these two lenses?

Comparing a top-of-the-line Pentax lens with a consumer grade Canon lens is hardly fair, andit ignores the excellent lenses available from third parties for both cameras. When you buy a dSLR, you're not just buying a camera and a lens, you're buying the first part of what might become a system, and it is the merits of those systems that should guide your purchasing decision, not one very small piece of the available systems.

So it can be said that if you don't see yourself ever purchasing any singlelens that costs more than say $400.00, then Pentax isthe wiser choice (basically Pentax equates to less money spent for same quality)in this scenario?

Contriver wrote: I don't believe there is any data to support that generalization.

Top of the line lens from Pentax and Canon are about the same in quality. You can't really say one brand's lens is better than the other if you are comparing the same grade. But Canon DOES have more lens to pick from compared to canon.

Pentax really lack high quality zoom lens. I am not saying that there high quality zoom lens isn't as good as canon's or other, I am just saying that they don't have many to pick from. So if the system that you are looking to buy requires you to have a lot of high quality zoom lens($$$$) I would go with the canon. As someone said earlier, Pentax will be coming out with two high end zoom lens within this year.

One of Pentax's best feature is there Prime lens. They have many high quality prime lens you can pick from.