Pentax-FA 43mm F1.9 Limited (APS-C)

Conclusion

The SMC Pentax-FA 43mm F1.9 Limited is the middle child within the trio of FA Limited lenses that was introduced back when film SLRs prevailed. While still a great lens, the 43mm is perhaps not as exciting as the other two. It does not exhibit the dreamy 3D rendering of the FA 31mm Limited and it is also not as sharp and contrasty at large apertures as the FA 77mm Limited. Its focal length is also somewhat nontraditional on APS-C: a bit too short to be a telephoto lens, and a bit too long to be a normal lens. It is, however, able to produce excellent everyday results with a nice, smooth bokeh. The fact that it also is a pleasure to look at and handle is a bonus, and the build quality is top-notch like the other FA Limited series lenses.

The FA 43mm delivers very good image quality overall, though it also has a few minor issues here and there.  For example, care must be taken to avoid lens flare in tricky lighting situations. The lens hood is too short to effectively shield for light sources outside of the frame, so artifacts from such light sources may show up on the image even when the light source itself is not visible.  The lens is somewhat soft in the center at F1.9 and F2, and corner sharpness and contrast is outright disappointing at those aperture settings. Not until F4 does this lens deliver in the corners.  The bokeh is quite pleasing at wide apertures, but when stopped down the octagonal hot-spots can be somewhat distracting.

Still, there are plenty of things to love about this lens. When you're stopped down (i.e. in daylight), the 43mm will produce razor-sharp images.  From a physical standpoint, not only is it very compact, but it also has an high-quality all-metal barrel which is a pleasure to handle.  You don't often see this kind of refinement in an autofocus lens.  We in particular like the felt-lined cap and the metal lens hood, which is sturdy and can be left attached at all times without adding much bulk. The hood also offers protection of the front element against accidental damage, so no filter is needed for that purpose.

Phase detect (view finder) autofocus is fast in most cases with this lens, but the focusing times are sometimes unpredictable because iterative fine tuning may kick in to add some 50% to the focusing time. Contrast detect autofocus is slower, but predictable. Accuracy is good in both modes.  Note that AF performance may vary based on camera model; our tests were performed with a Pentax K-3 and K-5 IIs.

Who is This Lens For

The FA 43mm is a must-have for collectors or users looking to complete their FA Limited trio.  Even though it looks good on the shelf, it also delivers the image quality you'd expect from a prime, and it is a very good choice as a travel lens.

This lens is good for group or head and shoulder portraits, where the softness wide open can be turned into an advantage. From F4 and smaller it is definitely suitable as a general "walk around" lens. The field of view is a bit narrower than a 35mm lens (which is considered a "normal" lens on APS-C), but this can be advantageous for tighter compositions.

Deploying the FA 43mm for low light photography requires some experience regarding how to avoid flare; the softness at F1.9 and F2.0 may also be a slight turn-off. This lens is not the best choice for action photography since the autofocus speed is somewhat inconsistent.

Alternatives

The FA 43mm Limited is relatively expensive so it might be worthwhile to consider one of the alternatives in the Pentax lens line-up unless you're out to complete your collection of FA Limiteds!

Pentax offers several lenses in the 40 to 55mm focal range, from a budget 50mm F1.8 to the premium weather sealed DA* 55mm. Admittedly, the 55mm has a visibly narrower field of view than the 43mm and may not be an option if you're looking for something closer to a "normal" field of view.

Click on any lens name below for full specifications and user reviews.

*despite being officialy designated as APS-C lenses, these lenses properly cover the 24x36mm image circle according to our tests and user reports

The best value is obviously the DA 50mm F1.8. It is of less solid construction, but should do fine for anything but heavy use. It does not come with a lens hood, but a generic rubber hood works wonders. 

If you live in the US, it is worth noting that at least for now (June 2014) you can save $150 by opting for the silver version of the FA 43mm. At that lower price the lens is good value.  The lower price is possible because the lens isn't subject to current MAP restrictions, as its availability is limited.

Pros

• Unique all-metal construction
• Elegant design with dedicated metal hood/cap
• Minimal chromatic aberrations in harsh lighting
• Very little distortion
• Sharp and excellent contrast when stopped down to F4 or smaller
• Light and very compact
• Bright viewfinder due to large max. aperture (F1.9)

Cons

• Disappointing sharpness and contrast wide-open; corners still disappointing at F2.8
• Prominent purple fringing in the corners at wider apertures
• Prone to lens flare in certain situations
• No Quick-Shift full-time manual focus override
• Inconsistent autofocus speed in phase detect mode, noisy AF
• Not weather sealed

Rating

Our value rating is for the black version, assuming a price of $746 USD. The silver version is at the time of writing less expensive and thus a better value.

Ready to get your smc Pentax-FA 43mm Limited?  Get it today in silver or black at B&H Photo.