[robbiec]

Forget about the AF, tell me about colours, resolution, bokeh, build, tactile feel. I feel drawn to the DA* for some reason...
Or should I also be looking out for a Voightlander 58?
I have a soft spot for the K55, would the DA* make it seem infinitely inferior, this happened to me last week when I compared a K50f1.2 to the FA50f1.4. The FA is gone now, off to a better home where someone else will cherish it.

Oops, just noticed I was in the News / Rumours Section, thought I was in the lens area. Can a mod please move it, my apologies.

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Last edited by robbiec; 11-07-2010 at 04:52 AM. Reason: Wrong area!

[Digitalis]

Or should I also be looking out for a Voightlander 58

I hate the be the bearer of sad news but the the voigtlander 58mm f/1.4 has been discontinued in Pentax K mount, you might be lucky and find a store that has one in stock but it's a long shot.

this happened to me last week when I compared a K50f1.2 to the FA50f1.4.

No other K mount lens can compete with the SMCP 50mm f/1.2, it's THAT good. A forum member compared the DA* and the SMCP 50mm f/1.2 and ended up kissing the DA* goodbye in favour of the 50mm f/1.2 mainly because the bokeh, resolution, and general versatility (and bragging rights) cannot be matched...or surpassed.

[Parallax]

Not even remotely news or rumor. Sigh........................
to the lens forum.

[paperbag846]

The DA* would be better than the K55 in both colour rendering and bokeh rendering. When you stop the K55 down past f4, the OFF areas are very noticeable hexagons. The k55 is very good though, and likely a better bang-for-the-buck. The K55 should not hold a candle to the 1.2, so I might just stick with what you've got, maybe buy a 70 / 77 / 85 to complement the 50.

[robbiec]

Not even remotely news or rumor. Sigh........................
:moving: to the lens forum.

Thanks for moving it.

[robbiec]

The DA* would be better than the K55 in both colour rendering and bokeh rendering. When you stop the K55 down past f4, the OFF areas are very noticeable hexagons. The k55 is very good though, and likely a better bang-for-the-buck. The K55 should not hold a candle to the 1.2, so I might just stick with what you've got, maybe buy a 70 / 77 / 85 to complement the 50.

Well in that general area I already have the FA43, K50f1.2, K55 f1.8 and FA77 so this is really a case of a want over a need. The K55 does have a lovely dreamy bokeh @ f1.8. How would you summarise the DA* bokeh?

[axl]

Forget about the AF, tell me about colours, resolution, bokeh, build, tactile feel. I feel drawn to the DA* for some reason...
Or should I also be looking out for a Voightlander 58?
I have a soft spot for the K55, would the DA* make it seem infinitely inferior, this happened to me last week when I compared a K50f1.2 to the FA50f1.4. The FA is gone now, off to a better home where someone else will cherish it.

Robbie, did you get another K55? I bough one from you time ago... it's now sold

anyway, to your question.:
The forum member who did the comparison was me. Here is the link:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/73997-da*-club...ml#post1078411
few posts down is crop from K55 wide open too.
That should give you idea of k50/1.2 - K55/1.8 - DA*55
My conclusions from the comparisons (did have all three of them for a while together):
DA*55 is the sharpest of the bunch, K50/1.2 hast the best OOF by mile, K55 wide open has nicer OOF (my subjective opinion) than DA*, DA* stopped down has better OOF than K55. DA* is warm, warmer than K50/1.2 and more contrasty too at wide f stops. K55 is warmer in than K50/1.2 but tends to favor yellowish cast, while DA* has typical DA rendering (kind of neutral but bit into magenta). DA* is bigger than any other 50/55 I've held. From quick in shop test shots, DA* has very similar rendering to FA50/1.4.
Final conclusion: If you have sold FA50 to keep K50/1.2, don't buy DA*55, you'll end up selling it too IMO. Get K55 and save a lot...

[robbiec]

I hate the be the bearer of sad news but the the voigtlander 58mm f/1.4 has been discontinued in Pentax K mount, you might be lucky and find a store that has one in stock but it's a long shot.

There are still a few around , this is interesting because it has the Voightlander / Zeiss colours.


No other K mount lens can compete with the SMCP 50mm f/1.2, it's THAT good. A forum member compared the DA* and the SMCP 50mm f/1.2 and ended up kissing the DA* goodbye in favour of the 50mm f/1.2 mainly because the bokeh, resolution, and general versatility (and bragging rights) cannot be matched...or surpassed.

I am begining to think along the same lines.... Its an lba stopper!

[robbiec]

Robbie, did you get another K55? I bough one from you time ago... it's now sold



anyway, to your question.:
The forum member who did the comparison was me. Here is the link:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/73997-da*-club...ml#post1078411
few posts down is crop from K55 wide open too.
That should give you idea of k50/1.2 - K55/1.8 - DA*55
My conclusions from the comparisons (did have all three of them for a while together):
DA*55 is the sharpest of the bunch, K50/1.2 hast the best OOF by mile, K55 wide open has nicer OOF (my subjective opinion) than DA*, DA* stopped down has better OOF than K55. DA* is warm, warmer than K50/1.2 and more contrasty too at wide f stops. K55 is warmer in than K50/1.2 but tends to favor yellowish cast, while DA* has typical DA rendering (kind of neutral but bit into magenta). DA* is bigger than any other 50/55 I've held. From quick in shop test shots, DA* has very similar rendering to FA50/1.4.
Final conclusion: If you have sold FA50 to keep K50/1.2, don't buy DA*55, you'll end up selling it too IMO. Get K55 and save a lot...

Yep, I missed it so much I got another
Save a lot for ?

[paperbag846]

I would agree with Axl in that the k55 has creamier bokeh wide open, but the DA*'s bokeh is much preferable stopped down (K55 shows "ninja stars" at f2.8, hexagons at f4). Do you plan on using this mostly wide open? The k55 is a lot of fun to use due to it's construction and feel. Since you have this focal length covered so well, you could consider buying the K55 and then something in the 70-85 range for moderate telephoto/portrait work... The k55 will only dissatisfy you if you like to shoot stopped down, or don't like correcting for a colour cast (I find the k55 warm, which I actually like for skin tones).

[robbiec]

Ok my opinions on what I have in this area:
FA43 f1.9, All round excellence, fantastic build, small size, fast to focus, sharp as a needle pinhead. I use this as a walkaround generally.
K55 f1.8, Deep, deep colours, great build, small size, buttery bokeh, lovely to focus with. Very decent at portraits as well on a K20D.
K50 f1.2, dunno where to go with this one... Really sharp stopped down, great build, OOF @ f1.2!!!
FA77 f1.8, This killed my love affair with both 85 Super Takumars, f1.9 & f1.8
Colours, contrast, bokeh, immense @ portraits and candids, maybe a bit of purple fringing in really high contrast situations, but that is an abnormal event. + its just looks right!

Thanks for the feedback guys on the DA*, looks like its time to go a bit wider anyway as in the DA35 f2.4, DA35 Limited or the other monster, the FA31

[Pentaxor]

let's just say that the K55 is the DA*'s grandpa.

[robbiec]

let's just say that the K55 is the DA*'s grandpa.

I was not aware of common ancestry, you're making me get interested again