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View Poll Results: Which do you prefer
FA35 3029.41%
FA31 7270.59%
Voters: 102. You may not vote on this poll

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05-18-2011, 05:00 AM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by paperbag846 Quote
Was the 35 used with a hood?
Yes and no filter.

05-18-2011, 05:04 AM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by audiobomber Quote
The FA 31 is showing a bit of an orangey cast in the bloom
The flower has some orange in it.
05-18-2011, 05:36 AM   #18
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In above pics taken with FA31 certainly has more contrast but that's it, I wont be able to tell the difference in casual viewing unless told which one was taken with which.

Having said that, my FA35 offers brilliant contrast, better than shown in above images:

05-18-2011, 05:56 AM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by yusuf Quote
my FA35 offers brilliant contrast, better than shown in above images:
The photos were deliberately taken in adverse lighting conditions to see how the lens handled it.

05-18-2011, 02:22 PM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote

@Pentaxor - If money really meant nothing to me, I would own every LTD lens, because I love Pentax primes; but the reason I don't own a 31 isn't because I can't afford it. It's that if I were going to break loose a thousand dollars and buy LTD glass, I can get the 15 AND the 70 for the price of the 31, and my 35 serves me admirably; in this test, I think the bokeh is better, too.
that is exactly my point.
05-18-2011, 02:28 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by audiobomber Quote
I voted FA 35mm based on this test. The FA 31 is showing a bit of an orangey cast in the bloom, I like the FA 35's simpler pink. I don't know which is correct, not having seen the flowers. I also find the FA 31 photos a bit too contrasty, imparting a harsher look. Bokeh is very close, I can find minor things I prefer from either lens.

PS This should have been a blind test. There was a thread on the other site where a random series of photos was posted, not the same scene, and people were asked to say which lens was used. No one could tell the FA 31 from the FA 35 photos, despite lots of verbiage about 3D and superior bokeh.
I would believe that the difference would lie on consistency. there are certain scenarios that the FA35 really shines and could really be mistaken for any other lens like the FA31, and in some cases, it looks something like the FA43 (stop-down).
05-18-2011, 03:10 PM   #22
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Good to see some love for the fa35. In my opinion the 35 handled itself very well against the 31.

05-18-2011, 07:48 PM   #23
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Well, whatever subtle difference there is would not be worth 3 times the price. I'm happy enough with my FA35.
05-18-2011, 11:26 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by GeneV Quote
Well, whatever subtle difference there is would not be worth 3 times the price. I'm happy enough with my FA35.
+1

Yusuf
05-19-2011, 07:54 AM   #25
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they both have their advantages and disadvantages, both in terms of image quality and Physical characteristics, Eg: the FA31's built in lens hood is a PITA to use with the Lee filter system, but the FA35mm f/2 doesn't have as well dampened focusing ring as the FA31 does.
05-19-2011, 07:59 AM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by Digitalis Quote
they both have their advantages and disadvantages, both in terms of image quality and Physical characteristics, Eg: the FA31's built in lens hood is a PITA to use with the Lee filter system, but the FA35mm f/2 doesn't have as well dampened focusing ring as the FA31 does.
Yeah, I'd never question that the 31's build quality just feels better. All the LTDs feel amazing in the hand.
05-19-2011, 08:13 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote
I'd never question that the 31's build quality just feels better
indeed it does, I never really liked the FA lenses, all the plastics Pentax used in their construction it's a huge turn off for me, for years I have tolerated Canon and Nikon's use of polycarbonate and Magnesium alloy on their pro series lenses. So as you can understand I was delighted with the introduction of the FA limited series lenses - strangely enough the first Limited I bought was the 43mm f/1.9 special in Leica thread mount. I use it on my M9 regularly these days because it's substantially more flare tolerant than most RF lenses I own. And physically the 43mm f/1.9 Special suits the M9 quite nicely. The first limited lens I bought for my Pentax SLR cameras was the FA77.
05-19-2011, 08:22 AM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by Digitalis Quote
indeed it does, I never really liked the FA lenses, all the plastics Pentax used in their construction it's a huge turn off for me, for years I have tolerated Canon and Nikon's use of polycarbonate and Magnesium alloy on their pro series lenses. So as you can understand I was delighted with the introduction of the FA limited series lenses - strangely enough the first Limited I bought was the 43mm f/1.9 special in Leica thread mount. I use it on my M9 regularly these days because it's substantially more flare tolerant than most RF lenses I own. And physically the 43mm f/1.9 Special suits the M9 quite nicely. The first limited lens I bought for my Pentax SLR cameras was the FA77.
I had the DA35 ltd, and it felt really good, but the FA35 had equivalent corner sharpness and better center sharpness, similar contrast, better color, and was a stop faster, while my 100 f2.8 is a better macro lens for most applications. They're both plastic, though. I love fit and finish, but results are what really get me going.
05-21-2011, 03:58 PM   #29
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There is clearly a difference in the bokeh between the two lenses. Look at the oof highlights in FA35 @ f4, the aperture blades can clearly be seen.
05-21-2011, 04:42 PM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by jstevewhite Quote
In this shootout I see your 31 has more contrast than your 35. That's fair enough for this test, I suppose. I see that the 35 is 1/200@f4, the 31 1/250@f4. Comparisons like this are difficult; did the lighting change, or is the 31 1/4 stop slower? My 35 has much higher contrast than these shots exhibit, assuming your roses are backlit by direct sunlight in both images and your images are not adjusted in post. When I've shot images like that, (flowers backlit by direct sunlight) I had to reduce contrast to keep from blowing out highlights or dropping the dark areas into shadow.

I'm wondering, here with the images in front of me, where the "oof rendering" of the 31 is so different from the 35. The differences here seem apropos to the 4mm difference in FL; the 35mm has slightly greater blur in each instance in OOF areas - and I like its bokeh better - like this:

Click for large view - Uploaded with Skitch

As bokeh's quality is a matter of preference, not "objective", I can certainly understand that others might disagree; I'm just pointing out, as you asked, what I like and why I like it.

Anyway, thanks for this; you've saved me having to purchase a 31 to find out for myself. I want to make clear that I've never suggested that the 31 is not a great lens. I do think its cult status is a little overblown, but I do believe it's an exceptional lens, like most of Pentax's primes, and specifically their LTD series; Pentax's prime glass is the reason I chose the marque.

@Pentaxor - If money really meant nothing to me, I would own every LTD lens, because I love Pentax primes; but the reason I don't own a 31 isn't because I can't afford it. It's that if I were going to break loose a thousand dollars and buy LTD glass, I can get the 15 AND the 70 for the price of the 31, and my 35 serves me admirably; in this test, I think the bokeh is better, too.
QuoteOriginally posted by GeneV Quote
Well, whatever subtle difference there is would not be worth 3 times the price. I'm happy enough with my FA35.

+1 to this and the FA35.
Agree with all you said. I prefer the oof rendering of the 35 as well, as well as the price.
Before this, I had the impression that the 31ltd would be like a 50/1.4@f1.4-f2 for closer shots (ie. close-ups; head-portraits).
Saved me the trouble to purchase this lens to find out for myself as well (Many Thanks).
I had been considering replacing my 35 with the 31 as a in-between FL to the DA15 and the 43ltd.


I money was no object, I'd have every single lens made by Pentax be it Ltd or K-mount Takumar
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