[choychoy]

i am now consider which one should be my next lenses，can anyone help?
mainly shooting my girlfriend~~

[seventysixersfan]

FA 43. Easier to use indoors

[eddie1960]

It it's for portraits I'd go for the 55, it's a classic portrait FOV (pretty close to an 85 on FF cameras), and fast enough to really isolate things. the 43 is an odd length on apsc (some people love it hough) and I think more suited to 3/4 body or full body shots

[Fontan]

Well, with FF coming out soon I don't know if you want to get any DA lenses right this moment.

[eddie1960]

Well, with FF coming out soon I don't know if you want to get any DA lenses right this moment.

Post 4 keeping the first FF mention within 5 posts thank you sir.

[Aristophanes]

They are both primes, so FF = fancy footwork.

[RonHendriks1966]

I'll vote for the DA*55mm.

[TomTextura]

Well, with FF coming out soon I don't know if you want to get any DA lenses right this moment.

I'm pretty sure the DA*55 actually covers a FF image circle so I wouldn't let the possibility of a FF camera in the future be the deciding factor for not getting it. What would mean more to me is being able to use the FA43's aperture ring on a decrippled K-mount, if Pentax were ever to bless us with such a mount. I really like the DA*'s weather sealing but other than that, I think the FA43 is a much sexier lens and would be more useful to me on either APS-C or FF formats. I've heard complaints about some copies of the DA*55 being soft wide open but I've also seen pics showing it to be very sharp. The FA43's small form factor is a definite plus in my book. Both lenses can have pronounced CA, at least examples of such exist, but I think the FA43 fairs worse in this regard. The one thing I don't like about some of the FA43 images I've viewed is the busy looking bokeh it produces sometimes. That's not going to stop me from most likely making it my next lens acquisition though. My FA31 is my favorite lens and I really like my FA77 but I would like a fast prime in the middle for portraits taken at closer working distances, but not as close as with the FA31. I love the feel of both the FA Limiteds I have so I'm sure I'd love the feel of the FA43. Required disclaimer: I haven't shot either of the lenses in question so don't give my comments too much credence as their not from first hand experience.

[Ben_Edict]

I have the FA 43 and I love it. I also have most Pentax 50/1.5 lenses, though not the DA 55. I would second Ron, that purely for portraits the 55 might be a better choice, though I personally prefer even longer lenses for that. If you use any of the fast fifties at f/1,4 it will be somewhat soft (almost all fast lenses are soft fully open). A matching lens hood will help to a degree. But you should not put too much value on crisp images at a fast aperture, as the DOF is extremely shallow and the rendering of the out of focus areas will look "soft" anyway. Also, some softness is often quite welcome for portraiture...

But the FA 43 is a charming lens, great built and very small, I use it much more often nowadays, than the 50s - except for portraits.

Ben

[Fontan]

Post 4 keeping the first FF mention within 5 posts thank you sir.

It stems from this strong sense of responsibility that has been ingrained in me. I just couldn't help it.

[kaiserz]

I have the 43, and this was my dilemma before. 43 vs 55 vs F 50 1.7

I convinced myself that I don't need the F 50 1.7 because I already have the M 50 1.7. So it was between the 43 vs 55, I went with the 43 because of the size and the focal length (IMO The 43 is less intimidating than the 55), If you shoot indoors the 55 will sometimes limit you because it's going to be quite tight.
So far I'm loving my 43 and it's my main lens right now for street and anything else. but let me tell you this I'm still going after the 55 once I get enough money.

A sample of what the 43 can do. Street portrait of this guy this was cropped and converted into B&W


Good luck

[vladimiroltean]

mainly shooting my girlfriend~~

Have you tried a gun?

[Rondec]

They are both good lenses. 40mm-ish focal length doesn't (didn't) work very well for me on APS-C. I own the other two FA limiteds (31, 77), but decided to use the DA *55 as the middle ground. It is plenty sharp, has nice bokeh. Great portrait lens. It pretty well solved my FA 43 lust.

[RonHendriks1966]

O well then also a DA*55 portrait:

[Sagitta]

You could also grab the 43mm and then bag yourself a really old (and cheap) 50mm f/1.7 or f/1.4 and rock manual focus. With the focus peaking features on the incoming Pentax cameras these days, sharpness issues should be a thing of the past with these lenses (provided you don't have a lousy copy).

If autofocus and that possible extra stop (ok, and the weather sealing) are your main interest, go for the 55mm. If not, then the 43mm would probably be a smarter choice simply because its a stranger/less available sized length then anything out there.

Old, cheap, manual prime shot taken with a Sears 50mm f/1.7 @ 1.7:



And this is a 100% crop of that shot. I paid $16 and change for the lens off flea-Bay.




So basically the only REAL reason to grab the 55mm is if you want autofocus, weather sealing, and bragging rights to owning a DA*. There are enough similarly sized lenses out there (decades worth) that are close enough that if those things aren't your bag, then it would render the lens redundant against much, MUCH cheaper glass. (convenient due to the AF capabilities, but still redundant).

This thread and post also just killed my own lusting for the DA*55 and decided me on going for something different when I pick up my new camera later this year... thanks, I think?