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07-05-2012, 04:48 PM   #1
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DXOMark reviews DA 35 2.8 Macro Ltd

DXO review of DA 35 2.8 Macro Ltd

Generally positive, although they do find that 'Resolution, while acceptable, could be much crisper'.

The last part of the review - where they compare it with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 mounted on a Canon 5D2 - is a bit silly though.

07-05-2012, 05:40 PM   #2
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So where does that put Pentaxians? We often praise the brand for the great primes and it turn out the technical numbers aren't really that great. Now the advantage is down to having cheapest WR body? Maybe Pentax needs to update their lenses badly?
07-05-2012, 05:42 PM   #3
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I don't care what that DXOMark says but the DA 35 2.8 LTD is probably the sharpest lens I've ever owned, although I sold it long ago.
07-05-2012, 05:48 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by rawr Quote
DXO review of DA 35 2.8 Macro Ltd

Generally positive, although they do find that 'Resolution, while acceptable, could be much crisper'.

The last part of the review - where they compare it with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 mounted on a Canon 5D2 - is a bit silly though.
That's really unfair on two counts. When you do something like that, its more of a comparison between the aps sensor to a FF sensor then a comparison of any lenses. If you look at the resolution of any two lenses within the same make, the FF resolution will always top the aps resolution. Then comparing a different FL lens to the DA35 is even more ridiculous. And i was thinking DXO was a credible organization - my mistake.

07-05-2012, 06:02 PM   #5
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Guys, guys...

If you check out the end of the review, you can adjust the options for the lens comparisons. So, I changed the camera option for the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 to the 15MP Canon EOS 500D, and here are the results:

Pentax DA 35/2.8 Macro - 46 lp/mm
Nikkor 40/2.8 G - 49
Canon EF 50/1.8 II - 47

These lenses can all reach across the test chart and shake hands with one another.
07-05-2012, 06:08 PM   #6
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Multiple things to note for people reading this thread:

The highest Pentax score on lenses was previously 15 by the DA 35 F2.4. On resolution, it reached 46lpmm.
The DA 35 F2.8 Macro also achieved 15 and 46lpmm.

For the Pentax lenses, the scores are based on the k-5 sensor. This means it is about 12 points less than the Canon/Nikon lenses when they are reviewed on a FF camera. For example, that last comparison where they show the Nikon 40mm and the Canon 50mm, if you choose the 7D as the camera, the score drops the 50mm to 16.

In addition, DXO seems to HEAVILY favor Tstop values in scoring. The 50 F1.8 is not only faster, but more likely a lot better at transmitting light than a macro lens. So if we change the 50 F1.8 to the shortest Canon macro lens that has info on DXO (The 60mm F2.8) - the values all come out the same.

Take DXO values with a lot of grains of salt.
07-05-2012, 06:19 PM   #7
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Real life side by side DAL35 2.4 vs DA 35LTD at infinity... DA35 2.4 ALL day. Img quality goes to DAL(sharpness and contrast). AF speed goes to DAL(focus throw is too long on LTD because of macro). Build quality goes to LTD. So it has build quality and macro. Macro works, but not for anything that wont sit still for you to get THAT close. When they say your milage may vary, mine was severly limited (no pun intended) if you are going to shoot macro, get a longer focal length.

07-05-2012, 07:23 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by JinDesu Quote
DXO seems to HEAVILY favor Tstop values in scoring.
Indeed. If the comparison is between a 2.8 and a 1.8 lens, chances are the 1.8 will get a better Tstop.

But I've also seen in their DA40 test that their Tstop assessments often don't marry with other review sites tests of lens light transmission. So I can't figure them out sometimes.
07-05-2012, 07:31 PM - 1 Like   #9
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My DA 35 Ltd Macro worked fine today:







Last edited by lytrytyr; 07-05-2012 at 07:45 PM.
07-05-2012, 07:35 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by lytrytyr Quote
My DA 35 Ltd Macro worked fine today:
Impossible. What you need is a Canon 50 F1.8 and a 5D Mk2.
07-05-2012, 07:37 PM   #11
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Don't want to sound like I was trolling... I'm very happy with my 15mm and 35mm Ltd. It's just kind of hard sometimes to convince other people why they should choose Pentax over others when scores like these from a reputable site popping up left and right, whether it's fair comparison or not... Maybe the answer is just FF along with some kickass FF lenses...

Last edited by ruggiex; 07-05-2012 at 07:42 PM.
07-05-2012, 07:49 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by ruggiex Quote
Don't want to sound like I was trolling... I'm very happy with my 15mm and 35mm Ltd. It's just kind of hard sometimes to convince other people why they should choose Pentax over others when scores like these from a reputable site popping up left and right, whether it's fair comparison or not... Maybe the answer is just FF along with some kickass FF lenses...
Yeah, if you look at the scores on Nikon DX lenses, they're all very comparable to the Pentax lenses, but for gearheads who don't look beyond the bloated FF scores they'll think Pentax is rubbish. One more reason for that FF camera.
07-05-2012, 09:55 PM   #13
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DxOMark rates sensors very appropriately. I think they rate lenses rather ridiculously. Photozone is far better at lenses IMO.
07-05-2012, 11:18 PM   #14
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another variable is AA filter, which in the K5, as stated in Lenstip`s reviews, is stronger than for example in D7000
do they take this into account?
I have the 35/2,8 and it is one hell of a lens from 1:1 macro to landscape shots, I am blown by its flare resistance and am very happy with it
https://picasaweb.google.com/rastislavstanik/DA3528Ltd?authuser=0&feat=directlink
07-06-2012, 12:02 AM   #15
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Isn't that why Photozone clearly states: "Please note that the tests results are not comparable across the different systems! This does also apply for the new EOS tests based on the EOS 50D because of differences in the sensor system (e.g. AA-filter) as well as different RAW-converters."

The fact that Photozone clearly takes all these variables into account and DXO doesn't tells me that DXO is less knowledgeable or less thorough then Photozone.
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