[slipdm16]

So you never felt the need to dump the FA 43 once you acquired the FA 31? Because right now the FA 43 is my go to lens. I tend to like the longer focal length lenses including the DA*50-135 over the wide angles.

Nope, how could I?! It's the legendary FA 31! Actually I use the 43 for more portraits/candids and the 31 for more creative shots. It's a little wider which is nice for groups of people indoors but can be tough on sunny days w/o a filter (hood is worthless)...

[savoche]

All things being equal in price, which lens would YOU choose, The FA 31 or the DA*16-50?

Me? The FA31. It's a lens I might well buy one day.

The 16-50 doesn't really interest me. I prefer primes when I can, and have a 18-135 for when I can't.

[woodywesty]

All things being equal in price, which lens would YOU choose, The FA 31 or the DA*16-50?

I'm sort of in the same position. I want a high quality lens to put in front of the K5lls and I can only afford one good lens to start with. The FA 31 is known for its superior optics but is limited as a walk around lens for scenery, flowers and city scapes. The DA*16-50 is a high quality lens but not optically as good as the FA 31 but it provides considerable photographic flexibility. Right now I'm looking at the DA*16-50 and the upcoming (who knows when) announcement of the new Pentax general walk around zoom.

[Andi Lo]

Imho the f/2.8 standard zoom is a "need" thing. If you need 2.8 in that range you won't even ask the question. You would know that you need it, and you would've bought the lens already (or something equal like the Tamron 17-50)

The fact that you're even asking the question suggests that you'll be better off with the FA 31. Buy used, try it out, and resell with minimal loss if it doesnt work out. Just FYI, for the spec, the FA 31 is tiny, but it is one of the bigger pentax primes

[normhead]

Imho the f/2.8 standard zoom is a "need" thing. If you need 2.8 in that range you won't even ask the question. You would know that you need it, and you would've bought the lens already (or something equal like the Tamron 17-50)

The fact that you're even asking the question suggests that you'll be better off with the FA 31. Buy used, try it out, and resell with minimal loss if it doesnt work out. Just FYI, for the spec, the FA 31 is tiny, but it is one of the bigger pentax primes

Any time Andy and I agree on something it's almost 99% certain it's the right thing to do.

[Rondec]

Two very different lenses. I own the FA 31 and I don't use it very much. It is a very good "normal" lens for an APS-C camera, but when I go out shooting with primes, I like having something wider (DA 15) and something longer (DA 55 or FA 77). 31 is just neither here nor there.

The 16-50 is a standard zoom and quite good if you need that versatility and f2.8. Its biggest weakness is the fact that it is prone to flare -- something that is pretty common with these f2.8 zooms. Anyway, if I were picking, I would choose the zoom first.