[zzeitg]

I'd ask the forum members who own (but not necessarily all of the 3) FA lenses (31mm/43 mm/77 mm): how do you use them? What's your shooting habit? When do you mount them on the camera (I mean only in case that you ever take them off...)? Under which occasion?
(Of course the focal length predeterminates it, but there are conventions and then there are people who go beside such conventions, right?)


Try to submit a reply for each and single one of them...
- 31mm:
- 43 mm:
- 77 mm:
........

[cxdoo]

I use FA43 as a light walkaround lens. Previously I used either M50/1.7 when I didn't care about autofocus, or Tamron 17-50/2.8 when I did (and suffered the size).
So what do I use it for? Street shots, my kids in play, a tree here, an animal (mostly cats ) there, portraits.
It's just enough wider than a 50 as to be (subjectively) much more usable. I still love my M50, but FA43 effectively killed my excuses to get anything else in 35-50 mm range.

[phoenixvision]

I only have the 43mm....and I use it as much as possible,,,,I work as a wedding photographer, usually with two cameras a k3 and a k5....and depending on the size of the wedding, I try to keep the 43mm on one of the cameras at least part of the time, and use it whenever possible....it is my favorite portrait lens as well,although I suppose if I had the 77mm I might change that....generally if I can, I force the issue with the 43mm and try to fnd a way to get the shot to work with it before I use another option....

[Wired]

- 31mm: Shooting indoors in low light where space may be an issue and for group sessions. This is my least used lens from the trio.
- 43mm: shooting street (smaller lens) and for portraits when the 77 is too long (usually full length)
- 77mm: shooting portraits primarily. However I do use it a lot as a general purpose lens for everything from landscapes to still life and action. It is by far my most used lens in my arsenal and almsot never leaves my camera, and if it does the 43 is usually going on pretty quick.

[waterfall]

31 I use for everything.
43 I use for everything when the 31 is in my bag and I cannot change.
77 I use for people, landscapes, impromptu macro. In other words, for anything and everything.

All of these lenses have multiple uses and are without limitations, except when one of the remaining trinity is better. I have many more lenses that I force myself to use, but the Amigos are always by my side in the bag.

[hcc]

I have the FA31mm and FA77mm. For me, the beauty of these lenses are their versatility, outstanding IQ and ease to use in any conditions (indoor, outdoor, low light, daylight...).

-31mm: I tend to favor the FA31mm for outdoor (incl. landscape). The focal length is great: almost as true eyesight.

-77mm: I use the FA77mm for portrait (indoor) and as a short tele for outdoor.

Ultimately my preferences are linked with my shooting style. I like to use one camera and one lens (only) at a time. I dislike swapping lenses. I love going bushwalking for the day, with one lens + body in a small bag. Then I need a lens that can do sunrise, daytime and sunset. In these conditions, both FA31 mm and FA77mm excel IMHO.

Hope that the advice may help.

[jrpower10]

31 for landscapes, tight portraits, indoor and low-light situations
43 for compact walk-around. I also think it works well for stitched panos
77 for portraits and landscapes where I want more length, anything else where I want to isolate the subject more than I can with the 31, low light.

I use the 31 most and the 43 least. I find that I can use them all in many situations, but the focal length for the 31 seems most v ersatile on an APS-C sensor.

[Trudger1272]

I usually start out with the 31mm for most everything(including portraits on occasion), especially in tighter spaces. Even though I prefer it's IQ, the 77mm is more specific. I use it mainly for portraits. The 43mm is my switch hitter, being it has a focal length somewhere between a normal and short telephoto lens. So I have no problems using it as a normal lens in place of the 31mm when space permits, or a short telephoto when I can't step back far enough with the 77mm. Then there are those times of course, when I just slap one on and shoot. At the end of the day, I love them all the same. Just in different ways.

Now that I have a DA21 and I'm still developing my style as a photographer, their uses may become a little more specific.

[interested_observer]

I too start with the 31 as its difficult to do better. I will say that I have become pretty adapt at judging wide angle focal lengths.

• If a shot is reasonably "tall", taller than the 31 (or wider and stitching is not an option), I'll use the 12-24 or 8-16 in portrait mode and stitch. I tend to go with the 12-24 since the 20mm focal length really does appeal to me. If it looks like a 20 will work, then its the Voightlander 20. I also have a Zeiss 25/2.8 and Contax 28/f2.8. The Contax is a poor man's 31 - but its manual. The Limited really works well with its f1.8 aperture for Milky Way shots. To me the Contax and Zeiss are a tad cooler than the Limited - and that may work well with the shot.
• I have two 85's - a Contax Zeiss f2.8 and the Auto Tak f1.8. I'll use them for long distance landscapes - especially vertical stitched landscapes. They are both manual, and I have been wondering if I should just succumb to the 77 and trade them for the Limited with AF.

[alamo5000]

If I could buy two bodies I would have a K3 with a 31 on one and a 43 on the other.

The 31 is for a bit more of "I need the context" kind of shot. You can still easily get your subject to remain your subject while still including some of the background and surrounding things. For example taking a picture of someone standing on the street in Hong Kong where you want to have context but not too much context.

The 43 is for when I want to isolate the subject more. For example my friend had a baby yesterday and tomorrow I am going to take new baby and mom pics. I can isolate the subject a whole lot better with this lens. I can get mom and baby in the shot but I can also leave out the hospital room.

Another thing to ask is how people use the aperture. For me I am learning to use more and varied apertures still. Before I was trying to shoot wide open all the time or really close to it. f1.8 or 1.9... but now I am shooting a bit more at f5.6 range. Tomorrow I might even stop down more than that depending on what kind of angles I get. This also means that even in a room full of light I might have to use higher ISO.

I am going to check it out tomorrow and try to make use of a reflector and possibly a flash, but no guarantees on the flash part.

Also I should note that I manually focus still with these lenses sometimes. I just turn AF all the way off and go for it. Other times I use AF, but tomorrow taking mom and baby pics, odds are it's going to be manual focus.

[drypenn]

FA77: Portrait, indoors. "For the money shot". I always stop it down a stop or two. You can actually shoot anything and this lens just weaves its magic automatically. My copy is MIJ. A bit of a wobble in the aperture ring, but it's just pure bliss when it comes to rendering.

FA43: All-around lens but quite difficult for me to use. Sometimes she renders perfectly, sometimes even better than the FA77, and sometimes it's just cr@p. I'm still wondering when I'll truly learn how to use this lens. And it's not the focal length, I have issues with its rendering, and always, when I'm about to give up, bam! It shows where (or who) the problem is. I call her, my mistress.

FA31: We're still in the honeymoon phase, (2-week old) lens, but it has been love at first sight much to the chagrin of my FA77. Wide-open, stopped down, outdoors, indoors, this lens takes everything in stride effortlessly. I thought long and hard for two years before taking the leap with this one. I acquired a 35/2.4 thinking that should be fine. My only regret: I should have gotten this lens earlier.

[btnapa]

I use the 31 the most because of its wider coverage. I own all three but mostly use the 31 and the 77. I am shooting an assignment which involves shooting products being used in a studio setting. The shots require a 50mm lenses angle of coverage. I was fully prepared to use my F50 macro for most if not all of the photos. I ended us using the 43 instead. I shoot mostly at f8 or f10. For a few shallow depth of field shots I used f2.2 and f2.8. I must say the 43 is now my most favorite of all the FA Limiteds. The sucker is so tiny, it almost looks like a pancake lens.

I also bought a bellows type collapsible hood that fits the 43 and the 77. I am proud of my K3 and the Pentax system. However, my client was present and I did not want him to think I was shooting with a toy. The bellows on the 43 made it look like a medium format camera! My client even asked what it was for and I explained that it blocks the light from hitting the front element and degrading the image. I am not sure how much of a difference it made in image quality. But in the looks department it made all the difference.

Needless to say the quality of images are out of this world. It reminds me of the look I used to get from my Hassy.

[zzeitg]

Some very very interesting remarks, outsights and observations! It's joy to read them...!

[HYS]

I like shooting in the streets. FA 31 is always with me.

[robjmitchell]

I have the 43, it shines at landscape, portraits, flowers, pets, still life, abstract, low light, weddings, babies, textures, and anything else, except close focus of course!
While I sometimes shoot wide open, I usually stop it down a bit so the subject is fully in focus so you get that magical 3d pixie party!