[abacus07]

I doubt you will feel like using the FA50 if you have the FA43. The DA*55 is a little bit different story though. I'm not sure I would be concerned about SDM failures on the DA*55. I was under the impression that it was the zooms that were heavily affected by the SDM failures and the primes rarely had any failures.

[yorik]

I will add my voice to the chorus. The FA 50 f/1.4 was my first Pentax lens and I love(d) it... Since getting the 43, I haven't used it.

[todd]

same here as with yorik, but think that will change on ff.... excited to put fa50 through paces on ff.

[robjmitchell]

If you were planning on sticking with APS-c then I would have recommended the da55 since it pairs with the 31ltd so well. But if your planning on getting FF the 43ltd is the lens to have!
Stop thinking!

Start Buying!
(a 43ltd shot for effect)

[Des]

Another one whose 50s are feeling less love after getting the 43. Especially with the 77 as well.

But then, so many great cheap nifty 50s a little redundancy doesn't matter much. Seems hardly worth selling the A-50 or DA 50, even if only they are only getting occasional use.

[atomx]

Appreciate everyones input.

Well its seems the general consensus is that 50mm's are excellent but the 43ltd has something extra. Ive just ordered the 43ltd,
I'm not sure it will be ideal on the K3 (crop) but I think it will be great on FF, which I plan to get and use along side my K3.

[kp0c]

I have had the FA 50mm 1.4 and didn't like it that much. It's not exactly super cheap and doesn't offer much at 1.4 imo (it's a little soft and has a lot of CA). I much prefer the F 50mm 1.7, which you can get for not much money. It's sharp from 1.7 and I really enjoy the rendering which remind me of film picture (call me a wannabe if you want, I shot film once in my life, and it wasn't even with an slr). If I had to put words on it, I'd say it's the out of focus transition that I find very pleasing with this lens.

I was kind of in your position a month ago when I had some paypal money to spend on a lens. I wanted the FA 43mm simply because I wanted to complete the trio. However, since I had the F 50mm 1.7, I wasn't sure if it made any sense at all, and I really didn't want to sell my 50mm anyway, cause I love it. Well, in the end, I figured I really wanted to own the 43mm for it's special rendering, and since the F 50mm 1.7 doesn't cost a whole much, I decided to keep both. Although I'm very happy having both lenses, I still don't know if I will find use for both lenses... time will tell .

Good luck with your choice.

[Sandy Hancock]

The FA43 is a quirky lens. It was the last of the Three Amigos I bought, and it's still my least favourite despite its uniqueness. It is compact, beautifully made and handles well, and is exceptionally sharp in the centre at wide apertures. It can exhibit some funky bokeh, but at other times it can be sublime. The focal length is a bit nowhere on APS-C, but I look forward to using it a lot more on a 36x42 DSLR some day. Its poor minimum focal distance is also occasionally a source of frustration.

The great thing about fast fifties is there are so many to choose from. I went for *super* fast to give a significant point of difference from my FA43 and DA*55. The trade off was price and weight, but for me it has been worth it. I had a FA50/1.4 for a while and it was a fine lens, but it was a bit soft until about f/2.4 and quite prone to chromatic aberration until stopped down a bit. Mind you, the A50/1.2 doesn't like bright Australian daylight much either - it's more of a night owl

[kp0c]

The FA43 is a quirky lens. It was the last of the Three Amigos I bought, and it's still my least favourite despite its uniqueness. It is compact, beautifully made and handles well, and is exceptionally sharp in the centre at wide apertures. It can exhibit some funky bokeh, but at other times it can be sublime. The focal length is a bit nowhere on APS-C, but I look forward to using it a lot more on a 36x42 DSLR some day. It's poor minimum focal distance is also occasionally a source of frustration.

+1 for the minimum focusing distance being a little bit disappointing.

[bpv_UW]

I've owned and used extensively lots of lenses in this range of focal lengths: Da 40, Fa 43 (2 copies), F 50/1.7 (2 copies), Fa 50/1.7, M 50/1.7, A 50/2.8 macro, Zeiss 50/2 Makro-Planar. IMO, you don't need both a 50 and the 43. The FOV is similar enough that I don't see a big gap in terms of their intended uses. The 43 is awesome, as others have said already. The only lens in this range that I think possibly bests it IQ-wise is the Zeiss 50/2 Makro-Planar (though I haven't used the A 50/1.2). Zeiss renders differently than the FA limiteds, so I'm sure some would disagree with me here. Sharpness, contrast, bokeh, and focus transitions are unmatched with the Zeiss, though. Disadvantages are size, cost, MF. I think if I end up getting the FF body eventually, I'll go back to the 43, as I want my normal lens to have AF.

Long story short: get the 43, you won't regret it.

Brandon

[Nicolas06]

I first brougth the FA50 instead of DA50 f/1.8. I regret it. You pay more for something that is not better at all.

The FA50 is really soft in the f/1.4-2 range, okish at f/2.8 and only great f/4 onward. It has purple frigging, AF is very soso unless you have a K3 where it is okish.

The FA77 is far better to me because it render much better. You can use at f/2 and get pretty good results.

Also if you are into primes and don't want to get hundred of them just for fun, FA31 + FA77 give you real differences in framing, you don't need a lense every few milimeters appart. That keep the bag small/light and reduce the number of lenses swapping.

You decided for the 43, for me that the only issue: it too much like the FA31 in focal range really. It soft on border wide open but I think it would have any difficulties to be much better than the FA50.

[6BQ5]

I feel so sad for the FA 50mm f/1.4. It's not getting a lot of love here.

[noelpolar]

Sandy summed it up real well........so I can only add this to that......It's all quite simple..... the 43 is the beautilful and gregarious italian girl, the 50 1.4 is the girl you go home to.....sooooo.......are you after pot roast and a glass of milk....or carbonara and vino?

To summarise.....the 43 will give you great moments and soso moments..... but in the end, upon reflection you will know that you have lived (Pentax).

[Stavri]

Sandy summed it up real well........so I can only add this to that......It's all quite simple..... the 43 is the beautilful and gregarious italian girl, the 50 1.4 is the girl you go home to.....sooooo.......are you after pot roast and a glass of milk....or carbonara and vino?

To summarise.....the 43 will give you great moments and soso moments..... but in the end, upon reflection you will know that you have lived (Pentax).

A lot of people forget to mention the fact that the FA 43 is somewhat temperamental, thanks for pointing this out folks.

[Sandy Hancock]

A lot of people forget to mention the fact that the FA 43 is somewhat temperamental, thanks for pointing this out folks.

When I was first introduced to the three FA limiteds as potential objects of desire, my Pentaxian friend referred to them as The Diva, The Bitch and The Princess (in ascending order of focal length). Perhaps not politically correct, but it has stood the test of time in my experience