F 28 2.8 vs DA 35 2.4

connor_nolan · 06-12-2015, 01:32 PM

Hello everybody!
I was looking to purchase a normal or close to normal fov prime and came across two options I may be interested in- the f/fa 28 2.8 and the da 35 2.4. Does anyone have recommendations as to which is sharper, has better iq, etc? Which one do you prefer? It looks as though the 35 will be around half the price of the 28 also so is the 28 worth the extra money? All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Na Horuk · 06-12-2015, 02:22 PM

I don't have the F 28mm, I have the older M version (not as sharp, according to reports). The DA 35mm is really great, sharp, fast AF, good coatings and flare resistance. But 28mm is a very different field of view, noticeably wider. I would say the 28mm is easier to use on APSC, it is a very comfortable angle. Still, DA 35mm can be found new for really good prices these days. You can get the DA 35mm and DA 50mm as well for the price of some of the 28mm lenses, and I honestly think it is better to get those two wonderful lenses than just one 28mm, as nice as its focal length may be.
I am still waiting on Pentax to make a modern 28mm

manntax · 06-12-2015, 02:31 PM

Don't have the DA 35 but do have both F28 and FA 35 - both are superb lenses and extremely sharp. My F28 is my sharpest 28mm from bunch of 4, and equals with superb Kiron 28mm 2 which I keep for manual use on film camera. Both FA 35 and F28 are very sharp from wide open. of course FA 35 f2 is faster so they are not equals really. Not even comparable actually, as 28mm vs. 35mm is really pretty apparent and so I decided to keep them both. Would I do just fine with either one only ? Probably yes, but on the other hand the F is so small and sharp and wide on film that I cannot let it go - especially with Full frame on the horizon.

You firstly imo need to decide which focal length appeals more to you. For me 35mm feels better on APS-C and so I use it more often there. The SMC-F28mm I use only occasionally and mainly on film, but it delivers stunning results on either. From people's reports the DA 35 is also good performer. I never liked these cheap DA lenses , there was always something putting me off ... but perhaps this is what will do the trick for you ?

ChristianRock · 06-12-2015, 02:36 PM

I've had two Pentax 28mm 2.8 lenses and I still own the DA 35 2.4. I had the M 28 2.8 (not related to the F 28) and the A 28 2.8 (same optics as the F 28 2.8, possibly slightly different coatings which might help the F version's aberration correction wide open). In the end I sold both Pentax 28s (keeping a Rikenon 28 that I love, and now just added a Tokina-made Sears 28 that is also very sharp but time will tell if I'll keep it).

My experience with the Pentax 28s is that they are good lenses when stopped down, not so impressive wide open. If you buy a f2.8 lens to use it at f4 and smaller, then there's no point in having the f2.8. The Rikenon is impressively sharp at f2.8 with the exception of the extreme edges, and that is why it stayed.

Now, talking about the DA 35 2.4, that lens is even better. Also impressively sharp wide open, even to the very edges. If I could only keep one lens in the 28-35 range, that is the one I would keep.

EarlVonTapia · 06-12-2015, 02:37 PM

Originally posted by connor_nolan

Hello everybody!
I was looking to purchase a normal or close to normal fov prime and came across two options I may be interested in- the f/fa 28 2.8 and the da 35 2.4. Does anyone have recommendations as to which is sharper, has better iq, etc? Which one do you prefer? It looks as though the 35 will be around half the price of the 28 also so is the 28 worth the extra money? All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I've made this comparison before:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/227605-28-3...ml#post2415138

To me they were both equally sharp (and they're both very sharp, even wide open). The F 28 has poor flare resistance without a hood, while the DA 35 has great flare control even without a hood. Aside from price, that's the only advantage the DA 35 has over the F 28.

I don't know if I would pay much more than $200-250 for a used F 28, but If I had the option, I would go with the F 28 over the DA 35.

NZUnicorn · 06-12-2015, 03:32 PM

I think the DA 35 is slightly better than the F 28, but not by enough to let that decide which one to get.
I would decide based on focal length, and that depends on how you shoot and what other lenses you have or expect to have. Pentax provides a lot of excellent options, prices are not too bad, and you get shake reduction.
If I was to have one lens, I would take the 28mm because being on the wide side of normal gives great flexibility.
But with two or more lenses I would choose whichever fitted best into the set - for example With a 40mm, 43mm or 50mm, a 28mm would be more useful than a 35mm. With a 21mm, a 35mm would be more useful than a 28mm.

jddwoods · 06-12-2015, 05:36 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by EarlVonTapia

I've made this comparison before:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/227605-28-3...ml#post2415138

To me they were both equally sharp (and they're both very sharp, even wide open). The F 28 has poor flare resistance without a hood, while the DA 35 has great flare control even without a hood. Aside from price, that's the only advantage the DA 35 has over the F 28.

I don't know if I would pay much more than $200-250 for a used F 28, but If I had the option, I would go with the F 28 over the DA 35.

I have the F 28 mm 2.8 and I agree here. It's one and maybe only weakness is flare control. I really like the lens and do use it occasionally. It pairs nicely with a 40 mm or 50 mm lens as a two lens kit. I bought mine new way back in 1990 with my long gone SF-10 film SLR. IT is still a great lens on K-5 and K-3. If you can get a good copy for around $200 to $250 it is definitely worth it. Build is better than average with a plastic outside shell, but mount and inner barrel are metal. Not quite limited quality but it feels substantial like it will last a long time, which mine has.

EarlVonTapia · 06-12-2015, 08:13 PM

A couple more things to add:

You can crop a picture shot at 28mm down to a 35mm field of view with hardly any penalty, but you can't do the reverse.

And the difference in F stop between f2.8 and f2.4 is barely noticeable at all (it might cost you a few ISOs).

connor_nolan · 06-12-2015, 09:01 PM

Thanks all for the input! Looks as though I will be buying the 28 2.8! Any ideas where to purchase it for around $200? Ebay?

wkraus · 06-12-2015, 11:45 PM

Originally posted by connor_nolan

Thanks all for the input! Looks as though I will be buying the 28 2.8! Any ideas where to purchase it for around $200? Ebay?

I would strongly recommend looking for the FA 28mm. Apart from the fact that it is somewhat less ugly (AFAIC) it has a more advanced aspherical design and is simply an amazing lens, while (as mentioned above) the F 28mm carried on the older design of the A 28mm, itself closely related or identical to the second version M 28mm.

ogl · 06-13-2015, 12:05 AM

Originally posted by connor_nolan

Hello everybody!
I was looking to purchase a normal or close to normal fov prime and came across two options I may be interested in- the f/fa 28 2.8 and the da 35 2.4. Does anyone have recommendations as to which is sharper, has better iq, etc? Which one do you prefer? It looks as though the 35 will be around half the price of the 28 also so is the 28 worth the extra money? All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

DA35/2.4 is sharper. I know it 100%. F28/2.8 is not bad lens. But I had sold mine.

alamo5000 · 06-13-2015, 04:54 AM

I've never owned the 35mm plastic mount but I can most certainly vouch for the F28mm. I bought one to fill the gap between 21mm and 40mm and it's an awesome lens. That focal length is my personal favorite walk around.

I do use a hood on mine, but then again I use a hood on every lens.

The F28 has been called the 'poor man's 31mm'...

I don't know what to compare it to, but if you are familiar with DA Limited lenses... it's right up there pretty close when it comes to sharpness. It's just an all around great lens.

manntax · 06-13-2015, 05:48 AM

Originally posted by ogl

DA35/2.4 is sharper. I know it 100%. F28/2.8 is not bad lens. But I had sold mine.

Wrong:: Your DA35 was sharper from YOUR COPY of F28 - this is what you know for 100%

ogl · 06-13-2015, 06:19 AM

Originally posted by manntax

Wrong:: Your DA35 was sharper from YOUR COPY of F28 - this is what you know for 100%

No. I'm not alone. I know at least 3 copies of F28 (me and two lenses of my friends). By the way, the quality of old lenses was very good. I never used bad copies of F, FA or FA* lenses. I guess that it could be...But I never saw.

If we use F28 and DA35 at 16 MP sensor, it easy to see that F28/2.8 has lower resolution at 2.8 than DA35/2.4.
If we say about closed apertures - f6.3-7.1-8 - we can say about any parity. DA is better at all apertures from 2.8 till 5.6.

I used F28 for a long time. It's good old lens, but nothing special. DA35/2.4 like DA50/1.8 in terms of resolution
F28 is not bad, but DA35 is VERY sharp. It's sharper than FA31 and FA43, for example.

alamo5000 · 06-13-2015, 06:26 AM

Originally posted by ogl

It's sharper than FA31 and FA43, for example.

Dude, you're completely nuts. There is no way.

Anyone reading should take whatever he's saying with a huge grain of salt.

Sharper than the 31 or 43? Laughable at best.

06-12-2015, 01:32 PM	#1
connor_nolan New Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 5	F 28 2.8 vs DA 35 2.4 Hello everybody! I was looking to purchase a normal or close to normal fov prime and came across two options I may be interested in- the f/fa 28 2.8 and the da 35 2.4. Does anyone have recommendations as to which is sharper, has better iq, etc? Which one do you prefer? It looks as though the 35 will be around half the price of the 28 also so is the 28 worth the extra money? All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

06-13-2015, 06:19 AM	#14
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	Originally posted by manntax Wrong:: Your DA35 was sharper from YOUR COPY of F28 - this is what you know for 100% No. I'm not alone. I know at least 3 copies of F28 (me and two lenses of my friends). By the way, the quality of old lenses was very good. I never used bad copies of F, FA or FA* lenses. I guess that it could be...But I never saw. If we use F28 and DA35 at 16 MP sensor, it easy to see that F28/2.8 has lower resolution at 2.8 than DA35/2.4. If we say about closed apertures - f6.3-7.1-8 - we can say about any parity. DA is better at all apertures from 2.8 till 5.6. I used F28 for a long time. It's good old lens, but nothing special. DA35/2.4 like DA50/1.8 in terms of resolution F28 is not bad, but DA35 is VERY sharp. It's sharper than FA31 and FA43, for example. Last edited by ogl; 06-13-2015 at 07:51 AM.

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06-12-2015, 02:22 PM	#2
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	I don't have the F 28mm, I have the older M version (not as sharp, according to reports). The DA 35mm is really great, sharp, fast AF, good coatings and flare resistance. But 28mm is a very different field of view, noticeably wider. I would say the 28mm is easier to use on APSC, it is a very comfortable angle. Still, DA 35mm can be found new for really good prices these days. You can get the DA 35mm and DA 50mm as well for the price of some of the 28mm lenses, and I honestly think it is better to get those two wonderful lenses than just one 28mm, as nice as its focal length may be. I am still waiting on Pentax to make a modern 28mm

06-12-2015, 02:31 PM	#3
manntax Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,972	Don't have the DA 35 but do have both F28 and FA 35 - both are superb lenses and extremely sharp. My F28 is my sharpest 28mm from bunch of 4, and equals with superb Kiron 28mm 2 which I keep for manual use on film camera. Both FA 35 and F28 are very sharp from wide open. of course FA 35 f2 is faster so they are not equals really. Not even comparable actually, as 28mm vs. 35mm is really pretty apparent and so I decided to keep them both. Would I do just fine with either one only ? Probably yes, but on the other hand the F is so small and sharp and wide on film that I cannot let it go - especially with Full frame on the horizon. You firstly imo need to decide which focal length appeals more to you. For me 35mm feels better on APS-C and so I use it more often there. The SMC-F28mm I use only occasionally and mainly on film, but it delivers stunning results on either. From people's reports the DA 35 is also good performer. I never liked these cheap DA lenses , there was always something putting me off ... but perhaps this is what will do the trick for you ?

06-12-2015, 02:36 PM	#4
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	I've had two Pentax 28mm 2.8 lenses and I still own the DA 35 2.4. I had the M 28 2.8 (not related to the F 28) and the A 28 2.8 (same optics as the F 28 2.8, possibly slightly different coatings which might help the F version's aberration correction wide open). In the end I sold both Pentax 28s (keeping a Rikenon 28 that I love, and now just added a Tokina-made Sears 28 that is also very sharp but time will tell if I'll keep it). My experience with the Pentax 28s is that they are good lenses when stopped down, not so impressive wide open. If you buy a f2.8 lens to use it at f4 and smaller, then there's no point in having the f2.8. The Rikenon is impressively sharp at f2.8 with the exception of the extreme edges, and that is why it stayed. Now, talking about the DA 35 2.4, that lens is even better. Also impressively sharp wide open, even to the very edges. If I could only keep one lens in the 28-35 range, that is the one I would keep.

06-12-2015, 02:37 PM	#5
EarlVonTapia Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,207	Originally posted by connor_nolan Hello everybody! I was looking to purchase a normal or close to normal fov prime and came across two options I may be interested in- the f/fa 28 2.8 and the da 35 2.4. Does anyone have recommendations as to which is sharper, has better iq, etc? Which one do you prefer? It looks as though the 35 will be around half the price of the 28 also so is the 28 worth the extra money? All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks! I've made this comparison before: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/227605-28-3...ml#post2415138 To me they were both equally sharp (and they're both very sharp, even wide open). The F 28 has poor flare resistance without a hood, while the DA 35 has great flare control even without a hood. Aside from price, that's the only advantage the DA 35 has over the F 28. I don't know if I would pay much more than $200-250 for a used F 28, but If I had the option, I would go with the F 28 over the DA 35.

06-12-2015, 03:32 PM	#6
NZUnicorn Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 41	I think the DA 35 is slightly better than the F 28, but not by enough to let that decide which one to get. I would decide based on focal length, and that depends on how you shoot and what other lenses you have or expect to have. Pentax provides a lot of excellent options, prices are not too bad, and you get shake reduction. If I was to have one lens, I would take the 28mm because being on the wide side of normal gives great flexibility. But with two or more lenses I would choose whichever fitted best into the set - for example With a 40mm, 43mm or 50mm, a 28mm would be more useful than a 35mm. With a 21mm, a 35mm would be more useful than a 28mm.

06-12-2015, 05:36 PM - 1 Like	#7
jddwoods Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,035	Originally posted by EarlVonTapia I've made this comparison before: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/227605-28-3...ml#post2415138 To me they were both equally sharp (and they're both very sharp, even wide open). The F 28 has poor flare resistance without a hood, while the DA 35 has great flare control even without a hood. Aside from price, that's the only advantage the DA 35 has over the F 28. I don't know if I would pay much more than $200-250 for a used F 28, but If I had the option, I would go with the F 28 over the DA 35. I have the F 28 mm 2.8 and I agree here. It's one and maybe only weakness is flare control. I really like the lens and do use it occasionally. It pairs nicely with a 40 mm or 50 mm lens as a two lens kit. I bought mine new way back in 1990 with my long gone SF-10 film SLR. IT is still a great lens on K-5 and K-3. If you can get a good copy for around $200 to $250 it is definitely worth it. Build is better than average with a plastic outside shell, but mount and inner barrel are metal. Not quite limited quality but it feels substantial like it will last a long time, which mine has.

06-12-2015, 08:13 PM	#8
EarlVonTapia Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,207	A couple more things to add: You can crop a picture shot at 28mm down to a 35mm field of view with hardly any penalty, but you can't do the reverse. And the difference in F stop between f2.8 and f2.4 is barely noticeable at all (it might cost you a few ISOs).

06-12-2015, 09:01 PM	#9
connor_nolan New Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 5 Original Poster	Thanks all for the input! Looks as though I will be buying the 28 2.8! Any ideas where to purchase it for around $200? Ebay?

06-12-2015, 11:45 PM	#10
wkraus Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Near Vienna, Austria Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,060	Originally posted by connor_nolan Thanks all for the input! Looks as though I will be buying the 28 2.8! Any ideas where to purchase it for around $200? Ebay? I would strongly recommend looking for the FA 28mm. Apart from the fact that it is somewhat less ugly (AFAIC) it has a more advanced aspherical design and is simply an amazing lens, while (as mentioned above) the F 28mm carried on the older design of the A 28mm, itself closely related or identical to the second version M 28mm.

06-13-2015, 12:05 AM	#11
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	Originally posted by connor_nolan Hello everybody! I was looking to purchase a normal or close to normal fov prime and came across two options I may be interested in- the f/fa 28 2.8 and the da 35 2.4. Does anyone have recommendations as to which is sharper, has better iq, etc? Which one do you prefer? It looks as though the 35 will be around half the price of the 28 also so is the 28 worth the extra money? All help is greatly appreciated. Thanks! DA35/2.4 is sharper. I know it 100%. F28/2.8 is not bad lens. But I had sold mine.

06-13-2015, 04:54 AM	#12
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962	I've never owned the 35mm plastic mount but I can most certainly vouch for the F28mm. I bought one to fill the gap between 21mm and 40mm and it's an awesome lens. That focal length is my personal favorite walk around. I do use a hood on mine, but then again I use a hood on every lens. The F28 has been called the 'poor man's 31mm'... I don't know what to compare it to, but if you are familiar with DA Limited lenses... it's right up there pretty close when it comes to sharpness. It's just an all around great lens.

06-13-2015, 05:48 AM	#13
manntax Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,972	Originally posted by ogl DA35/2.4 is sharper. I know it 100%. F28/2.8 is not bad lens. But I had sold mine. Wrong:: Your DA35 was sharper from YOUR COPY of F28 - this is what you know for 100%

06-13-2015, 06:26 AM	#15
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962	Originally posted by ogl It's sharper than FA31 and FA43, for example. Dude, you're completely nuts. There is no way. Anyone reading should take whatever he's saying with a huge grain of salt. Sharper than the 31 or 43? Laughable at best.