Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
11-21-2016, 07:45 PM - 2 Likes   #1
Junior Member




Join Date: Nov 2014
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 26
Ok, so I'm in love

I've owned the K-3 twice over the past couple of years. I've always liked the camera due to its incredible ergonomics. However, I went back and kept up a Fuji system as well, because I felt that some of the Fuji glass is just special.

I hadn't found any Pentax glass the I felt had that special feel. I've owned the DA40 Limited, DA50, DA35, DA55-300, and the Sigma 17-50. Still, none of those really had the juice.

Then today happened. Today my rentals arrived from Lenrentals. I grabbed an FA31 and FA77. Holy smokes. I spent some time this afternoon setting the AF micro-adjusted. They're both dialed in now and are simply stunning.

The image quality POPS and the build quality is incredible. I'm screwed now because I have got to figure out how to explain my "need" for $2,000 worth of lenses. Haha.

11-21-2016, 08:35 PM - 1 Like   #2
Pentaxian




Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,611
QuoteOriginally posted by JameyMC Quote
I've owned the K-3 twice over the past couple of years. I've always liked the camera due to its incredible ergonomics. However, I went back and kept up a Fuji system as well, because I felt that some of the Fuji glass is just special.

I hadn't found any Pentax glass the I felt had that special feel. I've owned the DA40 Limited, DA50, DA35, DA55-300, and the Sigma 17-50. Still, none of those really had the juice.

Then today happened. Today my rentals arrived from Lenrentals. I grabbed an FA31 and FA77. Holy smokes. I spent some time this afternoon setting the AF micro-adjusted. They're both dialed in now and are simply stunning.

The image quality POPS and the build quality is incredible. I'm screwed now because I have got to figure out how to explain my "need" for $2,000 worth of lenses. Haha.
You have been bitten by the bug!! They are special for sure.
11-21-2016, 08:40 PM   #3
Pentaxian
jimr-pdx's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: now 1 hour north of PDX
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,897
Have you tried a DA 70? That could ease the pain.. slightly
11-21-2016, 08:45 PM - 1 Like   #4
Otis Memorial Pentaxian
Otis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis Fan
Loyal Site Supporter
clackers's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Melbourne
Photos: Albums
Posts: 16,394
I think you can get away with the DA70 instead of the FA77 if you had to save somewhere.


But as substitutes, the DA35 and FA35 are sharp but don't have the nine rounded blades and single-piece glass apochromatic element the FA31 has.

11-21-2016, 08:45 PM   #5
Pentaxian
normhead's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Near Algonquin Park
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 40,442
No mater how often you tel people those two lenses are special, they'll try and tell you something else is as good. I'm really not sure why. It certainly has nothing to do with the names I've seen. Based on images, I would have bought a 77 years ago.

My lens of choice in the 77's focal length is the SIma 70 macro, which I just love, but I'm not going to recommend it over a 77.
11-21-2016, 09:41 PM   #6
Senior Member
MBT74's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 135
The bad news you don't want to hear is that the FA43 is just as superb as the FA31 and FA-77.
11-21-2016, 09:47 PM   #7
Otis Memorial Pentaxian
Otis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis FanOtis Fan
Loyal Site Supporter
clackers's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Melbourne
Photos: Albums
Posts: 16,394
QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
No mater how often you tel people those two lenses are special, they'll try and tell you something else is as good. I'm really not sure why. It certainly has nothing to do with the names I've seen. Based on images, I would have bought a 77 years ago.

My lens of choice in the 77's focal length is the SIma 70 macro, which I just love, but I'm not going to recommend it over a 77.

Well, I've got both. If I'd thought longer term, I'd have bought only the 77, but the DA70 is very, very good anyway - less purple fringing, possibly sharper, less magical in the OoF areas.


Here's a candid of a dog and a posed one of my wife (smart alecks, my wife is the pic at the top!):









11-21-2016, 10:57 PM   #8
Closed Account




Join Date: Mar 2015
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 8,694
QuoteOriginally posted by JameyMC Quote
The image quality POPS and the build quality is incredible. I'm screwed now because I have got to figure out how to explain my "need" for $2,000 worth of lenses. Haha.
" Needs " should never be explained IMO, just accepted. Enjoy your glass. But.............if you do need to justify them, divide the cost by, say 10 years ( they will easily last that long ) and that $200 bucks a year is very well spent.
11-21-2016, 11:16 PM   #9
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
UncleVanya's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 28,185
QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
Well, I've got both. If I'd thought longer term, I'd have bought only the 77, but the DA70 is very, very good anyway - less purple fringing, possibly sharper, less magical in the OoF areas.


Here's a candid of a dog and a posed one of my wife (smart alecks, my wife is the pic at the top!):






I have both also. Originally my dad bought the 70 for himself. I later acquired the 77. Then when he shamelessly borrowed my DA 50-135 for a year I got the da 70. Later he switched to m43 and decided I should keep all the k mounts.

My assessment is similar. The da 70 is very very good. The lift the 77 gives is subtle. But all said I still own both.
11-21-2016, 11:31 PM   #10
Junior Member




Join Date: Nov 2014
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 26
Original Poster



I rented the DA70 last year for my daughter's first birthday. While very nice, it didn't scratch the itch like the 77 has so far. Here is a candid of my son I snapped this afternoon while playing around.
11-21-2016, 11:48 PM - 1 Like   #11
Moderator
Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Sandy Hancock's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 11,254
QuoteOriginally posted by MBT74 Quote
The bad news you don't want to hear is that the FA43 is just as superb as the FA31 and FA77
Without wishing to stir up a hornet's nest, I disagree. It's good, but there are lots of superb fast normals out there. Personally, I prefer the DA*55 on both crop and full frame. I still have an FA43, but keep it mainly for sentimental reasons - it's pretty, early and it completes the trio.

On the other hand, I reckon the FA31 and FA77 really are special. There aren't many AF lenses in their respective focal length ranges with a comparable combination of size, speed and je ne sais quoi.

Last edited by Sandy Hancock; 11-22-2016 at 12:36 AM.
11-22-2016, 12:40 AM   #12
PEG Moderator
Loyal Site Supporter
Kerrowdown's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 57,760
QuoteOriginally posted by JameyMC Quote
because I have got to figure out how to explain my "need" for $2,000 worth of lenses
Well that should only take no longer than a heartbeat.
11-22-2016, 01:46 AM   #13
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hampshire, UK
Posts: 1,652
I hate these posts ! I mainly take landscape shots. I don't take many wide angles, staying mostly in the 30-77 mm range, so the 31 and 77 have always been extremely tempting.

I often take shots into the sun or where the light is a significant part of the frame and I do have a tendency to look at the edges of the frame when I'm assessing my images. I'm rarely too concerned about deep DOF, preferring to stay in the f5.6 to f11 range (FF), so most lenses should be at their best in this range.

The 31 and 77 clearly have a great following, but many of the images will show a dreamy portrait, or central subject. OK now folk will be rushing to their landscape shots to prove these work too, but do they at large print size ? Will the magic of these lenses show up in the type of landscape shots I take when printed at A2 to A1 size ?

At the moment I'm struggling to love the DFA 24-70. The move from DA primes and DA* on a pair of K-3s at low ISO to a K-1/24-70 has not been smooth. Yes I have more to work with and greater flexibility with the K-1 but I'm finding that I'm also carrying a K-3 too and often preferring the shots from this. I wish I could decide whether to try the 31/77, albeit with the loss of zoom capability, especially as we're getting towards the holiday present season ...Maybe I could then love my K-1 and move off the K-3 ...
11-22-2016, 02:48 AM   #14
Pentaxian




Join Date: Feb 2015
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 12,178
The 31 and 77 are special from design but essentially for the rating of the glass element used. Any lens manufacturer can do it at this cost, but they don't, they use lower grade glass elements instead in order to match a certain price target. The DA* from Pentax are kinda the same sort of the Fuji primes, except that Pentax has only the DA*55, and Fuji made a set of primes of this kind. Evan Sigma and Tamron can design fast primes that kinda get you the image clarity of the FA ltd, but those lenses are priced in the range of $800 to $1000, not the $400 you paid for a DA lens or the $350 you paid for a Tamron/Sigma lens.

---------- Post added 22-11-16 at 10:54 ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by BarryE Quote
At the moment I'm struggling to love the DFA 24-70. The move from DA primes and DA* on a pair of K-3s at low ISO to a K-1/24-70 has not been smooth. Yes I have more to work with and greater flexibility with the K-1 but I'm finding that I'm also carrying a K-3 too and often preferring the shots from this. I wish I could decide whether to try the 31/77, albeit with the loss of zoom capability, especially as we're getting towards the holiday present season ...Maybe I could then love my K-1 and move off the K-3 ...
I understand how you feel. Image quality with primes on apsc rivals zoom on FF, the FF zoom combo is larger and heavier, you have have the flexibility of a zoom. But lets wait and hope Pentax release a couple of new primes with the quality of sigma art lenses / tamron high grade primes, you'll see how the full frame + prime combo will outdo your apsc+prime set.
11-22-2016, 03:07 AM   #15
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter




Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Gladys, Virginia
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 27,606
I agree with Sandy, in that I have the FA 31, FA 77 and the DA *55 and the combination does work well on both crop and full frame cameras. I have use the 40mm focal length some, but honestly, it is a little too close to the 31mm focal length and I didn't feel like the FA 43 had the same level of pixie dust about it that the other FA limiteds did.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
apsc, da*, fa, flexibility, frame, fuji, glass, k-1, k-3, k-mount, landscape, lens, move, pentax, pentax lens, primes, quality, range, shots, size, slr lens
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
I think I'm in love - the Pentax K2 filmamigo Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 88 10-04-2021 10:33 AM
I'm in love - SMC Pentax 35mm F3.5 hence84 Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 16 05-16-2016 04:52 AM
So apparently I'm going to a Safari in a few months, so I'm looking for a cheap zoom ZombieArmy Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 34 07-29-2015 11:56 AM
Quick question... ok, so I'm a bit slow kyricom Pentax DSLR Discussion 3 06-23-2015 06:52 PM
hi i'm in to video these days,and love pentax,so which camera is best for video ? dr100hr Pentax DSLR Discussion 7 04-29-2015 04:49 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:02 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top