The DA plastic fantastic primes 35/50 wind up in the Ephotozine budget round up.

D1N0 · 03-13-2017, 07:43 AM - **2 Likes**

Top 17 Best Budget Lenses 2017

The DA 35mm F2.4 is second.

pathdoc · 03-13-2017, 08:01 AM

That's pretty good. The gap between the two is interesting, but people here who own the 35 do swear by it, so perhaps it's no surprise it's well ahead of its 50mm sibling.

The Squirrel Mafia · 03-13-2017, 09:20 AM

I use the 35mm most of the time. I really like that lens.

cali92rs · 03-13-2017, 09:45 AM

Originally posted by pathdoc

That's pretty good. The gap between the two is interesting, but people here who own the 35 do swear by it, so perhaps it's no surprise it's well ahead of its 50mm sibling.

I have had both. For me, the output of the 50mm is a bit underwhelming.
The 35mm on the other hand is really great, even if it were not a budget lens.

ChristianRock · 03-13-2017, 10:43 AM

If i could have just one lens, i think that would be it. Sharp from wide open, light enough to carry all day, normal FOV. Love it.

leekil · 03-13-2017, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by pathdoc

That's pretty good. The gap between the two is interesting, but people here who own the 35 do swear by it, so perhaps it's no surprise it's well ahead of its 50mm sibling.

I don't think it was a ranked list, just 17 lenses with a selection across various brands.

D1N0 · 03-13-2017, 10:59 AM

They are ranked according to review score.

leekil · 03-13-2017, 11:01 AM

Oh, sorry.

The 35mm is 4.5 stars, and the 50 is 4, so that isn't really much of a difference, really.

normhead · 03-13-2017, 11:04 AM

More of interest of course is the 10 best pentax lenses, what's #1`... my very own DA*200 ƒ2.8 The 300 ƒ4 everyone recommends instead didn't even make the list.
Top 10 Best Pentax Lenses 2015 Rated By ePHOTOzine

But don't feel bad 300 owners, , my treasured DA*60-250 didn't make it either, I don't know what's wrong with those people. The 77 was #10, and the 31 didn't even make the list.
There's something wrong with those people.

I don't think they own very many Pentax lenses.

RAART · 03-13-2017, 02:13 PM

Nice to have multiple of those... Didn't knew that of those lenses I have 5 of them (numbers from the list: 2, 4, 5, 14, 15)

a5m · 03-13-2017, 07:25 PM

I've read that the DA 35/2.4 uses the same optical formula as the FA 35/2. The FA 35/2 has a resolution that's close to macro lens level. You can see here. No wonder people love the plastic fantastic.

**Miguel** · 03-13-2017, 11:37 PM

Just for kicks I compared the DA 35mm f2.4 with my Zeiss 35mm f2. The delta of pure sharpness was a lot narrower than I expected, though of course the Zeiss has a very unique rendering and I only shoot it at f2. That said, I still use the DA 35mm happily. The pocketability and light weight is superb to the point that I sometimes forget I have on my person.

M

Davidparis · 03-13-2017, 11:59 PM

I had been enjoying mine and still do, even after removing it from the camera body one day and HALF THE LENS STAYED ON AND HALF CAME OFF! The lens basically separated itself in two under the super-human strength I applied to simply perform a lens change. I removed the part still attached to the body and re-inserted into the other half and it's been working ever since. Sharp as a tack. I do believe it's a "plastic piece of cr*p" but it does capture a clean shot. I'm even taking it BACK to India for the third time next month...
One more advantage : if it's stolen, you lose it, you decide to throw it in the ocean or you want to see what happens when a train runs over it, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL !

SpecialK · 03-14-2017, 12:20 AM

Originally posted by leekil

Oh, sorry.

The 35mm is 4.5 stars, and the 50 is 4, so that isn't really much of a difference, really.

True, but all the lenses were at least 4 stars - whatever that means :-)

D1N0 · 03-14-2017, 02:58 AM

The DA 50 is less special because a lot more good 50mm primes are available than there are good 35mm primes. it is still a very good and sharp lens based on the 50 1.7 lenses with more modern coatings. Ricoh should reissue both lenses as FA with a fast silent focus motor.

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03-13-2017, 07:43 AM - 2 Likes	#1
D1N0 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Location: --- Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,802	The DA plastic fantastic primes 35/50 wind up in the Ephotozine budget round up. Top 17 Best Budget Lenses 2017 The DA 35mm F2.4 is second.

03-13-2017, 08:01 AM	#2
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	That's pretty good. The gap between the two is interesting, but people here who own the 35 do swear by it, so perhaps it's no surprise it's well ahead of its 50mm sibling.

03-13-2017, 09:20 AM	#3
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,058	I use the 35mm most of the time. I really like that lens.

03-13-2017, 09:45 AM	#4
cali92rs Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 3,354	Originally posted by pathdoc That's pretty good. The gap between the two is interesting, but people here who own the 35 do swear by it, so perhaps it's no surprise it's well ahead of its 50mm sibling. I have had both. For me, the output of the 50mm is a bit underwhelming. The 35mm on the other hand is really great, even if it were not a budget lens.

03-13-2017, 10:43 AM	#5
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,912	If i could have just one lens, i think that would be it. Sharp from wide open, light enough to carry all day, normal FOV. Love it.

03-13-2017, 10:46 AM	#6
leekil Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,003	Originally posted by pathdoc That's pretty good. The gap between the two is interesting, but people here who own the 35 do swear by it, so perhaps it's no surprise it's well ahead of its 50mm sibling. I don't think it was a ranked list, just 17 lenses with a selection across various brands.

03-13-2017, 10:59 AM	#7
D1N0 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Location: --- Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,802 Original Poster	They are ranked according to review score.

03-13-2017, 11:01 AM	#8
leekil Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,003	Oh, sorry. The 35mm is 4.5 stars, and the 50 is 4, so that isn't really much of a difference, really.

03-13-2017, 11:04 AM	#9
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	More of interest of course is the 10 best pentax lenses, what's #1`... my very own DA200 ƒ2.8 The 300 ƒ4 everyone recommends instead didn't even make the list. Top 10 Best Pentax Lenses 2015 Rated By ePHOTOzine But don't feel bad 300 owners, , my treasured DA60-250 didn't make it either, I don't know what's wrong with those people. The 77 was #10, and the 31 didn't even make the list. There's something wrong with those people. I don't think they own very many Pentax lenses.

03-13-2017, 02:13 PM	#10
RAART Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oakville, ON Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,095	Nice to have multiple of those... Didn't knew that of those lenses I have 5 of them (numbers from the list: 2, 4, 5, 14, 15)

03-13-2017, 07:25 PM	#11
a5m Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 576	I've read that the DA 35/2.4 uses the same optical formula as the FA 35/2. The FA 35/2 has a resolution that's close to macro lens level. You can see here. No wonder people love the plastic fantastic.

03-13-2017, 11:37 PM	#12
Miguel Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,743	Just for kicks I compared the DA 35mm f2.4 with my Zeiss 35mm f2. The delta of pure sharpness was a lot narrower than I expected, though of course the Zeiss has a very unique rendering and I only shoot it at f2. That said, I still use the DA 35mm happily. The pocketability and light weight is superb to the point that I sometimes forget I have on my person. M

03-13-2017, 11:59 PM	#13
Davidparis Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Paris, France Posts: 290	I had been enjoying mine and still do, even after removing it from the camera body one day and HALF THE LENS STAYED ON AND HALF CAME OFF! The lens basically separated itself in two under the super-human strength I applied to simply perform a lens change. I removed the part still attached to the body and re-inserted into the other half and it's been working ever since. Sharp as a tack. I do believe it's a "plastic piece of cr*p" but it does capture a clean shot. I'm even taking it BACK to India for the third time next month... One more advantage : if it's stolen, you lose it, you decide to throw it in the ocean or you want to see what happens when a train runs over it, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL !

03-14-2017, 12:20 AM	#14
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	Originally posted by leekil Oh, sorry. The 35mm is 4.5 stars, and the 50 is 4, so that isn't really much of a difference, really. True, but all the lenses were at least 4 stars - whatever that means :-)

03-14-2017, 02:58 AM	#15
D1N0 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Location: --- Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,802 Original Poster	The DA 50 is less special because a lot more good 50mm primes are available than there are good 35mm primes. it is still a very good and sharp lens based on the 50 1.7 lenses with more modern coatings. Ricoh should reissue both lenses as FA with a fast silent focus motor.