[gm4life]

The *55 without a doubt. I have used both.

I second this... The 55 is one honey of lens.

[robjmitchell]

43ltd is my favourite lens. Works brilliantly for both 1/2 body and small group portraits, but is more suited to being stoped down and used in a photojournalistic style that shows a slightly blurred but still recognisable background. Its also great as a general purpose lens.

However if you want maximum blur then the 55 is a stronger lens wide open for classic portraiture.
I find that the combination of 21 and 43 covers my main focal ranges nicely.

[Sandy Hancock]

I have both, but I keep the FA43 for mainly sentimental reasons - like the desire to have a matched set of silver MIJ FA limiteds.

When it comes to making images, or packing a bag for an outing, the DA*55 gets all the love, both on crop and full frame. Zero distortion, massive resolving power, wider by nearly a full stop, silent focus, quick shift, weather sealed....

[r3nx]

Went to a bog hike with -15C this weekend for some nature-time with our company. Didn't think that I would use the DA*55 at all, but kind-of forgot to take it out of the bag (thought I'd use the 60-250 instead).
Glad I did forget, I got some very very good portraits and on top of that, this tiny little fellow popped out.

I quickly threw the HD1.4x on the DA*55 without thinking and it delivered!! SDM was fast and silent enough to get this guy in focus event with the TC.



I was kinda in the same spot as you. I thought over 43 55 77 and even the 31. All of these are very different lenses, but in the end, I'm totally happy with my decision.
I never want to take the DA*55 off the camera. If I *have to* change the lens, I always find myself thinking, would I be able to use the 55 for that shot instead so I wouldn't have to take it off .

PS. I have no experience with the 43 tho.

[drypenn]

The 55 is much easier to work with, much more consistent esp. with bokeh. The 43 is tricky.

But my most favorite shots (maybe technically not perfect) have been taken by the 43. Coincidence?

Offtopic: My DA55’s SDM failed, but I’m giving it a second chance (it’s that good) so I’m having it repaired. The 43’s screw driven AF on the other hand, might just outlive me.

[gatorguy]

The 55 is much easier to work with, much more consistent esp. with bokeh. The 43 is tricky.

But my most favorite shots (maybe technically not perfect) have been taken by the 43. Coincidence?

Offtopic: My DA55’s SDM failed, but I’m giving it a second chance (it’s that good) so I’m having it repaired. The 43’s screw driven AF on the other hand, might just outlive me.

My *55 SDM also failed me a couple months ago, tho I may or may not get it fixed. I love the portrait rendering of it so much I bought another copy, probably sell this one instead as is which by the way still worked wonderfully as a manual focus on the shoot it failed at. More of an inconvenience to me than anything. I had left my Bower 85 at home purely because it WAS manual focus, and manual for the fast photo shoot I used it for isn't my first choice. If it were only in studio I use manual focus anyway and for that my original copy of the *55 would have been just fine.

As an aside I used three lens on this weekends shoot: *55, FA77 outside and and a LensRental FA31 I wanted to try full-body in studio and wide outside. I've never had an entire series of shots so spot on focus at 100% with both the 55 and 77. Seriously, they were that good (the 55 slower to focus). An amazingly successful session. BUT...

I was less impressed with the 31. I might have missed focus on perhaps 10% of the 55/77 shots, even relatively fast-paced. The best ones in fact were probably those from the *55, sorry 77 fans that one was very close behind. The 31 on the other hand missed at least a third of the time. Could be technique with an unfamiliar lens or perhaps this one is just front-focusing by just a tad which appears may be the case. It wasn't the studio because I also used the *55 there and nearly every one of them ideally focused. I have it for another week and two shoots coming up Saturday, one in potentially tight quarters, so the jury is out.

Fun fact: I was shooting alongside a very polite and quite experienced Sony A7III user. He made mention several times about how amazing his camera's Sony Eye-AF feature was. He rarely missed, and proudly showing off a few shots to me. So we started comparing for the next few minutes shot by shot at 100% and even more. I matched him across the board with both the 55 and 77 in AF. We then discussed camera and lens where we both had to deal with budgets. His preference was a great camera (for him) with lots of features, in-camera processing options, and paired with good lenses. Mine was a good camera (for me better than good), more basic with essentials and perks but GREAT glass and practical PP. He agreed with me that my way makes a lot of sense and probably a lot less expensive.

There's a few ways to get from A to B to C...
...and my shots were considered two of the top three from the shoot so point of pride there. An APS-C DSLR can hold its own quite well thank you.

It really was a very worthwhile weekend. It's stuff like this that consistently renews my enthusiasm for the art of photography and the *55 helps make the magic.

[gatorguy]

So a brief followup on the FA31. It was indeed a teeny bit of front focus that I fixed with a lens adjustment in camera. Those looking at the 43 on an APS-C might find that the FA31 is a very worthy addition in studio or group shots, more so than even the 43 being discussed here. Personally I'd choose the *55 as the best choice and follow that up when the budget allows with an FA31 which would pair wonderfully with it for events and groups and family stuff. The renders from the FA31 and *55 and FA77 are all very similar IMO and would match up well in a series of shots. As a mention one reason these primes work at a shoot for me is I typically carry two cameras now with obviously different lenses. If only carrying one I would turn to the DA* 50-135 rather than having to do field lens changes due to the limitations a prime might present.

I was fortunate to find the 31 at roughly $650 new in the box yesterday. Box is beat up a bit but the seller assures the lens inside is great shape and never used. Shocked it was still available when I went looking. They had two to begin with and sold one a while back (not sure when), but the seller had not properly described the lens and it wouldn't have appeared in a search for a Pentax FA31 so perhaps no one wanting one would have seen it anyway.

I have the rental thru this weekend and my purchase copy may arrive by Monday.

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Last edited by gatorguy; 04-16-2019 at 05:20 AM.

[bdery]

Having tested all the lenses you mention, I went with the 43. The differences between the two are:

43: smaller, lighter, wider, faster AF, better build quality, subjectively nicer bokeh, nicer starbursts (plus aperture ring if that's your thing)

55: WR, narrower, slightly faster, superb bokeh nonetheless

The perfect lens for me would be a WR 43mm. The FOV was the biggest draw for me, I prefer wider than 50 for my "normal" lens.

The 43 lived on my camera when touring Disney world a while back, and even though a zoom is convenient, the 43 is my go-to lens in many situations.

[pathdoc]

You can hold on to it too if you ever buy the K-1:

I was uncertain about this at the time of the release. I have vague recollections of someone, it might have been Sandy Hancock, saying that it didn't quite make the cut for complete coverage.

I also wasn't sure whether the *istDS can use it, or am I getting it confused with the DC focus motor in the 18-135?

[gatorguy]

Having tested all the lenses you mention, I went with the 43. The differences between the two are:

43: smaller, lighter, wider, faster AF, better build quality, subjectively nicer bokeh, nicer starbursts (plus aperture ring if that's your thing)

55: WR, narrower, slightly faster, superb bokeh nonetheless

The perfect lens for me would be a WR 43mm. The FOV was the biggest draw for me, I prefer wider than 50 for my "normal" lens.

The 43 lived on my camera when touring Disney world a while back, and even though a zoom is convenient, the 43 is my go-to lens in many situations.

Are you shooting the 43 on a K1 or APS-C? There's a significant difference.

[bdery]

Are you shooting the 43 on a K1 or APS-C? There's a significant difference.

Both. Mostly the K-1, but also the K-3. And before getting the 43, I've spent several years with various 50s before deciding on the DA40 LTD, which got replaced by the 43.

[gatorguy]

Both. Mostly the K-1, but also the K-3. And before getting the 43, I've spent several years with various 50s before deciding on the DA40 LTD, which got replaced by the 43.

Wouldn't the 31 be closer to what you see on the 43 used full-frame? I'm curious why that lens is your preference on both formats. I've not ever used it but it seems like it might not be wide enough for group shots, and not significantly different enough from the *55.

I'm not sold completely on the FA31 being more "normal" on APS-C, I'm just now been able to use it for a shoot, so I'd certainly consider adding the FA43 alongside the *55 if you think it would be the better lens over the 31 for portraiture.

[robbiec]

For me the 43, smaller, lighter, better suited to candid portraiture once you're aware that it will render a busy background busily. The 55 is a good to excellent piece of glass but seriously hampered by one drawback, its AF motor is too slow.

[clackers]

[quote=pathdoc;4629338]I was uncertain about this at the time of the release. I have vague recollections of someone, it might have been Sandy Hancock, saying that it didn't quite make the cut for complete coverage. [/quote

You can have a read of the official article here, Pathdoc ... I suspect it also vignettes less than the FA50. Certainly less than the FA31 Ltd: https://www.pentaxforums.com/reviews/pentax-d-fa-50mm-vs-da-55mm-vs-samyang/introduction.html

I also wasn't sure whether the *istDS can use it, or am I getting it confused with the DC focus motor in the 18-135?

Couldn't tell, you, sorry. Like other recent Pentax lenses it lacks screwdrive.

[gatorguy]

Comparison of FA31 and *55. First is the 31