What the Duck! D-FA* 50/1.4

**monochrome** · 08-03-2018, 05:49 PM

Originally posted by PJ1

Obviously a great lens going by what the fortunate owners have so far posted. I will never be able to justify a DFA* 50/1.4 but I just snagged a Takumar 50/1.4 (8 element) at one thirteenth of the price of the DFA (It hasn't even arrived yet). Given the legendary status of the 8 element lens, I will be waiting for someone who owns both lenses to do a side-by-side comparison - just out of academic interest.

I have many, many Pentax 50’s including the 8-element. I can’t do it next week, but the week after I can do an environmental comparison (not a controlled studio test).

I must say the lens is astonishingly good and I haven’t yet even begun exploring its potential.

HYS · 08-03-2018, 10:18 PM

I have seen much better shots with this lens. Where are the "sharpness" and the "detail"?

**mikesbike** · 08-04-2018, 12:12 AM

Originally posted by HYS

I have seen much better shots with this lens. Where are the "sharpness" and the "detail"?

The "sharpness" and the "detail" are lost to a very shallow DOF, due to f/1.4 wide open aperture, while the eye is the standout. Also, as good as this is, wide open is still wide open, meaning sharpness will be yet better when stopped down even slightly. I'm sure there are indeed examples of this, with more overall detail and less shallow DOF.

When lab test results finally emerge, they should be interesting.

davidsladek · 08-04-2018, 12:53 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by HYS

I have seen much better shots with this lens. Where are the "sharpness" and the "detail"?

As mikesbike said, the shallow DOF will make most of the image out of focus which was exactly my intention to show the sharpness of the very narrow DOF and the bokeh of the out of focus areas. For a 1.4 this is extremely sharp. Just look for the eyes or better the feathers that are actually in the focal plane.

Billk · 08-04-2018, 01:12 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by davidsladek

Met a really good model today
Full size, no sharpening, F 1.4, Lightroom export, Adobe RGB
Enjoy

RIght click > View Image for full res viewing

Greylag geese are a great subject. Very inquisitive and friendly.

Please don't lure them with bread though. If you are going to feed pond birds to get them to pose for you, a small handful of peas, corn or poultry feed will be good for them and won't interfere with with their normal diet.

Pikselisiirto · 08-04-2018, 01:46 AM

I can see green and purple aberrations in the edges of the feathers. Some might happen because of moiré? Why out of focus areas are especially prone to chromatic aberrations? I wonder, if Zeiss Otus could do any better, so this is the limit of optical technology so far?

Thansks for posting full resolution images. This lens is not exactly cheap, so full res should be good and reveals the truth. Many lens look good when downsampled enough. Might not matter that much today, but some day there is so sharp displays that it could matter. You can't go back to the past to reshot your photos with a future camera then.

**PJ1** · 08-04-2018, 02:49 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Billk

don't lure them with bread

Yes. I find bread is better for the stuffing!

parinya-ekparinya · 08-04-2018, 03:51 AM

Bokeh is nice!! I would love to hear the real-world experience from users of this lens, especially about its autofocus.

normhead · 08-04-2018, 07:09 AM

The big question is, is it good enough users will stop converting Leica and Zeiss 50s.

SSGGeezer · 08-04-2018, 07:40 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by normhead

The big question is, is it good enough users will stop converting Leica and Zeiss 50s.

Should be if what I have seen on member's IG pages are any indication.
My Boris Cleto list keeps growing with the negative nellies, How is yours doing Norm? They seem to crawl out of the woodwork when something good happens to say "Pentax is Doomed!"

normhead · 08-04-2018, 08:38 AM

Originally posted by SSGGeezer

Should be if what I have seen on member's IG pages are any indication.
My Boris Cleto list keeps growing with the negative nellies, How is yours doing Norm? They seem to crawl out of the woodwork when something good happens to say "Pentax is Doomed!"

No recent additions, the last few I've added because I'm pretty sure I'm on their ignore lists. If I post a couple of queries and get no response, I have to assume they've ignored me, or are just rude. I'm not wasting time writing posts in answer to people who have me on ignore. Many people who make assumptions based on life long prejudices ignore me, because I ask them for photos demonstrating what they are talking about. Apparently, that's too much to ask. Others just don't like my style of communicating, or any styole where they aren't the centres of the universe. It's no sweat off my back either way. At least they finally ignored me instead of telling me I have to change. "You have good information but I don't like the way you say it." Like I'm supposed to change for them. "You're the dude who wants the information, you change." would be my response.

Not everyone likes everyone else, people trying to "change" for someone else is nonsense. If you change, people who actually like you won't like you any more.

GlennG · 08-04-2018, 10:38 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by davidsladek

Met a really good model today

I love those couple of pictures! Thanks for sharing and demonstrating the qualities of the lens. As always, however, the photographer has something to do with it also!

ZeljkoS · 08-04-2018, 11:03 AM

Pentax really nailed it with this lens, amazing detail. Will it work on K-5IIs?

**mikesbike** · 08-04-2018, 12:13 PM

Originally posted by ZeljkoS

Pentax really nailed it with this lens, amazing detail. Will it work on K-5IIs?

I can see no reason why it would not! I love my KP, but I still have my K-5 IIs and love it too!

normhead · 08-04-2018, 12:38 PM - **1 Like**

It's KAF4, and only works on a K-5 at ƒ1.4 and green mode or AV as far as I know. I know KAF4 doesn't work on my wife's K-5. (We have a55-300 PLM, the other KAF4 lens.)

08-04-2018, 12:38 PM - 1 Like	#30
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	It's KAF4, and only works on a K-5 at ƒ1.4 and green mode or AV as far as I know. I know KAF4 doesn't work on my wife's K-5. (We have a55-300 PLM, the other KAF4 lens.) Last edited by normhead; 08-04-2018 at 12:53 PM.

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08-03-2018, 05:49 PM	#16
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by PJ1 Obviously a great lens going by what the fortunate owners have so far posted. I will never be able to justify a DFA* 50/1.4 but I just snagged a Takumar 50/1.4 (8 element) at one thirteenth of the price of the DFA (It hasn't even arrived yet). Given the legendary status of the 8 element lens, I will be waiting for someone who owns both lenses to do a side-by-side comparison - just out of academic interest. I have many, many Pentax 50’s including the 8-element. I can’t do it next week, but the week after I can do an environmental comparison (not a controlled studio test). I must say the lens is astonishingly good and I haven’t yet even begun exploring its potential.

08-03-2018, 10:18 PM	#17
HYS Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 377	I have seen much better shots with this lens. Where are the "sharpness" and the "detail"?

08-04-2018, 12:12 AM	#18
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,549	Originally posted by HYS I have seen much better shots with this lens. Where are the "sharpness" and the "detail"? The "sharpness" and the "detail" are lost to a very shallow DOF, due to f/1.4 wide open aperture, while the eye is the standout. Also, as good as this is, wide open is still wide open, meaning sharpness will be yet better when stopped down even slightly. I'm sure there are indeed examples of this, with more overall detail and less shallow DOF. When lab test results finally emerge, they should be interesting.

08-04-2018, 12:53 AM - 1 Like	#19
davidsladek Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Surrey Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 346 Original Poster	Originally posted by HYS I have seen much better shots with this lens. Where are the "sharpness" and the "detail"? As mikesbike said, the shallow DOF will make most of the image out of focus which was exactly my intention to show the sharpness of the very narrow DOF and the bokeh of the out of focus areas. For a 1.4 this is extremely sharp. Just look for the eyes or better the feathers that are actually in the focal plane.

08-04-2018, 01:12 AM - 1 Like	#20
Billk Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Posts: 349	Originally posted by davidsladek Met a really good model today Full size, no sharpening, F 1.4, Lightroom export, Adobe RGB Enjoy RIght click > View Image for full res viewing Greylag geese are a great subject. Very inquisitive and friendly. Please don't lure them with bread though. If you are going to feed pond birds to get them to pose for you, a small handful of peas, corn or poultry feed will be good for them and won't interfere with with their normal diet.

08-04-2018, 01:46 AM	#21
Pikselisiirto Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 57	I can see green and purple aberrations in the edges of the feathers. Some might happen because of moiré? Why out of focus areas are especially prone to chromatic aberrations? I wonder, if Zeiss Otus could do any better, so this is the limit of optical technology so far? Thansks for posting full resolution images. This lens is not exactly cheap, so full res should be good and reveals the truth. Many lens look good when downsampled enough. Might not matter that much today, but some day there is so sharp displays that it could matter. You can't go back to the past to reshot your photos with a future camera then.

08-04-2018, 02:49 AM - 1 Like	#22
PJ1 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,484	Originally posted by Billk don't lure them with bread Yes. I find bread is better for the stuffing!

08-04-2018, 03:51 AM	#23
parinya-ekparinya Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Bangkok Photos: Gallery Posts: 114	Bokeh is nice!! I would love to hear the real-world experience from users of this lens, especially about its autofocus.

08-04-2018, 07:09 AM	#24
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	The big question is, is it good enough users will stop converting Leica and Zeiss 50s.

08-04-2018, 07:40 AM - 1 Like	#25
SSGGeezer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Indiana, U.S. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,845	Originally posted by normhead The big question is, is it good enough users will stop converting Leica and Zeiss 50s. Should be if what I have seen on member's IG pages are any indication. My Boris Cleto list keeps growing with the negative nellies, How is yours doing Norm? They seem to crawl out of the woodwork when something good happens to say "Pentax is Doomed!"

08-04-2018, 08:38 AM	#26
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by SSGGeezer Should be if what I have seen on member's IG pages are any indication. My Boris Cleto list keeps growing with the negative nellies, How is yours doing Norm? They seem to crawl out of the woodwork when something good happens to say "Pentax is Doomed!" No recent additions, the last few I've added because I'm pretty sure I'm on their ignore lists. If I post a couple of queries and get no response, I have to assume they've ignored me, or are just rude. I'm not wasting time writing posts in answer to people who have me on ignore. Many people who make assumptions based on life long prejudices ignore me, because I ask them for photos demonstrating what they are talking about. Apparently, that's too much to ask. Others just don't like my style of communicating, or any styole where they aren't the centres of the universe. It's no sweat off my back either way. At least they finally ignored me instead of telling me I have to change. "You have good information but I don't like the way you say it." Like I'm supposed to change for them. "You're the dude who wants the information, you change." would be my response. Not everyone likes everyone else, people trying to "change" for someone else is nonsense. If you change, people who actually like you won't like you any more.

08-04-2018, 10:38 AM - 1 Like	#27
GlennG Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 824	Originally posted by davidsladek Met a really good model today I love those couple of pictures! Thanks for sharing and demonstrating the qualities of the lens. As always, however, the photographer has something to do with it also!

08-04-2018, 11:03 AM	#28
ZeljkoS Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 421	Pentax really nailed it with this lens, amazing detail. Will it work on K-5IIs?

08-04-2018, 12:13 PM	#29
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,549	Originally posted by ZeljkoS Pentax really nailed it with this lens, amazing detail. Will it work on K-5IIs? I can see no reason why it would not! I love my KP, but I still have my K-5 IIs and love it too!