[pschlute]

That is sharp.

The FA 77mm Ltd is one of the sharpest Pentax lenses there is. To be honest, stopped down to their most suitable aperture (MTF), most Pentax lenses are plenty sharp.

The variations come into play if one requires edge to edge sharpness as well as centre frame sharpness and here you will find differences between lenses of different quality. Sample variation can also be a factor.

The camera user is also a big variable. Checking and adjusting the Autofocus Fine Adjustment setting is important. Equally important is the amount of sharpening you apply if for example you process your own raw images. Sharpening for prints and for screen viewing also need a different approach.

It would help if you would actually post some large pictures to demonstrate why you are not happy with particular lenses (please leave the exif intact), and also let us know what you are taking photographs of and in what lighting conditions. You will get more specific advice that way

ps. I would just add that although sharpness in a lens characteristics features highly in reviews and is a sought after property in a lens, it is not the be-all and end-all of lens design. Things like rendering and colour representation, bokeh, and other less tangible qualities are important too. A portrait lens for example, you dont want that to be your sharpest lens.

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Last edited by pschlute; 10-26-2018 at 10:55 AM.

[pres589]

Have we seen any sample images that are unsharp from the thread starter as of yet?

I don't think suggesting new glass is good until we figure out what's going on with the whole situation.

[Alex645]

I am getting the itch to buy a SUPER sharp lens for my K-70. Among the lenses I now have the only one I consider to be real sharp is my 100mm 2.8 macro. My biggest issue is the images are far too soft for my liking.
I have only owned a Pentax for a few months.

Have we seen any sample images that are unsharp from the thread starter as of yet?

I don't think suggesting new glass is good until we figure out what's going on with the whole situation.

Yes, it would help, but if the OP has owned the K-70 for a few months, we can assume he has the 18-55mm and maybe another telephoto zoom. Perhaps some film era primes.

And even if those lenses could be optimized by choosing a different aperture, etc, the OP has subjectively liked the caliber of the 100mm WR Macro, and that is setting the bar fairly high.

I do not think there are any zooms that will, in most settings, match the modern primes mentioned by others, although there are certainly some zooms that are sharper than others.

Sharpness or resolution is not the holy grail for all photography, but if that is what the OP seeks in his next lens, there are certainly some options other than the 77mm Limited.

[pres589]

I don't want to assume what lenses he has. I want to see what he's getting with what he's using and how he's getting these "un-sharp" shots.

Given certain operating constraints, the 18-135 can give very sharp results, based on my own personal experience. There are other zooms as well tha can produce sharp images. I think the constraints are more restrictive than a good prime. In any case we have no idea what's going on here. I don't know why people have been suggesting different glass at all.

[swanlefitte]

Lets do this in reverse. Here are pictures from different lenses. When are they sharp enough. start with a kit lens and end on one of the sharpest in any mount.
1

2

3

4

5


I think they are all satisfactory.
Dal 18-50, 50a 1.4, 55-300plm with 1.4xtc, 40mm xs, sigma 70mm

[Alex645]

I don't know why people have been suggesting different glass at all.

Simply because the OP is asking "Which lens is sharpest"? Also because the OP didn't ask, "why am I not getting sharp images from these other lenses relative to my 100mm macro"?

[Des]

Lets do this in reverse. Here are pictures from different lenses. When are they sharp enough. start with a kit lens and end on one of the sharpest in any mount. ... I think they are all satisfactory. Dal 18-50, 50a 1.4, 55-300plm with 1.4xtc, 40mm xs, sigma 70mm

Great way to make the point Chris. Excellent samples.

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Last edited by Des; 10-26-2018 at 02:21 PM.

[pres589]

Simply because the OP is asking "Which lens is sharpest"? Also because the OP didn't ask, "why am I not getting sharp images from these other lenses relative to my 100mm macro"?

If you don't know what the thread starter is actually dealing with and doing to get there then suggesting new glass is a waste of everyone's time. I would suspect that he's got glass that is more than good enough OR the glass is damaged and should be repaired or replaced. And that gets us back to the request for sample images with EXIF data to find out what's going on.

---------- Post added 10-26-18 at 04:29 PM ----------

Great way to make the point Chris. Excellent samples.

Seconded. Also noting that the DA 18-50 made the grade here. I've never owned a copy and maybe that should change some day; seems like a great companion for street carry, maybe with a K-01.

[RobA_Oz]

Simply because the OP is asking "Which lens is sharpest"? Also because the OP didn't ask, "why am I not getting sharp images from these other lenses relative to my 100mm macro"?

Actually, if you read the whole first post, the OP is asking about the FA43, and whether or not it lives up to its reputation.

So, here’s a shot taken with the FA43, on a recent trip to Portugal:


PS: for a previously unsolicited statement of opinion, check my signature.

[mikesbike]

The OP has listed his lenses in post #13. He also stated he's been happy with his results from his Tamron 70-300mm lens, but that results from his DA 35mm f2.4 and his DA 50mm f/1.8 are "too soft". From this it seems to me something else is wrong here other than these Pentax lenses, and came my comments in post #27.

[pres589]

Yeah, both of those lenses are plenty sharp, especially that DA 35 f2.4, which I honestly think is too sharp wide open which is part of what makes it almost boring.

Knowing what lenses he's talking about helps a little. Thanks.

[jddwoods]

Lets do this in reverse. Here are pictures from different lenses. When are they sharp enough. start with a kit lens and end on one of the sharpest in any mount.
1

2

3

4

5


I think they are all satisfactory.
Dal 18-50, 50a 1.4, 55-300plm with 1.4xtc, 40mm xs, sigma 70mm

For the picture of the green anole you took with the PLM with the 1.4 TC how far did you zoom the lens out? This is a really sharp picture of the lizards face. I know my PLM is capable of that kind of sharpness without the TC but when I tried the TC on mine I felt it lost some sharpness. Granted when I tried it, I did it shooting birds at a considerable distance fully zoomed out on an overcast day.
Regarding sharpness of my lenses, I see no real loss of sharpness of my zooms: DA16-85 and 55-300 PLM compared to my primes and I have some good ones: SMC DA Limiteds, FA50 f1.7, F28 f2.8 and DA* 200 and 300. I feel more how I handle the camera and lens combination I am using has much more impact on the quality of my pictures than the perceived sharpness of the lens.

[swanlefitte]

Exit says 346mm so the plm was around 250mm. That was at the closest focus distance.

[normhead]

According to Optical limits (Photozone), the DA 35 2.4 and DA 70 are the sharpest,
I'd also point out more than a few of the lenses you own are listed as having excellent sharpness.
I suspect your issue is lens calibration.

I look at your list and what you don't know about your lenses stands out.
The 18-135 stacks up nicely at 24mm, with any Pentax lens at that focal length, and that extends it's excellent rating right to 135mm for the centre sharpness.
Your 35 2.4 tends to be a little clinical, but doesn't have a sharpness issue.

Your preference for your 100 macro suggests you like lenses that lack distortion and are constantly sharp edge to edge. Others who are suggesting macros, are right on point. I personally own the FA 50, Sigma 70 , Tamron 90 and DFA 100. There are lots to choose from.

The philosophy found in many Pentax lenses "lens for the way people take pictures, not for the test charts" definitely doesn't appeal to your sensibilities. The problem for you being apart from the macros, Pentax didn't in the past make a lot of lenses that suit your preferences. Any of the new DFAs should work for you though. Another that might work would be the DA*60-250.

Optical limits will give you good info on the older lenses if you're interested.

Pentax K Lens Tests

You'll find some of the lenses you can't live with are very highly rated, at 16 MP and 10 MP.

[Fenwoodian]

.
Virtually all lenses will sharpen up nicely and very noticeably if you use your D-70 camera on a tripod in the "pixel shift" mode.

I've tested a number of lenses on the same scene using pixels shift on, and pixel shift off. In each of my tests, the pixel shift example was much sharper.