Which 35mm F/2.0 to get?

someasiancameraguy · 08-21-2021, 06:48 AM

Hi guys,

Trying to decide between all the 35mm F2.0 lenses out there from Takumar, K, M, A, FA/HD-FA versions. AFAIK, only the M and A versions share optical designs whilst the HD-FA is just a coating and body refresh. My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting.

Any thoughts or advice kindly appreciated!

Last edited by someasiancameraguy; 08-21-2021 at 06:58 AM.

**pepperberry farm** · 08-21-2021, 06:55 AM

at one time, I had both the SMC Tak 35/2 and the K 35/2 - I never really got along with the Takumar and still have the K35/2

the K35/2 is sharp, contrasty, and has accurate (for me) colors....

pschlute · 08-21-2021, 08:26 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by someasiancameraguy

My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting

I would suspect that the new HD-FA 35/2 will beat all the rest on that score.

aaacb · 08-21-2021, 09:05 AM - **1 Like**

Seems to me that manual 35mm lenses are quite close in price to the (used) newer FA series, perhaps a combination of supply and desirable focal length if one's looking to build a kit from a specific series?
In any case, I liked my SMC FA 35/2 a lot, shot it wide open for concerts and CA never really bothered me. I only sold it because I got the FA 43; optically they're both excellent, I prefer the latter mainly for build and focal length

Last edited by aaacb; 08-21-2021 at 09:17 AM.

Jonathan Mac · 08-21-2021, 09:05 AM - **1 Like**

I have the M and the HD FA and plan to keep them both as they're quite different.

Both make good standard primes for different situations. The M was, for some time, my standard lens for travelling when I had time and wasn't in a rush, which mostly meant when I didn't leave the country or was going to somewhere I'd been to (and photographed) before. Nowadays, with kids, I find the HD FA to be far more useful in general, but I still love using the M.

M:

A little dreamy wide open, sharp from f/2.8
Fantastic rendering - not just sharpness but colour and contrast too
Great build quality and a real pleasure to use

HD FA:

A little soft wide open but sharp from f/2.2 or f/2.5
Extremely good rendering (but I think I still slightly prefer the M)
Decent build quality and a nice manual focus feel for an AF lens

The K is reputed to be better than the M but it's very rare and I've never tried it. I used to have the Tak with the 49mm filter thread - sharpness was decent in the centre from f/2.8 but it never sharpened up at the edges when stopping down (on APS-C!!) so I sold it. Overall the Tak 35/3.5 is much better.

I wouldn't dismiss the HD FA as "just a refresh". When I first started in photography many people dismissed the SMC FA as a boring lens: decent enough but un-spectacular rendering. I haven't tried it but I find the HD FA to be a really good lens with great rendering. The only things I could fault it on would be that it's not super sharp wide open and bokeh can be distracting.

**jopenmx** · 08-21-2021, 09:06 AM

I have since many years K 35 f/2 , and liked a lot with MX, and LX . Since 2008, when i´ve purchased the K 10D , also used a lot my K 35/2 , because was amazed with the colours obtained, although it´s not so sharp wide open , but very good between f/4 and f/8, and of course the build quality of a K series lens . Then , have used mainly FA 35 f/2 , specially after 2014 with my K-3 , and I think it´s optically a wonderful lens , with light weight , but the build construction ( as many others FA lenses ) is nothing special . FA 35 f/2 performs also very well on my K-1. Generally speaking , today I would rather prefer FA 35 /2 than K 35 f/2.

**ramseybuckeye** · 08-21-2021, 09:08 AM

Originally posted by someasiancameraguy

My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting.

Any thoughts or advice kindly appreciated!

As Peter said, you’ve answered your question.

**MossyRocks** · 08-21-2021, 11:15 AM

I just recently got the K 35/2, 2 days ago, and have only played around a bit with it. From what I've found it doesn't have too bad color fringing but is a bit glowy wide open however that is something I don't mind. I did get rid of my DA 35/2.4 as that lens just never clicked with me and from the few dorking around shots I've taken with the K 35/2 I like the rendering more. I want to see how it does with astro but then I want to see how every lens does with astro shooting. I'm hoping it is a lot like my old S-M-C 28/3.5 takumar in that it gets really good really fast and it looks like it has the potential from the daytime test shots I've done when going from f/2 to f/4

**UncleVanya** · 08-21-2021, 12:40 PM - **2 Likes**

The smc fa 35 f2 is very good. I have a copy that doesn’t autofocus and I keep it around even so. Here’s a few shots:

IMGP2293-pp by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP2296-pp by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP2322-cropped-pp by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP2342-pp by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP5606_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP2257-pp by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP5664_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

stevebrot · 08-21-2021, 12:53 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by someasiancameraguy

whilst the HD-FA is just a coating and body refresh.

It is easy to poo-poo the coating, but the body changes are significant if your style includes manual focus with the hood on. I own the FA 35/2 with no intent to get the HD, but I am quite accustomed to the focus ring after a decade or so of use.

Originally posted by someasiancameraguy

My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting.

Prepare to be distracted, unless you spring for an apo lens. You want fast, you get CA. The true vintage lenses on your list will lack contrast wide open. The FA and HD FA are the most sophisticated of the bunch.

FWIW...I almost never use any of my 35's (I have several) wide open on 35mm FF and have never been vexed by performance of my FA 35/2 wide open on APS-C.

Steve

(...my "best" 35 at present is an XR Rikenon 35/2.8 (later, f/16 variant)...)

stevebrot · 08-21-2021, 01:10 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by stevebrot

and have never been vexed by performance of my FA 35/2 wide open on APS-C

Here are a few examples...

...No, I didn't hang around to see if anyone was home.

Steve

**Argos** · 08-21-2021, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by someasiancameraguy

Hi guys,

Trying to decide between all the 35mm F2.0 lenses out there from Takumar, K, M, A, FA/HD-FA versions. AFAIK, only the M and A versions share optical designs whilst the HD-FA is just a coating and body refresh. My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting.

Any thoughts or advice kindly appreciated!

Long ago I have tested the smc Takumar 2/25, the K 2/35 and the M 2/35. They all have their strong points and weak points, The FA 2/35 AL and HD FA 2/36 AL are superior to all other 35 mm lenses. Sharpness and contrast are excellent and there is no rectilinear distortion.

**kiwi_jono** · 08-21-2021, 03:13 PM

Depending on your budget the HD FA or FA 35 sound like the way to go. Both are great but from tests I have seen the HD does have a small edge on flare reduction and contrast.

I have the FA 35 and love it but its not seen much use since I got a FA 31 and 43 (which are even better but expensive). That said I am currently thinking of getting the FA 35 out again as the focal length suits me - its odd but sometimes I find the FA 31 a little wide and 43 not wide enough (most of the time 43mm is my go to focal length but when I want wider 35 appeals a tiny bit more - but maybe its just me missing the FA35).

**Derek** · 08-21-2021, 05:19 PM

You might like the Samyang 35/1.4, if you don't mind the physical size of the lens.

tokyoscape · 08-21-2021, 05:35 PM - **1 Like**

As for FA/HD-FA comparison, this video might help too.

Youtu.be

I used to have a FA35. It is good wide-open, I have no hesitation using it from f2. In terms of sharpness, it is even better from f2.2, and it is incredible at f4.

08-21-2021, 06:48 AM	#1
someasiancameraguy Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 419	Which 35mm F/2.0 to get? Hi guys, Trying to decide between all the 35mm F2.0 lenses out there from Takumar, K, M, A, FA/HD-FA versions. AFAIK, only the M and A versions share optical designs whilst the HD-FA is just a coating and body refresh. My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting. Any thoughts or advice kindly appreciated! Last edited by someasiancameraguy; 08-21-2021 at 06:58 AM.

08-21-2021, 12:53 PM - 1 Like	#10
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by someasiancameraguy whilst the HD-FA is just a coating and body refresh. It is easy to poo-poo the coating, but the body changes are significant if your style includes manual focus with the hood on. I own the FA 35/2 with no intent to get the HD, but I am quite accustomed to the focus ring after a decade or so of use. Originally posted by someasiancameraguy My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting. Prepare to be distracted, unless you spring for an apo lens. You want fast, you get CA. The true vintage lenses on your list will lack contrast wide open. The FA and HD FA are the most sophisticated of the bunch. FWIW...I almost never use any of my 35's (I have several) wide open on 35mm FF and have never been vexed by performance of my FA 35/2 wide open on APS-C. Steve (...my "best" 35 at present is an XR Rikenon 35/2.8 (later, f/16 variant)...) Last edited by stevebrot; 08-21-2021 at 01:16 PM.

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08-21-2021, 06:55 AM	#2
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,656	at one time, I had both the SMC Tak 35/2 and the K 35/2 - I never really got along with the Takumar and still have the K35/2 the K35/2 is sharp, contrasty, and has accurate (for me) colors....

08-21-2021, 08:26 AM - 1 Like	#3
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,193	Originally posted by someasiancameraguy My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting I would suspect that the new HD-FA 35/2 will beat all the rest on that score.

08-21-2021, 09:05 AM - 1 Like	#4
aaacb Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,723	Seems to me that manual 35mm lenses are quite close in price to the (used) newer FA series, perhaps a combination of supply and desirable focal length if one's looking to build a kit from a specific series? In any case, I liked my SMC FA 35/2 a lot, shot it wide open for concerts and CA never really bothered me. I only sold it because I got the FA 43; optically they're both excellent, I prefer the latter mainly for build and focal length Last edited by aaacb; 08-21-2021 at 09:17 AM.

08-21-2021, 09:05 AM - 1 Like	#5
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,894	I have the M and the HD FA and plan to keep them both as they're quite different. Both make good standard primes for different situations. The M was, for some time, my standard lens for travelling when I had time and wasn't in a rush, which mostly meant when I didn't leave the country or was going to somewhere I'd been to (and photographed) before. Nowadays, with kids, I find the HD FA to be far more useful in general, but I still love using the M. M: A little dreamy wide open, sharp from f/2.8 Fantastic rendering - not just sharpness but colour and contrast too Great build quality and a real pleasure to use HD FA: A little soft wide open but sharp from f/2.2 or f/2.5 Extremely good rendering (but I think I still slightly prefer the M) Decent build quality and a nice manual focus feel for an AF lens The K is reputed to be better than the M but it's very rare and I've never tried it. I used to have the Tak with the 49mm filter thread - sharpness was decent in the centre from f/2.8 but it never sharpened up at the edges when stopping down (on APS-C!!) so I sold it. Overall the Tak 35/3.5 is much better. I wouldn't dismiss the HD FA as "just a refresh". When I first started in photography many people dismissed the SMC FA as a boring lens: decent enough but un-spectacular rendering. I haven't tried it but I find the HD FA to be a really good lens with great rendering. The only things I could fault it on would be that it's not super sharp wide open and bokeh can be distracting.

08-21-2021, 09:06 AM	#6
jopenmx Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: vigo Photos: Gallery Posts: 137	I have since many years K 35 f/2 , and liked a lot with MX, and LX . Since 2008, when i´ve purchased the K 10D , also used a lot my K 35/2 , because was amazed with the colours obtained, although it´s not so sharp wide open , but very good between f/4 and f/8, and of course the build quality of a K series lens . Then , have used mainly FA 35 f/2 , specially after 2014 with my K-3 , and I think it´s optically a wonderful lens , with light weight , but the build construction ( as many others FA lenses ) is nothing special . FA 35 f/2 performs also very well on my K-1. Generally speaking , today I would rather prefer FA 35 /2 than K 35 f/2.

08-21-2021, 09:08 AM	#7
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,291	Originally posted by someasiancameraguy My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting. Any thoughts or advice kindly appreciated! As Peter said, you’ve answered your question.

08-21-2021, 11:15 AM	#8
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982	I just recently got the K 35/2, 2 days ago, and have only played around a bit with it. From what I've found it doesn't have too bad color fringing but is a bit glowy wide open however that is something I don't mind. I did get rid of my DA 35/2.4 as that lens just never clicked with me and from the few dorking around shots I've taken with the K 35/2 I like the rendering more. I want to see how it does with astro but then I want to see how every lens does with astro shooting. I'm hoping it is a lot like my old S-M-C 28/3.5 takumar in that it gets really good really fast and it looks like it has the potential from the daytime test shots I've done when going from f/2 to f/4

08-21-2021, 12:40 PM - 2 Likes	#9
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,398	The smc fa 35 f2 is very good. I have a copy that doesn’t autofocus and I keep it around even so. Here’s a few shots: IMGP2293-pp by -vanya_42nd- IMGP2296-pp by -vanya_42nd- IMGP2322-cropped-pp by -vanya_42nd- IMGP2342-pp by -vanya_42nd- IMGP5606_DxO by -vanya_42nd- IMGP2257-pp by -vanya_42nd- IMGP5664_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

08-21-2021, 01:10 PM - 1 Like	#11
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by stevebrot and have never been vexed by performance of my FA 35/2 wide open on APS-C Here are a few examples... ...No, I didn't hang around to see if anyone was home. Steve

08-21-2021, 02:58 PM	#12
Argos Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Utrecht Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 131	Originally posted by someasiancameraguy Hi guys, Trying to decide between all the 35mm F2.0 lenses out there from Takumar, K, M, A, FA/HD-FA versions. AFAIK, only the M and A versions share optical designs whilst the HD-FA is just a coating and body refresh. My shooting style is more often than not wide open or one step down, and I find CA and LoCA distracting. Any thoughts or advice kindly appreciated! Long ago I have tested the smc Takumar 2/25, the K 2/35 and the M 2/35. They all have their strong points and weak points, The FA 2/35 AL and HD FA 2/36 AL are superior to all other 35 mm lenses. Sharpness and contrast are excellent and there is no rectilinear distortion.

08-21-2021, 03:13 PM	#13
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Depending on your budget the HD FA or FA 35 sound like the way to go. Both are great but from tests I have seen the HD does have a small edge on flare reduction and contrast. I have the FA 35 and love it but its not seen much use since I got a FA 31 and 43 (which are even better but expensive). That said I am currently thinking of getting the FA 35 out again as the focal length suits me - its odd but sometimes I find the FA 31 a little wide and 43 not wide enough (most of the time 43mm is my go to focal length but when I want wider 35 appeals a tiny bit more - but maybe its just me missing the FA35).

08-21-2021, 05:19 PM	#14
Derek Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Terrace, BC, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 122	You might like the Samyang 35/1.4, if you don't mind the physical size of the lens.

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