[chd]

If I had a K-1 then I'd want a good, fast normal prime to use on it but I doubt that the 43mm is any better than the 50/1.4 you already have.

Could well be. My main complaint about the 50 I already have is that it's on the soft side if you're taking advantage of its speed. It's very soft wide open. I expect the 43 would also be softer wide open than at f/8, but hopefully not as much?

[bdery]

Have you read the FA Limited comparison review!

HD vs. SMC Pentax FA Limited Lenses Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

The 43 is a great lens, I love it. It's a better lens than the FA50, and I prefer the focal length also.

[cxdoo]

I have FA43 and M50/1.7 and I can understand why someone would prefer the latter, especially considering the price ( I paid 50 EUR for M and 400 for 43). It is sharp across the frame and has that nice Pentax color. Build quality is about the same.
However with 43 it's easier, at least for me, to get that pop in images of people. I guess that's due to design and I appreciate it. I own also 16-85 but I'll rather deal with lens changes than use it if I want to capture the mood. Yes, it's sharp, yes colors are nice, but it's somehow flat compared to these two.

[Jonathan Mac]

Could well be. My main complaint about the 50 I already have is that it's on the soft side if you're taking advantage of its speed. It's very soft wide open. I expect the 43 would also be softer wide open than at f/8, but hopefully not as much?

The 43mm is a bit soft wide open, usable in a pinch but you need to stop down to f/2.5 or more to get it properly sharp in the centre. Bear in mind that the 43mm wide open is almost a stop slower than the FA 50/1.4.

All legacy 50mm lenses, including the 43mm, are soft wide open, though some more than others of course. If you want a fast fifty that's sharp wide open then you'll need to go to a much more modern design such as the DFA*. Fast fifties that are sharp wide open are very much a modern phenomenon, they didn't exist until about ten years ago, maybe less.

[robbiec]

The 43mm is a bit soft wide open, usable in a pinch but you need to stop down to f/2.5 or more to get it properly sharp in the centre. Bear in mind that the 43mm wide open is almost a stop slower than the FA 50/1.4.

All legacy 50mm lenses, including the 43mm, are soft wide open, though some more than others of course. If you want a fast fifty that's sharp wide open then you'll need to go to a much more modern design such as the DFA*. Fast fifties that are sharp wide open are very much a modern phenomenon, they didn't exist until about ten years ago, maybe less.

A bit soft? I disagree - 43 is sharp enough dead center where a FA50/1.4 would still be mush. Images below are at f/1.9 and it does have pixie dust





And I'd suggest that it ramps up its sharpness faster that either the 50/1.7 or 50/1.4 but it is not the right lens if you're looking for 'sharp' bokeh! These are @f/4ish





Lastly, I seem to have a special one that returns smooth bokeh with busy backgrounds



You need to learn the 43, it will help you, tease you, punish you but it won't hold your hand and every now and again it will reward you. 43 over the older 50s? any day of the week, 43 over the big 50? I'd suggest if you can have both get them, different tools for different jobs. 43 over a 50/1.2? Depends on your eyesight and focusing skills, the 43 will rule between f/2 - f/5.6 but the 50/1.2 can do stuff the 43 can't between f/1.2 - f/2

[c.a.m]

You need to learn the 43, it will help you, tease you, punish you but it won't hold your hand and every now and again it will reward you. 43 over the older 50s? any day of the week, 43 over the big 50? I'd suggest if you can have both get them, different tools for different jobs. 43 over a 50/1.2? Depends on your eyesight and focusing skills, the 43 will rule between f/2 - f/5.6 but the 50/1.2 can do stuff the 43 can't between f/1.2 - f/2

Thanks, @robbiec. I remember reading some of your comments a few years ago, which, along with other users' perspectives, guided me towards the 43. I'm very happy with it.

Your sample images above demonstrate some of the 'pop' that's possible with this lens at f/4-ish.


- Craig

[GaryM]

I'll also give a +1 to the FA43. I got one for my K-1 a few years ago, and was a bit nervous about what to expect based on the wide variation of reviews out there. To my relief, the results have been consistently great (to my eyes). AF is fast and reliable, and I prefer the FOV over the classic 50mm. I have the FA77 too, and if Pentax would just commit to a K-1 successor, I would probably get the 31 and 21 as well to complete the set.

[btnapa]

A bit soft?

Your images are fantastic. I own the 43 as well and I love it. The only drawback is the CA issue which is in the 31 and the 77 as well. I correct the CA in post. A minor inconvenience but I can deal with it. On the positive side for the 43, if you do not put the hood on, it almost feels like you have a pancake lens! Totally happy with FA Limiteds. Of the trio, I have used the 43 the most by far.

[robbiec]

Your images are fantastic. I own the 43 as well and I love it. The only drawback is the CA issue which is in the 31 and the 77 as well. I correct the CA in post. A minor inconvenience but I can deal with it. On the positive side for the 43, if you do not put the hood on, it almost feels like you have a pancake lens! Totally happy with FA Limiteds. Of the trio, I have used the 43 the most by far.

You can see some CA on the rainy window image I'm not completely immune to its flaws.

[btnapa]

You can see some CA on the rainy window image I'm not completely immune to its flaws.

It must be minor, I did not notice it at all. The images look magical. Love the record player image as my wife insists that we get a record player. I recognized the cartridge brand as I am researching what to get.

[Rondec]

The FA limiteds are nice lenses. The two slightly aggravating things are that they don't have quick shift capability and they have quite a bit of purple fringing/chromatic aberration.

All lenses are better stopped down and most situations where you need edge sharpness you will be able to stop down some, so I don't know that that is a big deal as far as deciding between one lens and another.

[Oakland Rob]

Some nice images. But every time I consider this lens I back off it, probably because the same characteristics that make people like it are ones that make me prefer other lenses, especially since this one is so close to 50mm and I have sooo many options there. And since I'm more often seeking deep focus shots, rather than "creamy bokeh" shots. Maybe if i didn't it would be different; I'd prefer all the other focal ranges of this line. And I do love the 31mm. And even an 85mm soft, so I'm certainly not a slave to sharpness.

At the end of the day it's very subjective. Although I still have no idea what "pixie dust" is, although I hope I don't get any on my sensor. The OP has a hard choice. I am sure glad Pentax continues to produce these; even folks who own other camera brands buy these new to adapt to their cameras. That's kind of special I think.

[Sholom]

The thing I love about the 43 is the microcontrast. When it cooperates, images from the 43 look almost etched. They remind me of film photos taken (I'm giving away my age here) with the high acutance, thin emulsion Adox films (think KB 14, ISO roughly 20 as measured by today's standards) when developed in high acutance developers like Neofin Blue or Ethol TEC. It's a look that was distinctive in film back when and one I rarely see in digital. I have the old 16-50 and the 20-40 Limited as well as the 43 and at 40-43mm they all have somewhat different looks, not better or worse, but different.

[richard0170]

The 43mm's are nice lenses and if you want one and can afford one there is no reason not to have one. What I would consider is the FOV issue. Is your 50mm too narrow for your tastes? If it is not I see no reason to go for a 43mm. If it is then the 43mm makes much more sense. As someone previously mentioned the HD FA 35mm F2 is also worthy of consideration. It will be a moderate wide angle. Can be picked up relatively cheap used. Will double as a standard on a APSC Pentax and when used in 1:1 crop mode of a K1 offers the same perspective as 80mm does on a classic 6X6 medium format film camera - ie true normal. On my K1 it is my most used wide angle lens because of this versatility, and although I own both an M 40mm f2.8 and Voigtlander SL2 40mm f2, they rarely get used on the K1.
With any of the lenses discussed, at normal apertures and distances you will be hard pressed to tell the difference in IQ unless you seriously pixel peep. Shot wide open and close up you probably will, but those differences will be largely subjective*. The point of these lenses is for them to be nice and handy and they all fulfil that role more than adequately.
*IMO these sort of lenses are not designed for such shooting. That's what 50-100mm Macro lenses are for.

[kanyck]

The 43 is my favorite lens that stays on my K-1 body most of the time. Small, lightweight, the FOV is very convenient for me. It has some flaws (who is perfect?) but its PQ outweights them heavily. Really sharp from wide open (yet a bit soft, good for portraits), tackle sharp from f/3.2, has its distinct rendering. The flaws are: it doesn't like the sun right behind the frame -- you should include it into or point the camera so that the sun isn't close to the frame. Otherwise the image loses contrast and gets red tint. Sometimes it's enough just to cover the sun with your palm when shooting, but you ought to be conscious with this. Another flaw is the continuation of its strong side: being very good in rendering color and tonal nuances it doesn't like the mottled backgrounds. Just avoid them. I wouldn't recommend it for, say, reproductive work -- it's an artistic kind of lens, great for portraiture, paysage and such. It took me some time to find out how to shoot with it, after that it sits on my body all the time. Well, almost: I do own other great lenses, too. So, if you're ready to spend some time to get used to it and sensitive to the PQ, you won't regret this purchase.
UPD: you may visit flickr.com and search for 43mm lens. Also there is a dedicated group over there. You may also look here.