[RICHARD L.]

I do recall how well-regarded that FA* 28-70mm f/2.8 was back during 35mm film shooting days, and continues to be even now.

I agree entirely. My FA* 28-70 mm f/2.8 gives me splendid images on the K1.


Lone Pine pasture below the Sierra Nevada, California

[lithedreamer]

Well, I do recall how well-regarded that FA* 28-70mm f/2.8 was back during 35mm film shooting days, and continues to be even now. I would just keep working with it. I never got one, as I own the Tokina 28-70mm f/2.6-2.8 Pro II and am very happy with it. However, I do own other FA power zoom lenses, and find this feature's design being to activate AF as it is zoomed, can bring exceptionally fast AF for moving subjects, though a bit noisy as it is continuously adjusting AF even though set to AF-S. Very fast and accurate- but you don't deal in moving subjects. This FA* lens is too good to ignore!

---------- Post added 01-21-23 at 04:14 PM ----------



This is one possibility, so that if conditions should warrant where WR is needed, a switch for that purpose could be made. Maybe worth consideration. I do like mine vey much.

Absolutely noisy AF on my copy of the FA*, but the rendering is magical. I do own the 28-105 (actually bringing it on the road trip I’m taking today). My copy never sees much love, so I’m bringing it to see if I can change that. If not, I’ll probably sell it to be honest. The DC AF is a joy, and there’s nothing wrong with it, but I always find myself reaching for my Limited lenses, my FA*, or my D-FA* when I’m planning shoots, so I’ve never taken one of my favourite photos with it.

[RICHARD L.]

For capturing landscapes in good light with a K1, nothing beats the DFA 28-105 mm HD much IMHO.

MISSION SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

PETRIFIED LOGS, PAINTED DESERT, ARIZONA

YUCCA IN BLOOM, JOSHUA TREE NAT'L PARK, CALIFORNIA

ATOP MOUNT SAN JACINTO, PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

[mikesbike]

I do own the 28-105 (actually bringing it on the road trip I’m taking today). My copy never sees much love, so I’m bringing it to see if I can change that. If not, I’ll probably sell it to be honest. The DC AF is a joy, and there’s nothing wrong with it, but I always find myself reaching for my Limited lenses, my FA*, or my D-FA* when I’m planning shoots, so I’ve never taken one of my favourite photos with it.

I agree with RICHARD L. Just be fair to it in using. No lens is at its VERY best wide open. Zoom lenses also do not tend to be at their VERY best when zoomed all the way, especially if at or very near wide open aperture. What is wide open to this lens is far from being wide open on a fast f/2.8 lens. So the way I work it, as he says, I use mine in decent lighting where it can "shine" performance-wise, while the sun is shining. It can be both very convenient and versatile, as well as producing impressively high-quality imaging under the right conditions. When the lighting gets very low, I switch to my fine, capable, fast Tokina 28-70mm f/2.6-2.8 Pro II ATX lens, or to a handy, favorite prime.

[lithedreamer]

For all that, I ended up picking up the D FA* 50mm. I just fell in love with photos people were making with it, and eventually my resolve broke down.

[lithedreamer]

Wanted to update:

Got to use the * 50mm at a photoshoot where I had 15 minutes to photograph my models on Sunday. I’d only had time to adjust the AF for my K-1, and get some practice with some of my pets beforehand.

None of my photos really shined at the portrait session, but it was all either AF issues, technical issues with my lighting gear, or my own inexperience. The lens itself handled spectacularly well: quiet, quick focusing. The colours have that vibrant Pentax pixie dust instead of looking overly clinical. Chromatic aberrations are mostly well controlled, and the bokeh is creamy smooth even while the in-focus parts of photos are tack sharp. I hear talk about how heavy the lens is, but I think it balances well with the K-1 /w the battery grip, and it’s still half the weight of my beloved *70-200.

Overall, no regrets. It’s gotten me excited about photographing again, and it’s a tool I can see rewarding me as I become better at handling it.

I’m also going to be keeping my 28-105. It surprised me in well-lit outdoors adventures in Wisconsin and the drive back with some photos I absolutely adore! I’d have trouble justifying it in dark and rainy Washington or indoor lighting, but it’s nice to have it around when I travel and not planning on portraits or event work.

[ffking]

Although I own and use a D-FA 24-70, the real joy of being a Pentaxian is in the special lenses - and the D-FA*50 is one of them by all accounts. (as is the D-FA*70-200)