DA*55/1.4 SDM @ 1.4 vs 2.2 vs 4.0

ll_coffee_lP · 02-06-2009, 07:42 PM

Not snarky at all....

I want an SDM lens.
I want a weather sealed lens.
I shoot almost exclusively with my FA50 and FA77 - shooting nearly exclusively portraits.
I want a 50mm focal length that doesn't PF or create as much CA as the FA50
Indoors the 77 can be a bit lengthy, the 50 is about perfect (for me).
I want a 50mm that has the creamy/dreamy bokeh of the 77 (which this has).
Better build.
Wider and better grip for MF.

The extra money for the lens is certainly relevant, however fiddling in PP with the FA50 to get the look that I want is time consuming - and time is money.

That's my reasons. May, or may not make sense to you, but the cost is worth it to me.

c[_]

Class A · 02-07-2009, 01:30 AM

The f/1.4 shot is sharper than the f/2.2. The f/2.2 shot also has more PF and GF.

augustmoon · 02-07-2009, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by ll_coffee_lP

I want an SDM lens.
I want a weather sealed lens.
I shoot almost exclusively with my FA50 and FA77 - shooting nearly exclusively portraits.
I want a 50mm focal length that doesn't PF or create as much CA as the FA50
Indoors the 77 can be a bit lengthy, the 50 is about perfect (for me).
I want a 50mm that has the creamy/dreamy bokeh of the 77 (which this has).
Better build.
Wider and better grip for MF.

The extra money for the lens is certainly relevant, however fiddling in PP with the FA50 to get the look that I want is time consuming - and time is money.

That's my reasons. May, or may not make sense to you, but the cost is worth it to me.

c[_]

Bang-Dead On!

Some of use have a definite need for a lens like this, and are glad that such an option is being offered. Of course some of us were only wishing it came out last year already. And for some of us, it might even be coming out too late, (?)

rburgoss · 02-07-2009, 07:57 AM

Originally posted by FHPhotographer

Absent a comparison of the same image taken with a known prime (say the DA 43 or 50 f/1,4), what do you see that I'm missing?

I'm not trying to be snarky, it's just that the 55 must be something very special among the other excellent Pentax primes to justify being nearly as expensive as the 31 and more than twice the cost of the 50 f/1.4. I'd like to know what to look for,
Brian

That is exactly my point. This lens exhibits great specs and very good results, but at that price tag, it has to be a lot better than the FA50/1.4.

Other features as SDM, weather sealing and instant focus override manually are good, but what matters is the optical results. BTW, this is an ONLY SDM autofocus lens, so non SDM compliant bodies cannot AF with it.

jsherman999 · 02-07-2009, 10:17 AM

It's almost impossible to tell with the very few shots we've seen how it stacks up
against the Fa 50 1.4 or any other lens.

I think it might be one of those lenses that you just fall in love with if you
have the chance to shoot one.

Even a slight improvement in sharpness/CA at f/1.4 starts becoming apparent to
the shooter after a couple dozen shots - after a couple hundred, it's hard to go
back to the inferior lens, even if it's not easy to point out the differences in a
side-by-side 2-shot sample on an online forum.

It's like wine tasting, an analogy that I'm finding more & more apt - the more you
partake, the more obvious the differences are to you. (I hate wine, but
'beer tasting' analogy is just funny to me.)

.

ll_coffee_lP · 02-07-2009, 10:20 AM

The FA35 and the FA31 are fairly similar in image quality as well...and are about the same in price difference as the FA50 and the DA*55.

The FA31 on this site is heralded as the god of all lenses....so I don't see the reason to nag on this lens. If you don't have a need for it...don't buy it.

c[_]

whatever7 · 02-08-2009, 07:01 PM

For people who are interested in the bokeh of the 55*,

this thread has quite a few photos just posted today.

DA¡ï55F1.4£¬VÊÓ½ç¿ªÂôÁË£¡ - ÎÞ¼ÉÂÛÌ³

I think it looks very good. I wish it was a limited. I don't think the green ring on top of the golden ring look very timeless.

k100d · 02-08-2009, 07:55 PM

bokeh looks smooth, but purple fringe test didn't seem so hot. but not sure if that's a stress test or not. times i wish i could read

whatever7 · 02-08-2009, 10:50 PM

Originally posted by k100d

bokeh looks smooth, but purple fringe test didn't seem so hot. but not sure if that's a stress test or not. times i wish i could read

The purple fringe 100% you see in the bottom of the page was from 85*. Anyway its easy to fix that in photoshop.

Zubati Kit · 02-09-2009, 06:06 AM

Originally posted by whatever7

For people who are interested in the bokeh of the 55*,

this thread has quite a few photos just posted today.

DA¡ï55F1.4£¬VÊÓ½ç¿ªÂôÁË£¡ - ÎÞ¼ÉÂÛÌ³

I think it looks very good. I wish it was a limited. I don't think the green ring on top of the golden ring look very timeless.

looks great esp the example on page 4

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02-06-2009, 07:42 PM	#16
ll_coffee_lP Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,972	Not snarky at all.... I want an SDM lens. I want a weather sealed lens. I shoot almost exclusively with my FA50 and FA77 - shooting nearly exclusively portraits. I want a 50mm focal length that doesn't PF or create as much CA as the FA50 Indoors the 77 can be a bit lengthy, the 50 is about perfect (for me). I want a 50mm that has the creamy/dreamy bokeh of the 77 (which this has). Better build. Wider and better grip for MF. The extra money for the lens is certainly relevant, however fiddling in PP with the FA50 to get the look that I want is time consuming - and time is money. That's my reasons. May, or may not make sense to you, but the cost is worth it to me. c[_]

02-07-2009, 01:30 AM	#17
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	The f/1.4 shot is sharper than the f/2.2. The f/2.2 shot also has more PF and GF.

02-07-2009, 07:30 AM	#18
augustmoon Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto, San Diego, Seattle Posts: 455	Originally posted by ll_coffee_lP I want an SDM lens. I want a weather sealed lens. I shoot almost exclusively with my FA50 and FA77 - shooting nearly exclusively portraits. I want a 50mm focal length that doesn't PF or create as much CA as the FA50 Indoors the 77 can be a bit lengthy, the 50 is about perfect (for me). I want a 50mm that has the creamy/dreamy bokeh of the 77 (which this has). Better build. Wider and better grip for MF. The extra money for the lens is certainly relevant, however fiddling in PP with the FA50 to get the look that I want is time consuming - and time is money. That's my reasons. May, or may not make sense to you, but the cost is worth it to me. c[_] Bang-Dead On! Some of use have a definite need for a lens like this, and are glad that such an option is being offered. Of course some of us were only wishing it came out last year already. And for some of us, it might even be coming out too late, (?)

02-07-2009, 07:57 AM	#19
rburgoss Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 972	Originally posted by FHPhotographer Absent a comparison of the same image taken with a known prime (say the DA 43 or 50 f/1,4), what do you see that I'm missing? I'm not trying to be snarky, it's just that the 55 must be something very special among the other excellent Pentax primes to justify being nearly as expensive as the 31 and more than twice the cost of the 50 f/1.4. I'd like to know what to look for, Brian That is exactly my point. This lens exhibits great specs and very good results, but at that price tag, it has to be a lot better than the FA50/1.4. Other features as SDM, weather sealing and instant focus override manually are good, but what matters is the optical results. BTW, this is an ONLY SDM autofocus lens, so non SDM compliant bodies cannot AF with it.

02-07-2009, 10:17 AM	#20
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	It's almost impossible to tell with the very few shots we've seen how it stacks up against the Fa 50 1.4 or any other lens. I think it might be one of those lenses that you just fall in love with if you have the chance to shoot one. Even a slight improvement in sharpness/CA at f/1.4 starts becoming apparent to the shooter after a couple dozen shots - after a couple hundred, it's hard to go back to the inferior lens, even if it's not easy to point out the differences in a side-by-side 2-shot sample on an online forum. It's like wine tasting, an analogy that I'm finding more & more apt - the more you partake, the more obvious the differences are to you. (I hate wine, but 'beer tasting' analogy is just funny to me.) .

02-07-2009, 10:20 AM	#21
ll_coffee_lP Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,972	The FA35 and the FA31 are fairly similar in image quality as well...and are about the same in price difference as the FA50 and the DA*55. The FA31 on this site is heralded as the god of all lenses....so I don't see the reason to nag on this lens. If you don't have a need for it...don't buy it. c[_]

02-08-2009, 07:01 PM	#22
whatever7 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 278	For people who are interested in the bokeh of the 55*, this thread has quite a few photos just posted today. DA¡ï55F1.4£¬VÊÓ½ç¿ªÂôÁË£¡ - ÎÞ¼ÉÂÛÌ³ I think it looks very good. I wish it was a limited. I don't think the green ring on top of the golden ring look very timeless.

02-08-2009, 07:55 PM	#23
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	bokeh looks smooth, but purple fringe test didn't seem so hot. but not sure if that's a stress test or not. times i wish i could read

02-08-2009, 10:50 PM	#24
whatever7 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 278	Originally posted by k100d bokeh looks smooth, but purple fringe test didn't seem so hot. but not sure if that's a stress test or not. times i wish i could read The purple fringe 100% you see in the bottom of the page was from 85*. Anyway its easy to fix that in photoshop.

02-09-2009, 06:06 AM	#25
Zubati Kit Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 113	Originally posted by whatever7 For people who are interested in the bokeh of the 55*, this thread has quite a few photos just posted today. DA¡ï55F1.4£¬VÊÓ½ç¿ªÂôÁË£¡ - ÎÞ¼ÉÂÛÌ³ I think it looks very good. I wish it was a limited. I don't think the green ring on top of the golden ring look very timeless. looks great esp the example on page 4