[TKH]

Gus I tell you something. You wont find any lens on this planet without PF @f1.4!

This is Pentax DA*55 @1.4 100% crop:



A deadbrilliant good work from Pentax!

Maybe ist will surprice you, but brandnew Nikon 50mm G 1.4 can show this @f1.4:



BTW the brandnew Nikon is as slow in AF as the Pentax. But nobody in Nikon Country cares! Only here at Pentax some start crying...

And here we have the well known Canon 50mm 1.4. Look on the left corner and you see purple water:


So please everybody. Accept the physical world! You cannot have a lens with f1.4 without PF for a bargain price! Or would you like to pay 2.000 to 5.000 bucks for a Leica style lens??

Best,
Rainer

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Last edited by TKH; 02-22-2009 at 11:49 AM.

[TKH]

The VL Nokton 55 1.4 might have less. TKH, send me that DA*, I'll compare 'em

I asked for AF lens. Back to the start...

Rainer

[Votesh]

What do you mean?

I'n the pattern bokeh test you say that the bokeh is virtually identical. I personally notice significant differences between the bokeh produced by the 2 lenses.

[blende8]

To the OP: thanks for yours anyway, but don't be suprised to see some dramatically different opinions out there.

The optical quality is better compared to the FA, no question.
Not dramatically, but better.
I expected that.
I am only annoyed about the slow AF speed.
This was completely against my expectations.
And it makes this lens rather unsuitable for some applications.
Well ...
... this is the risk of the "early adopters".

I'n the pattern bokeh test you say that the bokeh is virtually identical. I personally notice significant differences between the bokeh produced by the 2 lenses.

Ok, show pics!

[Voe]

Gus I tell you something. You wont find any lens on this planet without PF @f1.4!

Rainer

There is at least one. Topcor 58mm f/1.4.
In comparison to Nokton 58mm f/1.4 the Topcor has almost none.

[Prognathous]

Overall the DA55 seems like a nice lens, but it's unclear to me why Pentax thinks it's worth 4 times more than the FA50. Maybe they plan to discontinue the old lens and just leave the new one as the only option. I'm sure more people would buy it then (or switch to another mount...)

Prog.

[Taff]

You are very right about this.

FA43 a short while ago.
FA35 before that
Tamron 28-75mm a while before that
DA35...

...the list goes on and on.

I really notice the lens cycling that happens on this site.

c[_]

As I said in my much earlier post, this is a NEW LENS give it time

[Ivan Glisin]

The advantage of the internal motors is a rather substantial reduction in noise, not an improvment in speed.

I second this. In addition, SDM should offer greater AF precision (since old style body-to-lens mechanical coupling is less accurate in moving lens optics). Speed simply depends on "focus throw" -- if lens turns 270 degrees (min to infinity) then no SDM will make it focus faster, but it should be VERY accurate as a consequence.

So the right questions here is:
Is AF with DA* 55/1.4 more accurate than with FA 50/1.4?

[huqedato]

....

It will cost you only 400 Euro."

....
Rainer

Ha ha ha! Where ?
Pentax OBJECTIF SMC DA* 55MM F/1.4 SDM acheter comparer prix discount promotion

[Class A]

In the bokeh test with the crosses the 55mm looks very significantly better to me. I don't see how it could be said that they are essentially the same.

I stumbled about this comment as well. AFAIC, the foreground bokeh of the DA55 looks clearly better.

Admittedly, the background bokehs of the cross test shots are very close to each other but in real world shots the DA55 bokeh just looks different to that of the FA50, doesn't it? The difference in the PSFs looks small and the test shots of the cross show no significant differences (for the background bokeh) but still in real world shots the DA55 shows a background bokeh I haven't seen from the FA50.

[blende8]

I stumbled about this comment as well. AFAIC, the foreground bokeh of the DA55 looks clearly better.

In what way?
Please keep in mind that both rows do not look exactly the same because they are produced by turning the focus ring in small steps.
This results in slight differences because I did not get the same position for both always. The second column is an example.

What you can deduce from the experiment are two things:
1. The color rendition is the same (foreground red, background green).
2. The brightness distribution is the same (roughly Gaussian in the foreground, bright ring in the background.
In real life shots you will not see a difference in bokeh IMO.

I haven't tested coma.
Perhaps the DA55 is better here, due to better correction.

Interestingly the rear lens diameter of the DA is larger than the FA: 32 - 28 mm.

[TKH]

Ha ha ha! Where ?

There: TeKaDe - Deutschlands und Österreichs Pentax Shop Nr. 1 - smc-DA*55/1.4 SDM Pen_DA 55/1.4

The list price at this shop is actual 499,-- Euro. The last three month there have an offer to buy the lens for special price 429,-- (runs also last week if you ask for). A lot of buyers use a Pentax-voucher from there last camera or lens buys and have a rebat of 50,-- Euro too. I know of four people who payed so 379,-- Euro.

Ha ha ha!

Rainer

BTW. A new FA50 costs there 249,-- Euro. So here in Germany we dont talk about 4 times more. Its 249 to 499 and thats twice.

[Jasvox]

Good review.

I am not sure what everyone's expectations were from this new DA55* anyway, sure it's a fine lens, but hey, it's still only a lens!! What more is it supposed to do?

No lens will have the perfect everything, just like no body will have the perfect everything. I think it was said before...for some, this lens will be great for them, enough difference from the FA50 to make the switch. For others, such as myself who are perfectly happy with the FA50, probably wont find the justification of buying this new lens. For what, minimal differences for significant cost?

My FA50/1.4, I think I'll keep her.

Jason

[ogl]

In what way?


Perhaps the DA55 is better here, due to better correction.

Interestingly the rear lens diameter of the DA is larger than the FA: 32 - 28 mm.

FA43 is not fast, but as I understand DA*55 is one of the slowelest among Pentax lenses and slower than FA43.
Confirm, please.

[TKH]

There is at least one. Topcor 58mm f/1.4.
In comparison to Nokton 58mm f/1.4 the Topcor has almost none.

Yes, you are right. The topcor is (as also the Nokton) a fantastic MF lens.

But I´m still waiting for an answere on my question for an AF-lens from 50mm to 85mm without PF @1.4?!

Look at this.
A pic from the (Adorma at 1.300 $ priced) Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85mm F1.4 @f4:



Is it a shame that Pentax can only do a little better PF job for $730 than Carl Zeiss for $1300?!


Rainer