Originally posted by mer Many in this thread said tha the LoCA ( or Bokeh CA ) of this lens is normal and it can't get any much better.
This is not true , I know lenses tha perform MUCH better than the DA55 or the SMC-M 50mm ( which I know well ) , take the nokton 58/1.4 for example . In fact I think LoCA CAN'T get any worse than the DA55. Yes some lenses has equal LoCA but what is the price for those lenses ? Nikon F/1.4 50mm , Canon 50mm F/1.4 and Fa50 f/1.4 cost no more than 200usd but Pentax asks at least the double and sometimes triple the money for the DA* 55mm.
Probably the super low dispersion elements pentax used are crap. If anything it has been proven that the cough *super extra low* dispersion elements in the DA*55 give the same performance, as far as LoCA is concerned , as the regular elements , which is a shame.
I'm quite disapointed in the 55/1.4 . If Pentax sold this lens for 250-300usd it would be fine but 600-700usd , some stores ask , is madness.
It should be a f/1.2 lens at this price.
1) Do you have the lens?
2) Are you concern about how much a pint of beer costs in China or at your local pub? I say that because you can buy probably 10 times more beer in another country but I don't think you can go there after work daily and actually do so. And neither this virtually huge amount of beer will do anything at all for your thirst. The prices in Europe are close to twice as much for the DA* compared to FA50 so I would weep less for our American friends and be glad for myself and thankful to Pentax Europe for doing a finer job. I say that because you have UK in profile so your outrage is only theoretical by no means you must pay 3-4 times the price of FA50. Even better you are totally free to pay zero and don't get the lens! Sounds like a reasonable idea?
3) Feast your eyes with this beautiful tomato soup:
Oh, yes, Sir, it's the 1450 Euro Canon 50/1.2 (with it's blazing fast USM, btw) at f2.2. Enjoy it and think twice about bashing the DA*55 for not being perfect from wide open!
Radu