Originally posted by Darren M I would agree with your findings for the most part, having owned both lenses. There are two areas you didn't cover though, both of which are really important to me and both of which vastly favor the 31. When it comes to bokeh and how the lens handles out of focus highlights, it just isn't close. The 35 is prone to hard looking bokeh IMO and it more often creates crescent shaped highlights in out of focus flare spots, which I just find eye catching and frustrating. There is not a doubt to me that the 31 far outshines the 35. I love the 31, while I have to admit that I never really took to the 35. Personally, for my style of shooting, I do find a very noticeable FOV difference between the two, but that is mostly because I tend to work from in really close most times.
Darren, really glad to see you posting. Your opinion is always appreciated.
With your daily use of Fa 31mm, it is not hard to know that you love this prime. Most of all, you are a hard critic on lenses.
Despite little differences comparing these two primes, it seems that Fa 31mm ltd does shine in real life shooting for some reasons.
For you, I know skin tone rendering and clipping is a taboo in your shooting. (Sorry that I use the word rendering
) I believe that Fa 31mm has to be in some ways different from 35mm f2 to charge that kind amount of money.
Fa 35mm f2 is more prone to crescent shaped specular highlights with incredibly CA to manage under Australian sun.