[rustynail925]

Pls stop promoting this lens. Im having a hard time already bidding and finding the FA 35mm..

[sajah]

That's umm relieving
Because so far there's no FA43mm limited here on local market, none with reasonable price I mean, and there's this FA35mm tempting me, with fair price for lens in Korea (assuming the website is up to date!). Well, I guess I'll wait more.

But still, I'm with Pentaxor, please post some samples when you have time. I might change my mind..

[NaClH2O]

pcarfan. I own the FA 35mm/2, and it is a VERY sharp lens. It is a very nice lens, but certainly not perfect. If I could afford it, I'd sell it in a second and get a FA 31mm/1.8. I would say that while the 35/2 is very sharp at f2, it's bokeh isn't all that pleasing to me. It also lacks the "pixie dust" 3D character of both the 43 and the 77. The 35/2 is a nice lens, and sharp like everyone says, but for me anyway it is the poor man's substitute for the 31mm ltd.

NaCl(but it's still less than half the price, which is worth something)H2O

[pcarfan]

That's umm relieving
Because so far there's no FA43mm limited here on local market, none with reasonable price I mean, and there's this FA35mm tempting me, with fair price for lens in Korea (assuming the website is up to date!). Well, I guess I'll wait more.

But still, I'm with Pentaxor, please post some samples when you have time. I might change my mind..

I don't think the FA35 in any shape or form will even remotely compete with my FA43. FA43 is by far my most favorite lens, and it is a very easy decision at that.

[pcarfan]

pcarfan. I own the FA 35mm/2, and it is a VERY sharp lens. It is a very nice lens, but certainly not perfect. If I could afford it, I'd sell it in a second and get a FA 31mm/1.8. I would say that while the 35/2 is very sharp at f2, it's bokeh isn't all that pleasing to me. It also lacks the "pixie dust" 3D character of both the 43 and the 77. The 35/2 is a nice lens, and sharp like everyone says, but for me anyway it is the poor man's substitute for the 31mm ltd.

NaCl(but it's still less than half the price, which is worth something)H2O

This is cool. I am not expecting the bokeh to be great here, as long as it is not harsh I'll be fine. I am getting this lens as a night time walk around lens to be used at f2 close to infinity focus and some indoor available light shoots. I am not at all expecting it to render like the limiteds or even the F135/2.8 (this is close to limiteds), but something like my F28/2.8 but useable at f2 and sharper to withstand NR.

P.S: I didn't get the 35/2 before as I was considering the FA31, but at $700-800 I couldn't pull the trigger, now at 1.2-1.3k, it's an easy decision not ot get the FA31. I think I'll be fine with the FA35 for my needs.

[Pentaxor]

pcarfan. I own the FA 35mm/2, and it is a VERY sharp lens. It is a very nice lens, but certainly not perfect. If I could afford it, I'd sell it in a second and get a FA 31mm/1.8. I would say that while the 35/2 is very sharp at f2, it's bokeh isn't all that pleasing to me. It also lacks the "pixie dust" 3D character of both the 43 and the 77. The 35/2 is a nice lens, and sharp like everyone says, but for me anyway it is the poor man's substitute for the 31mm ltd.

NaCl(but it's still less than half the price, which is worth something)H2O

I believe the FA35/2 is one of the creme de la creme of the FA series. so I don't think it should even be considered as a poor man's FA31 which succeeded it later.

I do admit that both the FA31 and FA43 are outstanding lenses and have a great bokeh rendering and have that 3D feel (subjective in a way) and both have strong sharpness and contrast as the FA35 does. each display a stronger side of sharpness at certain apertures which I considered very close since the 3 lenses display excellent resolution. but at F2, this is where the FA35 separates itself from it's 2 cousins. this is probably the reason why it has a less appealing bokeh since it's cousins have a bit lower but very good center resolution at wide open and much more lower border resolution.

honestly, these 3 lenses are very strong performers and you can't go wrong with either of them. I think having these 3 lenses is very nice, that is if you can afford them.

[stevebrot]

I believe the FA35/2 is one of the creme de la creme of the FA series. so I don't think it should even be considered as a poor man's FA31 which succeeded it later...

This is my thinking as well. The FA 35/2 is a fine lens in its own right. It would be a fine lens at $1000 and also a fine lens at $10.

Steve

[Mirek]

This is cool. I am not expecting the bokeh to be great here, as long as it is not harsh I'll be fine. I am getting this lens as a night time walk around lens to be used at f2 close to infinity focus and some indoor available light shoots. I am not at all expecting it to render like the limiteds or even the F135/2.8 (this is close to limiteds), but something like my F28/2.8 but useable at f2 and sharper to withstand NR.

I use this lens for the very purpose - a night time walkaround prime. Very capable lens, acceptable sharpness wide open, at f/2 it is more than usable. At f/4 or above you can cut yourself on the pixels. The Bokeh and rendering are very good by my standards. The FA43 left me with mouth wide open but this lens is a really fine one.

[stevebrot]

I use this lens for the very purpose - a night time walkaround prime. Very capable lens, acceptable sharpness wide open, at f/2 it is more than usable. At f/4 or above you can cut yourself on the pixels. The Bokeh and rendering are very good by my standards. The FA43 left me with mouth wide open but this lens is a really fine one.

Remember too, that the 35/2 is half the size and weight of the 31

Steve

[aerodave]

Since pcarfan is interested in using it as a low-light walkaround lens, I thought I might share a picture I took just this evening with my K-7. Excuse the snapshot, but I wanted to show my wife the ridiculous pile of Christmas presents the UPS driver left today in her absence. The subject and composition isn't going to end up in PPG or anything, but it does show what the FA35 can do with pretty poor light.

This was taken at around 5:30 pm local, after sunset under overcast skies. Note the exposure values on this image: 1/8 sec, f/2, ISO 1600. So you know the light was very dim. And it's hand-held...yet another testament to Pentax SR! I did run it through Noiseware, but didn't do anything else magic to it.

vvv Click for larger version in PicasaWeb vvv

[vizjerei]

My 35/2 stays mounted to the K10D as my standard walk-around. It is sharp, fast, compact, light, and quick to focus. The FA 35/2 works real well for manual focusing as well. Did I mention that it is stellar for street work on my film bodies? You might have guessed that I really like my FA 35! Despite the recent price increase for new copies (see the Pentax Web store), I still feel that it is a good value for that focal length and lens speed.

Steve

+1

It is good enough to make me has no desire to try out the DA 35mm. I tried FA31 b4 and compare the difference abit, the big difference in price doesn't give me a big difference on performance.

[pcarfan]

Since pcarfan is interested in using it as a low-light walkaround lens, I thought I might share a picture I took just this evening with my K-7. Excuse the snapshot, but I wanted to show my wife the ridiculous pile of Christmas presents the UPS driver left today in her absence. The subject and composition isn't going to end up in PPG or anything, but it does show what the FA35 can do with pretty poor light.

This was taken at around 5:30 pm local, after sunset under overcast skies. Note the exposure values on this image: 1/8 sec, f/2, ISO 1600. So you know the light was very dim. And it's hand-held...yet another testament to Pentax SR! I did run it through Noiseware, but didn't do anything else magic to it.

vvv Click for larger version in PicasaWeb vvv

It was getting dark around 4:30 today, and it was quite dark indeed by 5:30. I very much appreciate you posting this image, I can't wait to get this lens in my hands now. Next time I go to Vegas, this will most likely accompany me for all those after dark shots. I am excited....

P.S: Is that whole pile full of electronic goods. Either way, it looks like you are having a great Christmas.

[Pentaxor]

+1

It is good enough to make me has no desire to try out the DA 35mm. I tried FA31 b4 and compare the difference abit, the big difference in price doesn't give me a big difference on performance.

performance-wise, no difference at all. subjective rendering-wise, this is all dependent on the user. some may appeal to them, and some may not. the FA31's price is just way over anyone's logical understanding. and it's not even a medium telephoto lens.

[Pentaxor]

It was getting dark around 4:30 today, and it was quite dark indeed by 5:30. I very much appreciate you posting this image, I can't wait to get this lens in my hands now. Next time I go to Vegas, this will most likely accompany me for all those after dark shots. I am excited....

P.S: Is that whole pile full of electronic goods. Either way, it looks like you are having a great Christmas.

he used that one as a make-shift ladder to get some of grandma's freshly baked cookies sitting by the open window.

[aerodave]

I wish those boxes were full of electronics. Unfortunately, they are far more mundane things, and they're not even for me! I wonder if the UPS guy thinks we're nuts...he already stops by our house two or three times a week the rest of the year, and this month is just extra crazy. That's what happens when you have an Amazon Prime membership and resolve to not go to the store for *any* of your holiday shopping.

Another thing about that photo. If you look closely, you can see a faint line along the left-facing side of the bottom three boxes, especially the third one up. It was already dark enough the street lights had turned on, and that's the light from a street lamp a couple hundred feet away casting a yellowish glow and making the bush cast a shadow. That's all mixing with the remaining diffuse daylight that makes up most of the scene's light. So that little snapshot was truly taken in difficult, dim light. But if you didn't know better, you might think it was an overcast mid-afternoon.

So, pcarfan...combine the K-7 with the FA35, take it out in light too dim to comfortably read by, and you can still get great results. Admittedly, 1/8 sec is pushing the boundaries for hand-holding, especially if your subject is moving more quickly than that pile of boxes. But the lights in Vegas make things quite a bit easier to shoot!