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03-22-2010, 01:43 PM   #1
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Acquired My Dream Lens: FA 31mm Limited

I've been lusting after this lens ever since I got my K-7. I got it from a fellow forum member, and I couldn't be happier with it. This lens is everything I hoped it would be, and then some. It finally gives me the field of view I've been wanting, whereas my Super Takumar 50mm F1.4 just wasn't quite wide enough.

Of course, the moment I got the lens, I had to go out and use it. It was drizzling out, but I didn't care. I slapped on a super-cheap WalMart-bought Targus UV filter to keep the rain off the lens ($16 for UV/CPL kit what a joke!) and went to my favourite hiking trail:



Yep, I'm gonna have a lot of fun with this lens.


Last edited by GoremanX; 03-22-2010 at 07:33 PM. Reason: changed picture
03-22-2010, 02:45 PM   #2
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You!


*waiting on narrower hood for her Sigma 28.* You!


Have to admit, Pentax was more of a no-brainer before lenses like that cost near a grand or more.
03-22-2010, 02:52 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ratmagiclady Quote
Have to admit, Pentax was more of a no-brainer before lenses like that cost near a grand or more.
Still cheaper than an equivalent Canon L lens (35mm F1.4L USM is $1400).
03-22-2010, 03:11 PM   #4
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I have a 31 and seriously, if I could have only one lens, that would be it.

03-22-2010, 03:22 PM   #5
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Did it fill and "voids"?

Now take the glass out of those cheapo filters and use them as an extended hood.
03-22-2010, 03:30 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Peter Zack Quote
Did it fill and "voids"?
yes, it filled "a" void, just not the one I was hoping to fill with my 1000th post.

QuoteOriginally posted by Peter Zack Quote
Now take the glass out of those cheapo filters and use them as an extended hood.
I can't believe how cheap these are. Compared to my Hoya HD UV filter (wrong size for this lens), these things are lousy, more like coasters than filters. My favourite part is the bright, shiny edge of the glass, which has already managed to induce funny reflections in some pictures (on a thickly cloudy day, no less).

I'll be ordering something more decent soon, along with a real hood.
03-22-2010, 03:42 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Parallax Quote
I have a 31 and seriously, if I could have only one lens, that would be it.
Hee, yeah. ...though if I only could have one lens, I wouldn't mind the size of my Sigma 28 or my FA 50.

This is me, though. A small-kit shooter who is always carrying big stuff for quality-in-my-price-range. I do have to cry that the Limiteds went from 'Maybe someday soon' to 'Well, maybe someday.'

But I can deal. Can't say Canon or Nikon was offering that.

Have to say, if Canon wanted me to desert Pentax, they'd have to make an FD mount 5d or something. And probably give me an 85 1.4 L. And I'd still be sad.

03-22-2010, 03:46 PM   #8
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You won't find a hood easily. I've owned this lens. Since the hood is built in, it's very tough to find one that fits in there. That's why i suggested taking the glass out of the filters. 3 stacked rings works well.
03-22-2010, 03:56 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Peter Zack Quote
You won't find a hood easily. I've owned this lens. Since the hood is built in, it's very tough to find one that fits in there. That's why i suggested taking the glass out of the filters. 3 stacked rings works well.
Does that cause any vignetting?
03-22-2010, 04:13 PM   #10
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Nope it works fine. about three normal thickness filters (usually the size of cheap ones) is about perfect. I tightened mine with lock tite and then spray painted them silver to match my lens. Then i could add a CPL to the front etc without issue.
03-22-2010, 05:52 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by GoremanX Quote
I've been lusting after this lens ever since I got my K-7. I got it from a fellow forum member, and I couldn't be happier with it. This lens is everything I hoped it would be, and then some. It finally gives me the field of view I've been wanting, whereas my Super Takumar 50mm F1.4 just wasn't quite wide enough.

Of course, the moment I got the lens, I had to go out and use it. It was drizzling out, but I didn't care. I slapped on a super-cheap WalMart-bought Targus UV filter to keep the rain off the lens ($16 for UV/CPL kit what a joke!) and went to my favourite hiking trail:



Yep, I'm gonna have a lot of fun with this lens.
Congrats on the acquisition! Did you buy it from Julia ??
03-22-2010, 06:07 PM   #12
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A new addition to the family. Of course you know it won't become complete until you have acquired the other two Amigos..

Congrats and enjoy the new(ish) lens..

03-22-2010, 06:12 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by tokyoso Quote
Congrats on the acquisition! Did you buy it from Julia ??
yep! Incredible 2-day shipping from Japan and no duty whatsoever. And she finally received the puch that goes with it, so she's sending me that too.

QuoteOriginally posted by Peter Zack Quote
You won't find a hood easily. I've owned this lens. Since the hood is built in, it's very tough to find one that fits in there. That's why i suggested taking the glass out of the filters. 3 stacked rings works well.
Actually I've noticed that 2 stacked filters brings the threads out just far enough that I can then add a threaded rubber hood. So I was going to get a Hoya HD UV filter, then take the glass out of this crappy Targus filter and stack that on top of it, then add a rubber hood on the end. After that, I can add a CPL filter inside the hood when I need to. This is one advantage to APS-C cameras, I can get away with stacking a crapload of stuff on a FF lens and not worry about vignetting.
03-22-2010, 06:16 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by JeffJS Quote
Of course you know it won't become complete until you have acquired the other two Amigos..
I'm still not convinced about the 43mm, I might just go for the DA 40mm Limited instead. But I'm definitely eyeing the 77mm for the near future.
03-22-2010, 06:41 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by GoremanX Quote
I'm still not convinced about the 43mm, I might just go for the DA 40mm Limited instead. But I'm definitely eyeing the 77mm for the near future.
Bah!!! Gotta have all 3.. The two will be lonely without their little brother.. Too much space in between. Besides, you just know that pentax is going to do a Full Frame Camera (yeah, right ).. Don't you want to be prepared?????? No? Can't blame you. If I hadn't bought my FA Limited lenses long before the prices jacked, I'd be thinking twice about them. I'm sure the 40 (and 70) is a nice lens too. I just can't see having both.. It would be one or the other for me too.

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