[richmondthefish]

I debated this like crazy too, but in the end I wanted the all around versatility of the 31. I saw the across the frame sharpness of the Sigma was lacking in comparison, and for me it has a sometimes distracting slight barrel distortion, and those odd triangular highlights sometimes aren't something I'd want... With the 31 there is of course its special rendering where to my eye the Sigma looks a bit flat in comparison. That said I agree there are many who make the Sigma sing and as an amateur I really could have been happy with it, if I hadn't become able to get the 31. Maybe you want to try the Sigma first and then decide... For me I had to buy the 31 while I had the money.. If I had gone with the Sigma first it might have been years before I could upgrade to the 31. Also a factor in that decision for me was I came into my 31 money right after that sale was here for the Sigma in March or whenever that was. If I had been able to get the Sigma new for $289 like a bunch here did, then I would have tried it first. But when I was shopping for the 31, the Sigma was only to be found in the $400 range, which is just too much imo.

Forget the debate. Just go look at all of Loco's photos on flickr and then hurry and go find a wobble free used 31 and be done with it. You won't regret it.

Hehe, Loco's photo's are making me want to get one!

If I could find the Sigma for $300 for new i'd probably snatch it up fast. Now it's out of stock from what i can tell and pretty hefty price. I'd say the resale on the 31mm is timeless especially if a FF Pentax shows up.

I would just say that the big thing to me is the out of focus rendering and border sharpness for the FA 31 are just hands down better than for the Sigma. I think the Sigma 35 f1.4 would be the only candidate for a FA 31 competitor in my mind and I could understand someone choosing it over the FA 31, although I looked at comparison photos and don't see enough difference to make me want to switch.

I've read that 100 times i think from 31mm owners.

SMC Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 AL Limited Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

^^in this review the user Trysaeder was giving the 31mm a pretty hard review(half way down the page) said that the sharpness was bland wide open

"Sharpness: I'm no pixel peeper, but high quality wide aperture primes should be able to be used wide open with a useful resolution, which is one of the reasons that people love them so much. Therefore I was disappointed when I checked the pictures at 50% and found that the 31/1.8 was comparable to the 50/1.8D and perhaps worse 35/1.8G. They're from different systems, but they show similar characteristics; moderately soft, low contrast, purple fringing and some chromatic aberration. I burrowed another 31/1.8 with great effort to make sure that it wasn't defective and got the same result. Then I viewed pictures from this lens online and I'd be clutching at straws to find an excuse for it.
Once stopped down to 4-5.6, this lens became very, very sharp, however nearly all prime lenses are expected to behave this way, and high end, modern zooms show excellent sharpness as well. My rating for sharpness is weighted for performance at wide apertures, as they do not require pixel peeping to check for sharpness, whereas the difference between very sharp and insanely sharp is much less important."


I don't mean to hijack thread



Anyway here's a sunset shot from the FA 77 on K5

[ShowMeTheMoney]

FA77 on the Brooklyn Bridge:

[Rondec]

I've read that 100 times i think from 31mm owners.

SMC Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 AL Limited Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

^^in this review the user Trysaeder was giving the 31mm a pretty hard review(half way down the page) said that the sharpness was bland wide open

"Sharpness: I'm no pixel peeper, but high quality wide aperture primes should be able to be used wide open with a useful resolution, which is one of the reasons that people love them so much. Therefore I was disappointed when I checked the pictures at 50% and found that the 31/1.8 was comparable to the 50/1.8D and perhaps worse 35/1.8G. They're from different systems, but they show similar characteristics; moderately soft, low contrast, purple fringing and some chromatic aberration. I burrowed another 31/1.8 with great effort to make sure that it wasn't defective and got the same result. Then I viewed pictures from this lens online and I'd be clutching at straws to find an excuse for it.
Once stopped down to 4-5.6, this lens became very, very sharp, however nearly all prime lenses are expected to behave this way, and high end, modern zooms show excellent sharpness as well. My rating for sharpness is weighted for performance at wide apertures, as they do not require pixel peeping to check for sharpness, whereas the difference between very sharp and insanely sharp is much less important."

I don't know. Frankly, I don't shoot at f1.8 a whole lot with the FA 31, but I decided to go out this morning and just shoot at f1.8 with it on my K-01. I really feel like it is pretty decent even there (understanding that I normally would have stopped down to f4 at least).

[richmondthefish]

I don't know. Frankly, I don't shoot at f1.8 a whole lot with the FA 31, but I decided to go out this morning and just shoot at f1.8 with it on my K-01. I really feel like it is pretty decent even there (understanding that I normally would have stopped down to f4 at least).

The landscape shots looks really good at 1.8...like a painting. I can see more weakness with the close ups which is to be expected. I guess that's seems to be the strengths and weakness of both lens. Sigma lives for 1.4 and the Pentax has the other stops all covered.

[richmondthefish]

FA 77

[Urkeldaedalus]

I've read that 100 times i think from 31mm owners.

SMC Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 AL Limited Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

^^in this review the user Trysaeder was giving the 31mm a pretty hard review(half way down the page) said that the sharpness was bland wide open


"Sharpness: I'm no pixel peeper, but high quality wide aperture primes should be able to be used wide open with a useful resolution, which is one of the reasons that people love them so much. Therefore I was disappointed when I checked the pictures at 50% and found that the 31/1.8 was comparable to the 50/1.8D and perhaps worse 35/1.8G. They're from different systems, but they show similar characteristics; moderately soft, low contrast, purple fringing and some chromatic aberration. I burrowed another 31/1.8 with great effort to make sure that it wasn't defective and got the same result. Then I viewed pictures from this lens online and I'd be clutching at straws to find an excuse for it.
Once stopped down to 4-5.6, this lens became very, very sharp, however nearly all prime lenses are expected to behave this way, and high end, modern zooms show excellent sharpness as well. My rating for sharpness is weighted for performance at wide apertures, as they do not require pixel peeping to check for sharpness, whereas the difference between very sharp and insanely sharp is much less important."

First, I'm not sure if the only point of wide aperture prime is to shoot it wide open all the time. One of the nice things is how you can stop it down to say f/2.2 or f/2.8 and it's already getting closer and closer to its sweet spot. Can't say that about most f/2.8 lenses.

Second, I've usually found the FA31 to be pretty sharp wide-open. Maybe not as sharp as the sharpest lenses are wide open (I would not be surprised if the Sigma was sharper in the center at f/1.8 for example, as the Sigma is supposed to have excellent center performance). However, the FA31 is definitely sharp enough wide open for practical use at f/1.8, and as you can see has excellent transition in the OOF area, one of my favorite things about it.



Is the FA31 worth the money? That seems to be the eternal question. Above $1,000 I'm not sure. If Pentax releases a full frame (or you shoot film) and you like that focal length I would say definitely. I don't think you'd necessarily be going wrong with the Sigma if you could find one, though. BTW, Sigma was $300 back in the day when the FA31 was available for $700-800 new, so it might be hard to find either for cheap these days.

[VladimirYo]

FA43 f=2,2 K200D

[Urkeldaedalus]

Hehe, Loco's photo's are making me want to get one!

If I could find the Sigma for $300 for new i'd probably snatch it up fast. Now it's out of stock from what i can tell and pretty hefty price. I'd say the resale on the 31mm is timeless especially if a FF Pentax shows up.





I've read that 100 times i think from 31mm owners.

SMC Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 AL Limited Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

^^in this review the user Trysaeder was giving the 31mm a pretty hard review(half way down the page) said that the sharpness was bland wide open

"Sharpness: I'm no pixel peeper, but high quality wide aperture primes should be able to be used wide open with a useful resolution, which is one of the reasons that people love them so much. Therefore I was disappointed when I checked the pictures at 50% and found that the 31/1.8 was comparable to the 50/1.8D and perhaps worse 35/1.8G. They're from different systems, but they show similar characteristics; moderately soft, low contrast, purple fringing and some chromatic aberration. I burrowed another 31/1.8 with great effort to make sure that it wasn't defective and got the same result. Then I viewed pictures from this lens online and I'd be clutching at straws to find an excuse for it.
Once stopped down to 4-5.6, this lens became very, very sharp, however nearly all prime lenses are expected to behave this way, and high end, modern zooms show excellent sharpness as well. My rating for sharpness is weighted for performance at wide apertures, as they do not require pixel peeping to check for sharpness, whereas the difference between very sharp and insanely sharp is much less important."


I don't mean to hijack thread



Anyway here's a sunset shot from the FA 77 on K5

Hey @richmondthefish, get it while it's hot! https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-price-watch/231323-fa-35mm-f2-399-...ml#post2450108

[tclausen]

<SNIP>
Is the FA31 worth the money?
<SNIP>

Unequivocally, yes - next question?



(*istD, 31/1.8 at 1.8 ....)

[Ecaterin]

Man, it has been a *long time* since I've been here - so great to see everyone's work again!!

Alas, I won't be posting on this thread anymore *sob* I'm selling out of Pentax and going back to Fuji. (FA77 (silver, early serial # coating) is in the market place right now, along with my yellow K-01) So glad the forums have the Fuji section, cause I'd hate to have to leave PF!

Some shots with the FA77 from our recent vacation:

my youngest & husband (the adorable - it hurts :P almost as much as the FA77 rendering of such a simple shot - god this lens can do no wrong!)


the tipi we stayed in




my oldest, faint with heat at a Montana campground, lay down on the hood of the car to play his guitar


.

[Urkeldaedalus]

Unequivocally, yes - next question?

Attachment 180521

(*istD, 31/1.8 at 1.8 ....)

Heh, we've had a ruling then! Phew I'm glad it's worth the money.

[Urkeldaedalus]

Man, it has been a *long time* since I've been here - so great to see everyone's work again!!

Alas, I won't be posting on this thread anymore *sob* I'm selling out of Pentax and going back to Fuji. (FA77 (silver, early serial # coating) is in the market place right now, along with my yellow K-01) So glad the forums have the Fuji section, cause I'd hate to have to leave PF!

Some shots with the FA77 from our recent vacation:

my youngest & husband (the adorable - it hurts :P almost as much as the FA77 rendering of such a simple shot - god this lens can do no wrong!)


the tipi we stayed in




my oldest, faint with heat at a Montana campground, lay down on the hood of the car to play his guitar




.

You know you could probably keep that FA77 and mount it on your Fuji. It's not like they've released their portraits lens, yet. C'mon, you know you want to be our Fujitax representative

[Urkeldaedalus]

Sigma 30 f/1.4 in the used section, $340: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographic-equipment-sale/231403-sale-s...ml#post2450879

[Ecaterin]

You know you could probably keep that FA77 and mount it on your Fuji. It's not like they've released their portraits lens, yet. C'mon, you know you want to be our Fujitax representative

Believe me if I didn't need the money from one to buy the other I would NOT give up the 77. The thought of the 77+ the Fuji rendering makes me want to cryyy - alas!!

[tclausen]

Believe me if I didn't need the money from one to buy the other I would NOT give up the 77. The thought of the 77+ the Fuji rendering makes me want to cryyy - alas!!

Ohh, the atrocity ....what happened to the good old days, when a man in need of money would resort to more noble and civilized acts such as to just stage a hold-up at the local saloon, sell snake-oil to the gullible, or go west to dig for gold....