[Digitalis]

It is probably a good thing they are doing a refresh of the FA limited lens line rather than an outright re-design with Ultrasonic motors - it means replacement parts for the AF drive chain will still be made.

[RobA_Oz]

It is probably a good thing they are doing a refresh of the FA limited lens line rather than an outright re-design with Ultrasonic motors - it means replacement parts for the AF drive chain will still be made.

It may also mean that in-body AF drive will continue in new bodies for a while yet.

[Jonathan Mac]

43mm


Crumbling castle by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

[ehrwien]

SMC FA 43 on K-1


Flowering Tree at Sunset

No picture to pixelpeep as this was taken handheld and wide open, but I really like the feel of it. I think the colour gradient in the sky is a fitting background for the tree's blossoms

[Jeff]

... a walk with one of my favourite lenses. I love the focal length and the rendering of the bokeh.

[KDAFA]

I agree - I've always liked the bokeh on the 43 and wouldn't change it for the new HD version with more rounded aperture blades. Great photograph - really like it!

What I've found regarding the bokeh of the FA43 (straight blade version) is that while it CAN be a bit busy sometimes (which I personally don't really appreciate), nevertheless a lot of the time, the bokeh ISN'T busy. I guess it depends on the interplay between factors such as the type of background, distance of background, the aperture chosen, the shooting angle, lighting etc.

And I really love that bokeh! It's something special, and beautiful! It's got a character to it, something like a fine grit or texture to it, which I really appreciate and value.

I don't know what causes it to be so, but I've long suspected that the straight blades may have something to do with it.

And if that's true, and if the new rounded blades take away this texture/character from the bokeh, yielding instead bokeh that's merely "smooth", personally speaking I don't think I'd like that. I prize the present bokeh character of the straight-blade FA43.

---------- Post added 06-02-21 at 04:40 AM ----------

My fa77 F/1.8 limited developed a crack in the main AF drive gear*, which caused the entire focus ring to seize up:




Fortunately, the entire assembly is able to be ordered in and I was able to restore the lens and now the focus ring turns smoothly once again.


Pentax KP - SMCP-FA77mm f/1.8 Limited.

* Which are made of what I take to be Brass: which is a bit perplexing as I thought the entire idea of using that metal was to avoid corrosion and cracking.

I too had the unpleasant experience of the focus mechanism jamming, the focus ring unable to turn, with a mild "crunching" feeling. It happened to my 77, and then 43.

The authorised Pentax repair staff told me that in both cases it was the same problem — a cracked gear inside the lens.

I'm not sure if it was exactly the same gear as you showed in your photo, but I suspect it would be.

Fortunately, it was quickly repaired, and relatively inexpensively.

[RobA_Oz]

My fa77 F/1.8 limited developed a crack in the main AF drive gear*, which caused the entire focus ring to seize up:

Fortunately, the entire assembly is able to be ordered in and I was able to restore the lens and now the focus ring turns smoothly once again.

Pentax KP - SMCP-FA77mm f/1.8 Limited.

* Which are made of what I take to be Brass: which is a bit perplexing as I thought the entire idea of using that metal was to avoid corrosion and cracking.

The appearance of the metal suggests it might be a sintered pressing, rather than machined from a blank, but it’s hard to be sure about that from the one photo. Otherwise, that sort of radial cracking implies a tolerance issue in the fit between the gear and the shaft. In any event, speaking as an owner of the three FA Limiteds, thanks for bringing it to our attention.

[Digitalis]

The appearance of the metal suggests it might be a sintered pressing,

I concur, the surface texture and colour of the metal does appear to be different from the other gears present, and the location of the crack does support this. Machining such a small gear from common stock would be difficult as there are many methods of forming metal each with their own particular pros and cons.

[Jonathan Mac]

I too had the unpleasant experience of the focus mechanism jamming, the focus ring unable to turn, with a mild "crunching" feeling. It happened to my 77, and then 43.

The authorised Pentax repair staff told me that in both cases it was the same problem — a cracked gear inside the lens.

I'm not sure if it was exactly the same gear as you showed in your photo, but I suspect it would be.

Fortunately, it was quickly repaired, and relatively inexpensively.

This sounds like what happened to my DA 40mm.

[KDAFA]

This sounds like what happened to my DA 40mm.

I'm sorry to hear that.

I'm assuming that by DA40 you meant the Limited lens?

It would appear then that this happens not just to FA Ltds but to DA Ltd's also..... ?

Thanks for the tip, I'll be keeping an (uneasy) eye open now, for my DA Ltd 15 & 35.

Wondering whether other DA Ltd owners here have experienced this sort of jamming as well?

[Jeff]

I know people talk about the 3D rendering of the Limiteds, and so I made this photograph with my brand new smc 31mm to see if this was even a bit true, and yes, it is...

[Aaron28]

past weekend's meet & greet.....K-1....fa43....af360fgz....cactus v6ii.....crappy sky replacement via luminar4

[Transit]

FA 43 ltd @f6.3
Aussie hardwood

[dbs]

past weekend's meet & greet.....K-1....fa43....af360fgz....cactus v6ii.....crappy sky replacement via luminar4

The cars and model .... what there is a sky

[Aaron28]

what there is a sky

the sky was completely blown out white......replaced a fake sky via luminar4