Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 samples

**arv** · 12-30-2011, 05:53 AM

A couple wide open

and one at f 1.8

A.

rormeister · 02-19-2012, 11:15 AM

Picked this up in the Market here. Needed a -4 AF adjustment, but overall it performs quite well on the K-5.
F5 | ISO 1000 | 1/25 No PP for noise (there wasn't any).

hoanpham · 08-08-2012, 06:19 AM

simbon4o · 08-08-2012, 06:51 AM - **1 Like**

Wide open - this lens is rubbish! Closed down to 2.2 and more - nice usable AF lens for pentax body.

john5100 · 08-08-2012, 08:00 AM

@simbon4o

Wonderful!

maverickh · 08-15-2012, 02:28 AM

Stone G. · 10-04-2012, 04:40 AM

"Everybody knows" that the SMC PENTAX FA f/1.4 50mm lens is razor sharp when stopped down somewhat but rather soft at its widest apertures.

"Everybody" may not agree, but to me the 50mm focal length actually gives a very appealing field on an APS-Camera.

But my errand with the following little sequence is rather to take a closer look at the perfomance of the lens at its wider openings. So far, I have found that the softness is rather a matter of low contrast than of serious unsharpness. This is fortunate, because it is much easier to adjust contrast in a natural manner than to add some artificial "sharpness" in post processing.

f/1.4 - Original:

Click on the image to open gallery

f/1.4 - contrast enhanced:

Click on the image to open gallery

f/1.4 - original:

Click on the image to open gallery

f/1.4 - contrast enhanced

Click on the image to open gallery

f/1.4 - full size detail of the above

Click on the image to open gallery

f/1.6 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

f/1.6 - contrast enhanced

Click on the image to open gallery

f/1.8 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

f/2.0 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

f/2.5 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

f/2.8 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

f/3.5 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

f/4.0 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

f/5.6 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

And, finally: It is said, that this lens is sensitive to flares. I can confirm that!

f/5.6 - original

Click on the image to open gallery

VladimirYo · 01-11-2013, 01:04 PM - **1 Like**

black-kx · 01-23-2013, 02:06 AM

I used to think it's a little soft wide open when I was using it on K-x... Now on K-30, I made -4 or -5 adjustment and it is much better and accurate.
this is shot as jpeg with no editing. handheld 1/15sec. (with little knee support)--just re-sized to 24% of original

chiane · 01-27-2013, 10:34 AM

Is this lens a little too tight for indoor house people pics? I don't have this length to try out. Would you get the Sigma 30mm f1.4 or this lens for kids pics indoors?

black-kx · 01-27-2013, 05:48 PM

Originally posted by chiane

Is this lens a little too tight for indoor house people pics? I don't have this length to try out. Would you get the Sigma 30mm f1.4 or this lens for kids pics indoors?

It is kinda tight... you can get great pictures of kids and I have used it indoors a lot, especially for taking a picture of kids individually. However, if you need to take a little group photo of kids together (maybe 3+), than it might be a little tight. I think 30mm is much better focal length for indoors. If you have 18-55mm kit lens, you can take few pictures at 30mm and few at 50mm to compare.

black-kx · 01-27-2013, 05:59 PM

Originally posted by Stone G.

"This is fortunate, because it is much easier to adjust contrast in a natural manner than to add some artificial "sharpness" in post processing.

Great samples and compassion of original and enhanced photos. Thank you for sharing it.

I did buy a hood for my 50mm, and it helps for outdoors. But not as much as when contrast is enhanced a little. What software are you using to adjust contrast and were those images taken in raw? Thank you!

Stone G. · 01-28-2013, 01:39 AM

Originally posted by black-kx

Great samples and compassion of original and enhanced photos. Thank you for sharing it.

I did buy a hood for my 50mm, and it helps for outdoors. But not as much as when contrast is enhanced a little. What software are you using to adjust contrast and were those images taken in raw? Thank you!

Thank you black-kx.

I use PhotoImpact X3 - a clever piece of software developed by Ulead in Taiwan, (who also developed some of the algorithms for PhotoShop). Unfortunately, Corell purchased PhotoImpact only to discontinue it, but you can do the same sort of enhancement in any decent raster software (Corell PaintShop Pro, PhotoShop Essentials, GIMP....). In other words: You don't need to spend a fortune on PhotoShop CS and the like.

When I do this kind of comparison tests, I always use JPEG straight out of the box. That is the same as developing raw PEF files using the standard settings, and I don't want to introduce any bias in the development of my test images.

simbon4o · 01-30-2013, 02:52 PM

F16

**alpeterson** · 06-30-2013, 04:28 PM

So far it seems sharper (and bokeh better) than the same lens on the Kx (though I liked it there too).

02-19-2012, 11:15 AM	#17
rormeister Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 626	Surprising based on build quality (rate 8/10) Picked this up in the Market here. Needed a -4 AF adjustment, but overall it performs quite well on the K-5. F5 \| ISO 1000 \| 1/25 No PP for noise (there wasn't any).

10-04-2012, 04:40 AM	#22
Stone G. Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Zealand, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,516	"Everybody knows" that the SMC PENTAX FA f/1.4 50mm lens is razor sharp when stopped down somewhat but rather soft at its widest apertures. "Everybody" may not agree, but to me the 50mm focal length actually gives a very appealing field on an APS-Camera. But my errand with the following little sequence is rather to take a closer look at the perfomance of the lens at its wider openings. So far, I have found that the softness is rather a matter of low contrast than of serious unsharpness. This is fortunate, because it is much easier to adjust contrast in a natural manner than to add some artificial "sharpness" in post processing. *f/1.4 - Original:* Click on the image to open gallery *f/1.4 - contrast enhanced:* Click on the image to open gallery *f/1.4 - original:* Click on the image to open gallery *f/1.4 - contrast enhanced* Click on the image to open gallery *f/1.4 - full size detail of the above* Click on the image to open gallery *f/1.6 - original* Click on the image to open gallery *f/1.6 - contrast enhanced* Click on the image to open gallery *f/1.8 - original* Click on the image to open gallery *f/2.0 - original* Click on the image to open gallery *f/2.0 - original* Click on the image to open gallery *f/2.5 - original* Click on the image to open gallery *f/2.8 - original* Click on the image to open gallery *f/3.5 - original* Click on the image to open gallery *f/4.0 - original* Click on the image to open gallery *f/5.6 - original* Click on the image to open gallery And, finally: It is said, that this lens is sensitive to flares. I can confirm that! *f/5.6 - original* Click on the image to open gallery

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12-30-2011, 05:53 AM	#16
arv Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 413	A couple wide open and one at f 1.8 A.

08-08-2012, 06:19 AM	#18
hoanpham Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Strand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,366

08-08-2012, 06:51 AM - 1 Like	#19
simbon4o Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 258	Wide open - this lens is rubbish! Closed down to 2.2 and more - nice usable AF lens for pentax body.

08-08-2012, 08:00 AM	#20
john5100 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,725	@simbon4o Wonderful!

08-15-2012, 02:28 AM	#21
maverickh Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: singapore Posts: 467

01-11-2013, 01:04 PM - 1 Like	#23
VladimirYo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 290

01-27-2013, 10:34 AM	#25
chiane Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Chicago, IL Photos: Gallery Posts: 170	Is this lens a little too tight for indoor house people pics? I don't have this length to try out. Would you get the Sigma 30mm f1.4 or this lens for kids pics indoors?

01-27-2013, 05:48 PM	#26
black-kx Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 125	Originally posted by chiane Is this lens a little too tight for indoor house people pics? I don't have this length to try out. Would you get the Sigma 30mm f1.4 or this lens for kids pics indoors? It is kinda tight... you can get great pictures of kids and I have used it indoors a lot, especially for taking a picture of kids individually. However, if you need to take a little group photo of kids together (maybe 3+), than it might be a little tight. I think 30mm is much better focal length for indoors. If you have 18-55mm kit lens, you can take few pictures at 30mm and few at 50mm to compare.

01-27-2013, 05:59 PM	#27
black-kx Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 125	Originally posted by Stone G. "This is fortunate, because it is much easier to adjust contrast in a natural manner than to add some artificial "sharpness" in post processing. Great samples and compassion of original and enhanced photos. Thank you for sharing it. I did buy a hood for my 50mm, and it helps for outdoors. But not as much as when contrast is enhanced a little. What software are you using to adjust contrast and were those images taken in raw? Thank you!

01-28-2013, 01:39 AM	#28
Stone G. Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Zealand, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,516	Originally posted by black-kx Great samples and compassion of original and enhanced photos. Thank you for sharing it. I did buy a hood for my 50mm, and it helps for outdoors. But not as much as when contrast is enhanced a little. What software are you using to adjust contrast and were those images taken in raw? Thank you! Thank you black-kx. I use PhotoImpact X3 - a clever piece of software developed by Ulead in Taiwan, (who also developed some of the algorithms for PhotoShop). Unfortunately, Corell purchased PhotoImpact only to discontinue it, but you can do the same sort of enhancement in any decent raster software (Corell PaintShop Pro, PhotoShop Essentials, GIMP....). In other words: You don't need to spend a fortune on PhotoShop CS and the like. When I do this kind of comparison tests, I always use JPEG straight out of the box. That is the same as developing raw PEF files using the standard settings, and I don't want to introduce any bias in the development of my test images.

01-30-2013, 02:52 PM	#29
simbon4o Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 258	F16