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10-29-2015, 02:55 PM   #1
Arun998
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DA 35mm f/2.4 or DA 50mm f1.8

Hi, I have purchased DA 35mm f2.4 for Everyday Photos (2 month before) and this lens in my first prime lens. Is it worth to buy DA 50mm f1.8 lens for Portraits photos? or DA 35mm f2.4 is also suitable for Portraits photos? I am mainly looking for best image quality and Bokeh. Please advise.

10-29-2015, 03:04 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by Arun998 Quote
Hi, I have purchased DA 35mm f2.4 for Everyday Photos (2 month before) and this lens in my first prime lens. Is it worth to buy DA 50mm f1.8 lens for Portraits photos? or DA 35mm f2.4 is also suitable for Portraits photos? I am mainly looking for best image quality and Bokeh. Please advise.
The 50mm's focal length and faster aperture would certainly be more suitable for portraits. And at its current price of $99, you really can't go wrong!

Adam
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10-29-2015, 03:25 PM   #3
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I agree with Adam.
QuoteOriginally posted by First Poster Quote
I am mainly looking for best image quality and Bokeh. Please advise.
50mm is significantly different field of view from 35mm. For full body environmental portraits, 35mm is okay. But if you take "face only" style portraits, the DA 50mm should be much better. It will give you significantly more background blur. Also, if yous use 35mm lens for closeup portraits, they will appear to have a more big, round face than with a 50mm lens. Basically, while the DA 35mm is a great lens and can be acceptable for portraits, the DA 50mm is more suited for portraiture in pretty much every respect. Of course, DA* 55mm f1.4 would be even better, but it has a much higher price tag.
You can find the DA 50mm for really low prices these days. As in, it is cheaper than many decades old portrait lenses.
10-29-2015, 04:03 PM   #4
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I also agree, I own both and the 50mm is better suited portraiture. My DA50 is also much sharper. I could not find any pictures taken with the DA35 but attached two taken with the DA50 one indoors no flash or PP and one outdoors.

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PENTAX K-50  Photo 
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PENTAX K-30  Photo 
10-29-2015, 04:19 PM   #5
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I've had both. I agree with @Adam and @Na Horuk.

The DA 35 can be used for portraits.


But 50 is generally a better FL for portraits.

The extra stop of aperture in the DA 50 f1.8 isn't very useful in portraiture (you don't generally use f1.8 for portraits) but it is great for subject isolation wiith other subjects. And I find the bokeh very pleasant. It's a great value lens.

10-29-2015, 04:44 PM   #6
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I have 35mm 2.4 ABD DA 50mm f1.8 are wonderful.
10-29-2015, 07:30 PM   #7
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I agree with everything said, but let me also play the idea of a used (for cost savings) DA 70/2.4.

It's a great lens for portraits and would give you a little more spread between your primes. Build quality is much better and you might find yourself using it for telephoto shots too.

10-29-2015, 07:52 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by troika Quote
I agree with everything said, but let me also play the idea of a used (for cost savings) DA 70/2.4.

It's a great lens for portraits and would give you a little more spread between your primes. Build quality is much better and you might find yourself using it for telephoto shots too.
It has become my most used lens. I also have the 35DA and a 1,7 50mm and would agree that if you can afford it that is the better choice though nothing wrong with having a 50
10-29-2015, 11:19 PM - 1 Like   #9
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I would have to say go for it! I have both the DA 35 and the DA 50, but nowadays I rarely use the 35 due to the simple fact that the 50 is such a nicer portrait lens than the 35.

Here are a couple of samples taken with the 35






And here are the ones with the 50



11-01-2015, 07:10 AM   #10
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I have the fifty and it's a great lens. Fast, light, not at all bad on a manual focus film SLR either (provided you have a program mode or shutter priority so you can operate it properly), and nothing at all to be ashamed of optically. If you get the focus and depth of field just right and the background far enough behind your subject to really blur it out, the results can be really amazing.
11-01-2015, 08:29 AM   #11
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As above, my favourite portrait length is 70mm, however between a 50 and a 35, go for 50mm.
11-01-2015, 02:55 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
As above, my favourite portrait length is 70mm, however between a 50 and a 35, go for 50mm.
He already has the 35 & it seems he is asking whether the 50 is a valuable addition. I think we can agree on the answer being yes.
11-01-2015, 02:59 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by pathdoc Quote
He already has the 35 & it seems he is asking whether the 50 is a valuable addition. I think we can agree on the answer being yes.
For sure, of the 35 and 50, my 50 gets way more use.
12-01-2015, 04:01 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lighks Quote
I'm too stupid to understand this.
You mean you can't understand how PF members can reach such consensus? Neither can I. Don't worry, it doesn't happen often.

Let me sum it up. You can take photos of people with a lens of any focal length, but some are much more commonly used than others. Given a choice between two modern autofocus prime lenses in the current Pentax DA series, a 35mm lens with a maximum aperture of f2.4 and a 50mm lens with a maximum aperture of f1.8, all of us so far would prefer the 50 for portraits on an APS-C (ie crop sensor) camera. Some would suggest a 70mm lens as a better alternative, although that wasn't one of the options the OP asked about.

Clear?
12-01-2015, 04:17 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Des Quote
You mean you can't understand how PF members can reach such consensus? Neither can I. Don't worry, it doesn't happen often.

Let me sum it up. You can take photos of people with a lens of any focal length, but some are much more commonly used than others. Given a choice between two modern autofocus prime lenses in the current Pentax DA series, a 35mm lens with a maximum aperture of f2.4 and a 50mm lens with a maximum aperture of f1.8, all of us so far would prefer the 50 for portraits on an APS-C (ie crop sensor) camera. Some would suggest a 70mm lens as a better alternative, although that wasn't one of the options the OP asked about.

Clear?

A mundane explanation is that Lighks walked away from the computer and a friend or family member decided to do a forum entry on his behalf, Des.
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