[aurele]

Agree ! A faster motor like a DC and it would be perfect !
In fact i wish it had screw drive too !!

[JanG]

My DA* 55/1.4 is the best Pentax lens I have. I Also have the DA^ 50-135/2.8, the DA* 16-50/2.8, the 21/3.2 Limited, the 40/2.8 Limited, the 70/2.4 Limited, the 35/2.8 Limited Macro, the 35/2.4 DAL, the A 28/2.0, the A 135/2.8, and the A 35-105/3.5. I would keep the DA* 55/1.4 over ANY of them. (second place is a toss-up between the 70/2.4 Limited, and the DA* 50-135/2.8) Of course that's because it's better for the type of photos I usually take, not because of maximum resolution figures, edge sharpness, or any of the other usual criteria used to test lenses.

Same here. This lens has magic. My copy is perfectly sharp at 1.4 (tested on a very hairy creature, my dog), just gains a little contrast up to 2.0, though. You could take all my other lenses but this one you'd have to pry from my dead cold hands.

[repaap]

I don't really get this. For me DA*55 isn't great because of it's sharpness. It is sharp, but there are better ones for that. I love it because it is great in so many other levels, like rendering of details and colour. It's great focal and Oof. It is great to use and good size, and I can shoot with it even in rain... For me it is almost too sharp for some shots. Mothingyou can just measure by sharpness.

[unixrevolution]

This is why I like to say, "The Lab-derived quantitative, objective "Image Quality" doesn't matter. The subjective, aesthetic, artistic "Image Quality" does."

[Rondec]

I don't really get this. For me DA*55 isn't great because of it's sharpness. It is sharp, but there are better ones for that. I love it because it is great in so many other levels, like rendering of details and colour. It's great focal and Oof. It is great to use and good size, and I can shoot with it even in rain... For me it is almost too sharp for some shots. Mothingyou can just measure by sharpness.

I agree completely. The Canon 50mm f1.8 is plenty sharp, but its rendering of out of focus areas is really rough. Even their f1.4 lens isn't great. Looking at out of focus areas, transition from in focus to out of focus points makes a huge difference.

A good photographer can take decent photos with any lens, but having an excellent lens, like an FA limited or DA * prime certainly makes it easier.

[Barbarosa]

I just make little ironic smile on that test and go out shoot with my da*55.
Colors are dream, bookeh is dream and sharpenes is great from 2.0 and very good from 1.4
My favorite pentax prime, and with vivitar 2x macro pka converter make great macro, also works correctly in p-ttl mode with em-140 sigma macro flash and that was surprise for me.