[pres589]

A plastic 30 1.4 would be really nice. Double points for quick shift. Probably too much to ask for WR.

What's the story on "the long lens and the rear converter" cancelled by Hoya, what were those purported to be? I missed a lot of gossip over the years...

[stevebrot]

By the way, FA35/2 costs 660 USD in Russia....

Huge import tariffs + exchange rate. Time to emigrate?


Steve

[stevebrot]

Both FA50/35 are very solid, but are in almost all terms obsolete.

Obsolete is a strong word. I don't see a remake involving significant difference in build. The current version is high impact plastic over resin/metal core, same as today's lenses. The most obvious step away from obsolescence would be to add fast, quiet, in-lens AF motor. I have my doubts that doing so would improve speed or accuracy, but it would improve the user experience. Another significant area for improvement would be a better manual focus ring. Focus throw is about perfect...leave that alone. The coatings are not far off recent products, but update to HD would not hurt. The optics have come under strong criticism, though I am not sure why. Maximum aperture is fast and reflects how the focal length is used for 35mm FF shooting. (The traditional use is for street and urban landscape photography.) I would keep size/weight in the same range. The Sigma and Tamron products are nice, but way big and fat. I have not seen resolution figures on the current design at 36Mpx on FF, but I suspect they are not bad. The lens is stellar on high resolution 35mm film. Bokeh is not so stellar, but such is often the case for wide-angle FF lenses.


Steve

[stevebrot]

But FA are also prone to flare, and have very weak contrast on bigger openings(without hood)

Have you experience with the FA 35/2? It is very resistant to flare and has excellent contrast at all apertures. When new, it was priced significantly above the FA 50/1.4 and is considered to be a more sophisticated design (aspheric elements were relatively unusual at the time).


Steve

[Reed]

I had and sold after some use FA's 28/2.8, 50/1.4,50/1.7, and no-I never had FA35 for longer time, but have tried and micro adjusted new "out of box",friends FA35/2 when I already had my DA35, compared-for me, FA is not worth the price point.Could be a deal at half the price. Friend sold it later to Sigma A35 favor.My experience with FA35 was fair. But- its not enough for that money, to little added value over DA35 to overcome the price. Of course its my subjective opinion-many users might be perfectly happy with it-good for them

[6BQ5]

If you still shoot film or want to adapt this lens to other systems then the aperture ring suddenly becomes very valuable.

[Reed]

Point taken

[ogl]

Huge import tariffs + exchange rate. Time to emigrate?


Steve

I have FA31...No need FA35/2

[lytrytyr]

And isn't it a shame that never happened? That still is a big hole in the APS-C system: the truly fast normal.

Sigma have been scratching the 30mm/1.4 itch for quite a while now.

Here's the latest incarnation:

Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM (Art) Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

[ChristianRock]

Sigma have been scratching the 30mm/1.4 itch for quite a while now.

Here's the latest incarnation:

Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM (Art) Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

Oh I know, and I'm planning on getting one this year probably, if I can sell some stuff...
But I would love to see what Pentax would have done with it

[clackers]

I have FA31...No need FA35/2

Yeah, we can see all the nice gear you've got in your signature, Ogl ... let's hear no further complaints about lens prices from you!

[pres589]

Oh I know, and I'm planning on getting one this year probably, if I can sell some stuff...
But I would love to see what Pentax would have done with it

My guess would start with "much better autofocus" with a possible side of "and the edges wouldn't be such mush" if Pentax had done a 30 1.4 along with Sigma.

I still want to try a pre-Art 30 1.4 but it's low priority when I've already got a 35 2.4.

[ogl]

Yeah, we can see all the nice gear you've got in your signature, Ogl ... let's hear no further complaints about lens prices from you!

I just gave info about price of FA35/2 in Russian and nothing else.

[Tan68]

... New 35mm is long overdue. 50mm too must be revamped. Current 35 and 50 are all plastic rubbish, in fact all 35 and 50mm are below standard of other DSLR brands. But Pentax users couldn't know for anything better, say, 35/1.4 or 35/2 with silent motors, ultra fast focusing, APO, and 9 or 11 blades? Yeah, dream on. ...

I prefer smaller lenses. Newer lenses are larger and this is just the way things are going with in-lens motors and etc. More people will be happy with these new/large lenses. In the meantime, I am glad smaller lenses are still available...

Updating the old screw drive lenses with new coatings before discontinuing them and making the move to big lenses would be nice but doing this would also make little sense :^) If lenses like the 35/2 and 50/1.4 are kept in service I agree the exterior should be updated to match other modern lenses.

The old 35 and 50 look like darth vader lenses.

---------- Post added 09-18-16 at 07:18 AM ----------

No way are FAs plastic rubbish.
Plastic uglies maybe (but F are far worse). Plastic rubbish are 35/50 DAs, that I agree.
FAs are mostly metal. Weight an FA50/1.7 and a DA50/1.8. You'll be shocked.

I have a 35/2 and the 35/2.4
The 35/2.4 is definitely the plastic fantastic of the two
The 35/2 feels good, really, and I like it

[ The 35/2 experienced an unexpected event so the 35/2.4 ]

[repaap]

I just gave info about price of FA35/2 in Russian and nothing else.

It is even more prizy at Finland...but we have high tax and the rest rates...which is why I bought my FA35 secondhand(mint).