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01-22-2018, 07:01 AM   #2746
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QuoteOriginally posted by Winder Quote
I expect the D-FA* 50mm to be less than the Sony T* FE 50mm ZA.
I don't.

01-22-2018, 08:00 AM   #2747
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QuoteOriginally posted by D1N0 Quote
Not when it is a Zeiss. Anyway Canon's new 85 1.4 is $1600 and so is the Nikon 85mm 1.4 G. Sony's FE 85mm f1.4 is $1800. Ricoh is more likely to emulate Canonikon pricing, than it is Sony's pricing.
Zeiss always had fantasy prices, like Leica. So they are probaly not a good sample.
The normal consumer maker like Sony, Nikon, Canon are the standard.
01-22-2018, 08:20 AM - 1 Like   #2748
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QuoteOriginally posted by beholder3 Quote
Zeiss always had fantasy prices, like Leica. So they are probaly not a good sample.
The normal consumer maker like Sony, Nikon, Canon are the standard.
Wouldn't it be cool to have a few experienced pros, a wedding guy, a sports guy, a landscape guy, ec. use every system and 50mm out there and pick a favourite for their discipline. I go back and forth between, "I don't see much difference" to "maybe I just haven't seen the defining images that show how good this big reputation lens is."

I was looking at my FA 50 macro image, it isn't all that highly regarded in the Zeiss world, but it sure takes some fine images. This for me is one of the most confusing things about photography. There simply is no agreed upon standard by which to rate lenses or any verified research into what humans really like to see.

The only thing that matters is that people like the images. Assuming technical measurements tell you that is a mistake.

I think most of us are looking for a really good lens with Pentax rendering and K-mount. I have a sneaky suspicion that Pentax rendering and ultra-high resolution may be incompatible. I have noticed that using the same sensor, Pentax is lower resolution than the competing Nikon, but , I like the images better.

Last edited by normhead; 01-22-2018 at 08:29 AM.
01-22-2018, 08:56 AM   #2749
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"etc"? I can fill the role of the "clueless bloke with an Internet connection" - just send those cameras and lenses to me

I might be overly optimistic, but I don't think Pentax made any compromise regarding the lens' rendering. Having both might be the reason why this lens is as large as it is.

01-22-2018, 09:08 AM   #2750
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
Wouldn't it be cool to have a few experienced pros, a wedding guy, a sports guy, a landscape guy, ec. use every system and 50mm out there and pick a favourite for their discipline. I go back and forth between, "I don't see much difference" to "maybe I just haven't seen the defining images that show how good this big reputation lens is."

I was looking at my FA 50 macro image, it isn't all that highly regarded in the Zeiss world, but it sure takes some fine images. This for me is one of the most confusing things about photography. There simply is no agreed upon standard by which to rate lenses or any verified research into what humans really like to see.

The only thing that matters is that people like the images. Assuming technical measurements tell you that is a mistake.

I think most of us are looking for a really good lens with Pentax rendering and K-mount. I have a sneaky suspicion that Pentax rendering and ultra-high resolution may be incompatible. I have noticed that using the same sensor, Pentax is lower resolution than the competing Nikon, but , I like the images better.
Macro lenses are all good, because of their flat field, right? I mean the DA 35 macro, 50 macro and the DFA 100 macro are all highly regarded lenses. But the DFA 50 macro is only an f2.8 lens, which could be a negative for some folks. You had mentioned earlier having lenses that do everything well, but typically, lenses that are good at portraits are not necessarily great for landscapes.

Most 50mm lenses will be decent at f2.8, but the question is how they do at apertures wider than that.
01-22-2018, 09:28 AM   #2751
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
Pentax rendering and ultra-high resolution may be incompatible. I have noticed that using the same sensor, Pentax is lower resolution than the competing Nikon, but , I like the images better.
That's also my experience with *star lenses. It the so called aerobright coating effect. As you say, it's not about sharpness, not about AF, but it is about the printed output that just feels perfectly right, but can't be explained.
01-22-2018, 09:34 AM   #2752
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I just got asked to do a wedding by some of Tess' relatives, the kind that are asking you because they can't afford a guy who's actually set up to do weddings. The first thing Tess said was "no new equipment." My story about Rondec's wife and the 77 ltd. didn't even make her blink. She just said "No new gear" even louder. I'm never going to get a 77. (Sob). What were we talking about agian?

I wonder if buying myself a 77 to shoot this event would be be acceptable as a wedding gift for them. I can tell Tess doesn't think so.

A bet this new 50 1.4 would be really good for the group shots.

I also bet Tess won't think so.


Last edited by normhead; 01-22-2018 at 01:44 PM.
01-22-2018, 09:48 AM   #2753
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
I wonder if buying myself a 77 to shoot this event would be be an acceptable as a wedding gift for them. I can tell Tess doesn't think so. A bet this new 50 1.4 would be really good for the group shots. I also bet Tess won't think so.
I think my wife would rather I buy a new lens than agree to shoot another wedding!
01-22-2018, 10:15 AM - 2 Likes   #2754
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
She just said "No new gear"
Your solution is simple, Norm... Buy a used 77!
01-22-2018, 11:40 AM - 3 Likes   #2755
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QuoteOriginally posted by rangercarp Quote
I think my wife would rather I buy a new lens than agree to shoot another wedding!
now there's a new strategy to try...
01-22-2018, 12:02 PM - 1 Like   #2756
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
Macro lenses are all good, because of their flat field, right? I mean the DA 35 macro, 50 macro and the DFA 100 macro are all highly regarded lenses. But the DFA 50 macro is only an f2.8 lens, which could be a negative for some folks. You had mentioned earlier having lenses that do everything well, but typically, lenses that are good at portraits are not necessarily great for landscapes.

Most 50mm lenses will be decent at f2.8, but the question is how they do at apertures wider than that.
In the case of the present Pentax system, the 50mm choices in AF for new equipment is an f/2.8 macro and an f/1.4 that was designed in the late 1980s, or very early 1990s and which is, at best, less than stellar (mine is abysmal wide open, and this is after a repair for optical issues).
The DA doesn't cover the full frame (at least mine didn't), and I found it had pretty rough bokeh.
It's all well and good to say these lenses exist, and therefore we should be falling all over ourselves with gratitude, but a 1.4 lens that is so soft as to be unusable wide open is practically useless, as is a lens that is reasonably sharp wide open but doesn't cover the frame.
My A50/1.2 is significantly better wide open than my FA50/1.4. If I didn't want to have autofocus from time to time, I would be happy with the A series lens.
Then again, if I didn't want to get from point A to point B in a reasonable amount of time, I would probably be happy with a burro.
01-22-2018, 12:38 PM - 1 Like   #2757
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
In the case of the present Pentax system, the 50mm choices in AF for new equipment is an f/2.8 macro and an f/1.4 that was designed in the late 1980s, or very early 1990s
...
It's all well and good to say these lenses exist, and therefore we should be falling all over ourselves with gratitude, but a 1.4 lens that is so soft as to be unusable wide open is practically useless, as is a lens that is reasonably sharp wide open but doesn't cover the frame.
I haven't heard anyone say we should be falling over ourselves with gratitude that those lenses exist - only that they do exist, and they can produce great results.

That said, I agree that the FA50 f/1.4 is showing its age... though my copy is very definitely usable wide open. Softer than at f/2.8? Of course... but for my personal needs, more than acceptable. At f/2, there's a big jump in centre performance and contrast, though it's still lacking in the borders. By f/2.8 it's very good, and at f/4 onwards it's excellent all round. I fully acknowledge that's not the performance many want or expect from a newly designed fast fifty, but depending on the use case, it's still a powerful lens...

Last edited by BigMackCam; 01-22-2018 at 12:51 PM.
01-22-2018, 12:39 PM - 1 Like   #2758
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
an f/1.4 that was designed in the late 1980s, or very early 1990s and which is, at best, less than stellar (mine is abysmal wide open, and this is after a repair for optical issues).
The lens design goes back to the sixties and it is pretty great actually. Wide open softness is great for portraits.
01-22-2018, 12:59 PM - 2 Likes   #2759
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
In the case of the present Pentax system, the 50mm choices in AF for new equipment is an f/2.8 macro and an f/1.4 that was designed in the late 1980s, or very early 1990s and which is, at best, less than stellar (mine is abysmal wide open, and this is after a repair for optical issues).
The DA doesn't cover the full frame (at least mine didn't), and I found it had pretty rough bokeh.
It's all well and good to say these lenses exist, and therefore we should be falling all over ourselves with gratitude, but a 1.4 lens that is so soft as to be unusable wide open is practically useless, as is a lens that is reasonably sharp wide open but doesn't cover the frame.
My A50/1.2 is significantly better wide open than my FA50/1.4. If I didn't want to have autofocus from time to time, I would be happy with the A series lens.
Then again, if I didn't want to get from point A to point B in a reasonable amount of time, I would probably be happy with a burro.
Well, two months to go (give or take a year), right?
01-22-2018, 01:46 PM   #2760
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QuoteOriginally posted by rangercarp Quote
I think my wife would rather I buy a new lens than agree to shoot another wedding!
I haven't shot one since I've been married toTess. I'm sure that will be her decision for the next one. She said, "all you have to do is take a few snapshots". What kind of trained photographer would go to a wedding as a photographer and "take a few snapshots?" I ask you.

QuoteOriginally posted by ofer4 Quote
Your solution is simple, Norm... Buy a used 77!
Tess says, "it would still be new to you", but, it was worth a try.
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