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08-09-2018, 05:36 PM - 2 Likes   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by kernos Quote
It seems that that the DFA has a different optical design than the upcoming mega Tokina Opera50mm - two more elements on the DFA if reports are correct.
Nope, it's the same optical formula - designed by Pentax, and licensed to Tokina.

QuoteOriginally posted by kernos Quote
But this lens is big enough for a tripod color, well not quite, but this lens is bigger and heavier than an FA77mm or even an F/FA135mm
It doesn't need a collar, but it's certainly big and chunky... Then again, it has an f/1.4 aperture and - here's the kicker - it's heavily corrected for premium performance across the frame and at all apertures. There's a design cost to that, and unsurprisingly it's in terms of optical forumla. All those elements result in physical size and weight. The FA77 is a great lens, but a much simpler formula.

QuoteOriginally posted by kernos Quote
So I'm wondering outside of bragging rights, who this lens is for that would justify the cost and weight?
Those who want more than anything else currently available offers them. Specifically, an extremely-high-quality, fast apeture, Pentax-branded, all-weather 50mm prime lens with frame-wide sharpness at all apertures, beautiful out-of-focus rendering and transitions, great flare control and minimal aberrations.

I'm a happy owner and user of the old FA50/1.4, but beyond the focal length and maximum aperture, I don't even begin to pretend it offers the same things, or the same level of optical optimisation. You can buy it at a fraction of the cost, but there are good reasons for that...


Last edited by BigMackCam; 08-09-2018 at 05:47 PM.
08-09-2018, 05:44 PM - 2 Likes   #32
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They basically had to shoot with the sun in the direct background to cause any issues? Looks like a great lens to me then.
08-09-2018, 06:29 PM   #33
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Even if Pentax and Tokina codesigned, it looks like Tokina is going to market a different lens. DPR and other sites have 13 elements for the Canikon 50mm 1.4 Opera. (Pardon the links, I'm on an ipad interface at the moment)Leaked: Tokina to announce Opera 50mm F1.4 FF and FíRIN 20mm F2 FE AF lenses: Digital Photography Review
Meanwhile, it looks like the DFA is a 15 element lens. Ricoh's New Pentax 50mm Is Its Most-Advanced Lens Yet | Digital Trends
So while there may be similarities in design they're not he same, unless I'm missing an even bigger and heavier Tokina.
I really was wondering about use. I could sell my FA43, DA*55mm, DA 50mm and a bunch of 50 and 55mm m42 lenses for a very heavy lens that I wouldn't want to lug around. For me, at least, heavy lenses are worth it for telephoto or macro applications. I could see this lens in a studio setting, but with controlled lighting a lot of lenses would perform really well and with a better focal length for most portraiture on full frame. So, yes, it is probably a strong contender for best normal lens on a Pentax, but the downsides in weight, cost and focal length don't seem to make a value argument.
08-09-2018, 06:40 PM - 1 Like   #34
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An odd sort of review. Full of verbiage that reads like slams of Pentax. On auto focus they say, "The K-1/II and 50mm combination definitely isn't up to the task of tracking fast-moving kids around the frame, but after our in-depth testing of the K-1 II's autofocus system, this didn't come as any surprise."

In another spot they comment that at 1200 dollars it is pretty expensive, "...it's almost twice the price of the excellent Sigma 50mm F1.4, which is sadly not available for Pentax." Now, I believe that the Sigma 50mm is 950 dollars which is well more than half the price of this lens, the Sigma is older, and an off brand lens. Brand name lenses of this quality are expensive and in fact, if the Pentax is giving Zeiss level quality, it is actually quite fairly priced.

Finally, they finish with this comment, "Speaking of third-party options, the Pentax HD FA* 50mm F1.4 is almost certainly an OEM product, and bears a striking external resemblance to the recently-released Tokina 'Opera' 50mm F1.4. This isn't particularly significant (the Pentax 15-30mm F2.8 and 24-70mm F2.8 look suspiciously similar to Tamron-branded lenses, for example) and this kind of an arrangement makes sense given the relatively small market for Pentax full-frame glass." Which clearly shows a complete lack of research on their part. Pentax has stated the 15-30 and 24-70 are Tamron lenses. They have also stated that the 50 is their baby and that they are licensing the optical formula to Tokina. Totally clear to everyone except DP Review.

To be fair, this is not an actual review. It is a "hands on," but so full of negatives towards Pentax gear as to be pretty intolerable by those of us who shoot with Pentax (and also compared to other reviewers have been have been very loud in their praise of this lens."

08-09-2018, 06:44 PM - 1 Like   #35
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FWIW, I just returned from a week carrying the DFA*50/1.4 and K-1 in Colorado with a Peak Design Sling strap. The lens balances well on the K-1, as if they were intentionally made for each other. After 15 minutes it doesn’t feel heavy at all - in fact the balanced mass of the camera and lens actually promotes stability. I just got off the plane so no images yet.

FWIW, I was caught in a baseball-sized hail storm that totaled 400 cars and sent 14 people to the hospital at my hotel alone. It rained every other afternoon I was there. It was a giggle to continue shooting while everyone else was ducking indoors or hiding their gear under coats.

I honestly don’t believe DPR actually put their “hands on” the lens at all.
08-09-2018, 07:28 PM - 5 Likes   #36
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QuoteOriginally posted by monochrome Quote
.

I honestly don’t believe DPR actually put their “hands on” the lens at all.
I'm afraid they'd have to take their hands off something else they were holding first.

Call that testing or journalism? (Rollseyes)



08-09-2018, 07:40 PM - 1 Like   #37
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Truthfully, fairness toward DPR is besides the point. This is just lazy, sloppy writing. Since when does doing a "hands-on" piece excuse them from basic fact checking about which company designed the lens? Was there a Google outage that prevented cutting and pasting the relevant info, compounded by not being able to remember the URL for Bing?


Thanks for the quotes to make your point, as I can't bring myself to visit DPR. So many (arrogant) denials of bias from Barney, Rishi and others, but here you have it.


They must have an algorithm that says they get more clicks from negative rather than positive coverage of Pentax.


QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
To be fair, this is not an actual review. It is a "hands on," but so full of negatives towards Pentax gear as to be pretty intolerable by those of us who shoot with Pentax (and also compared to other reviewers have been have been very loud in their praise of this lens."



Last edited by NotSteve; 08-09-2018 at 07:41 PM. Reason: mistake in quoting
08-09-2018, 08:08 PM   #38
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That "preview" was cringeworthy to say the least. I haven't seen reviews so biased (in this case, for the bad) since I stopped reading Autocar and the blind love for JLR products .
08-09-2018, 10:38 PM - 6 Likes   #39
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Sigma Art performs similar or worse...

QuoteOriginally posted by ChristianRock Quote
all they want to talk about is the lens longitudinal CA in harsh light.
The tabloid intern who wrote this seem to intentionally "forget" the Sigma 50 Art performance:

Look at the Sigma here:

Sigma_50f1-4Art_f1-4_79258 | Sigma 50/1.4 Art shot on D800. ? | Flickr
and here
Sigma 50mm 1.4 Fringing question | Photo.net Photography Forums
or the paper plate that is both magenta and green:
Sigma 50mm f1.4 ART sample image | Sample image taken with a? | Flickr
or the blue fringing here:
englischer-Gruss_Sigma_50f1-4Art_f1-4_78450 | Sigma 50/1.4 A? | Flickr

The Sigma was considered the holy grail before.

Or you could look at the direct competitor from Nikon for $1600:
Nikon 58mm f1.4G review - Quality - | Cameralabs
Oh, boy.

Hater propaganda.
08-09-2018, 11:01 PM   #40
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QuoteOriginally posted by beholder3 Quote
The tabloid intern who wrote this seem to intentionally "forget" the Sigma 50 Art performance:

Look at the Sigma here:

Sigma_50f1-4Art_f1-4_79258 | Sigma 50/1.4 Art shot on D800. ? | Flickr
and here
Sigma 50mm 1.4 Fringing question | Photo.net Photography Forums
or the paper plate that is both magenta and green:
Sigma 50mm f1.4 ART sample image | Sample image taken with a? | Flickr
or the blue fringing here:
englischer-Gruss_Sigma_50f1-4Art_f1-4_78450 | Sigma 50/1.4 A? | Flickr

The Sigma was considered the holy grail before.

Or you could look at the direct competitor from Nikon for $1600:
Nikon 58mm f1.4G review - Quality - | Cameralabs
Oh, boy.

Hater propaganda.
Great work, Beholder.

This goes with the territory for wide aperture primes. Perhaps this 'writer' doesn't understand that, or hasn't done much photography before.

The older Limiteds are great but you can induce purple fringing in them.
08-10-2018, 12:22 AM   #41
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DPR = quality hahahahaha
08-10-2018, 12:59 AM   #42
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
Pentax has stated the 15-30 and 24-70 are Tamron lenses.
I don't remember them stating this directly... OTOH if you ask them about these lenses, they'd say "yeah, we have those lenses" but when you ask them about the D FA* 50mm you can't stop them talking about it:
Development Story | HD PENTAX-D FA?50mm F1.4 SDM AW | PENTAX STAR LENS | RICOH IMAGING

---------- Post added 10-08-18 at 11:06 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by BigMackCam Quote
It doesn't need a collar
Not only it doesn't need a collar, but a collar would be bad for this lens.

First, the lens has about the same weight as the camera - so there's no point in a collar at all (you're not reducing the stress on the mount). There goes the 'need' part.
Then, it won't improve the camera+lens stability on the tripod, on the contrary I'd say.
Last but not least, it would make the lens larger&heavier, and it would block the focusing ring - making it a nightmare to use.

It doesn't looks like kernos was seriously suggesting to put a lens collar on this lens though.

Last edited by Kunzite; 08-10-2018 at 01:08 AM.
08-10-2018, 01:36 AM   #43
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Nothing wrong with the review. In the end it says: "So it's big, it's heavy and it's very sharp."

Anyone experienced with high-end lenses knows extreme performance comes at the cost of one or two side effects. Even Zeiss Otus lenses have issues, for example minor focus shift (bad).
08-10-2018, 01:51 AM   #44
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kunzite Quote
It doesn't looks like kernos was seriously suggesting to put a lens collar on this lens though.
I'm pretty sure the collar is not for a tripod, but for a leash. I mean, that is a sharp monster lens!
08-10-2018, 01:57 AM - 2 Likes   #45
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Much of the so-called green CA is out-of-focus dark-green fence!

QuoteOriginally posted by ChristianRock Quote
Hands-on with the Pentax HD FA* 50mm F1.4 (for real this time): Digital Photography Review

So they don't try at all to dwell on the lens sharpness, contrast, beautiful colors... all they want to talk about is the lens longitudinal CA in harsh light.
Much of the so-called green CA is out-of-focus dark-green fence!

A problem with the article's analysis
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