Pentax Lens Tournament: Nominate your favorite lens by January 15th

**ehrwien** · 03-14-2021, 04:35 AM

Quite tele-centric at the top there, and the DFA* 50/1.4 and the SMC FA 31/1.8 are the only lenses that were really able to separate themselves from the the rest based on the cast votes. DFA 70-200/2.8 and DA* 300/4 were able to leave a little gap behind them as well, but I feel like the rest of the lenses will be cuddling up right around the 50% mark. Very interested to see how the rest of the field did and what lenses are at the back of the field. And what other lenses were nominated but didn't make the final.

reh321 · 03-14-2021, 05:03 AM

Originally posted by ehrwien

Quite tele-centric at the top there, and the DFA* 50/1.4 and the SMC FA 31/1.8 are the only lenses that were really able to separate themselves from the the rest based on the cast votes. DFA 70-200/2.8 and DA* 300/4 were able to leave a little gap behind them as well, but I feel like the rest of the lenses will be cuddling up right around the 50% mark. Very interested to see how the rest of the field did and what lenses are at the back of the field. And what other lenses were nominated but didn't make the final.

It doesn’t look “tele-centric” at all to me, since the top two were 50mm or less, but there are a lot of physically big lenses there; I was kind of hoping that a “limited” lens would win, but that is not how the voting turned out.

**ehrwien** · 03-14-2021, 05:44 AM

Originally posted by reh321

It doesn’t look “tele-centric” at all to me, since the top two were 50mm or less, but there are a lot of physically big lenses there; I was kind of hoping that a “limited” lens would win, but that is not how the voting turned out.

3 of the top 6, with the other lenses being a normal, a wide and an ultra-wide? With 2 of the tele lenses being in the top 4? Perhaps I chose the wrong word, but it definitely directly stands out.

phoebus · 03-14-2021, 09:10 AM - **1 Like**

Thanks for an interesting contest @Adam.

I didn't submit the DFA* 50 as my favourite, only because my most cherished shots happen to be taken with the DA* 200. However, I have so many more shots I'm very happy with from the DFA* 50, I'm not in the least surprised it came top. It is a lovely lens and a great vote of confidence in the Ricoh/Pentax lens design decisions and production. Maybe the DFA* 85 will also be up there in the next contest..

Cambo · 03-14-2021, 04:32 PM

Where do we find the results?

Tesla · 03-14-2021, 05:16 PM

Originally posted by Adam

Announcement of the winners and 5 runners-up:
2021 Pentax Lens Tournament Winners - PentaxForums.com - YouTube

Full details will follow on the homepage in the coming days.

Results on page 22.

angerdan · 03-14-2021, 11:20 PM

Originally posted by Cambo

Where do we find the results?

Currently only in this video at minute 3:55:
https://youtu.be/Ryh0bjEdTpk?t=235

**K(s)evin** · 03-15-2021, 01:11 AM

Odd that the 2014 winner (FA77) doesn't crack the top six, just 7 years later.

**Rondec** · 03-15-2021, 02:30 AM

Originally posted by K(s)evin

Odd that the 2014 winner (FA77) doesn't crack the top six, just 7 years later.

It's a very different style of tournament. That previous one did not require photos, but only people to vote between lenses. At least that's what I recall.

**Weevil** · 03-15-2021, 05:15 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Rondec

It's a very different style of tournament. That previous one did not require photos, but only people to vote between lenses. At least that's what I recall.

YEs That was almost it in 2014...

Even tho the last tournament may had biases I preferred it's formula... I was more thrilled in 2014.

For voting, I didn't really liked this year's formula.
I did vote on many photos, but I didn't really knew for what I voting for... and I found that a bit repetitive... (same photos were coming back very often)

my votes were more about the style of photography, the composition and somewhat a matter of taste and preferences of photography styles than the lens itself.

For example, preferring a Wildlife Telephoto subject compared to a landscape..
Sometimes I liked both, or none, but I couldn't select those option. I had to chose one anyways, even if I didn't really liked them... or vice-versa.

Anyways, I appreciate the efforts to go to a different route...

**JensE** · 03-15-2021, 05:21 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by K(s)evin

Odd that the 2014 winner (FA77) doesn't crack the top six, just 7 years later.

The FA31 only lost to the FA77 in 2014 and plays its strength better on the K-1, so I am not surprised that it pulled ahead of the FA77. With several new high quality options released or at least widely used since, the field is pretty tight. In addition, the voting pictures had very low resolution, which tends to favor telephoto lenses or pictures at fairly wide open aperture in my perception.

**UncleVanya** · 03-16-2021, 06:42 AM

Originally posted by reh321

It doesn’t look “tele-centric” at all to me, since the top two were 50mm or less, but there are a lot of physically big lenses there; I was kind of hoping that a “limited” lens would win, but that is not how the voting turned out.

The 31 and 15 won their categories...

exnito · 03-17-2021, 12:20 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Adam

Announcement of the winners and 5 runners-up:
2021 Pentax Lens Tournament Winners - PentaxForums.com - YouTube

Full details will follow on the homepage in the coming days.

Hi.
Will you also open the galleries of the photos ? Or at least show top 3 entries for each winning lenses ? thanks

Naruto · 03-19-2021, 09:31 AM

I would appreciate to see the photos that allowed these lenses to be ranked better than the others. May be I voted for some of them?

In 2014, the lenses were thought as a whole not just from some photos. This makes a big difference for me. Even if I have no doubt about the quality of the pictures it delivers, I would not personally vote for the DFA* 50 as the best lens because: 1) It is too big and too heavy 2) It does not have manual aperture 3) lacks character in its built compared to the three amigos.

reh321 · 03-19-2021, 10:26 AM

Originally posted by Naruto

I would appreciate to see the photos that allowed these lenses to be ranked better than the others. May be I voted for some of them?

In 2014, the lenses were thought as a whole not just from some photos. This makes a big difference for me. Even if I have no doubt about the quality of the pictures it delivers, I would not personally vote for the DFA* 50 as the best lens because: 1) It is too big and too heavy 2) It does not have manual aperture 3) lacks character in its built compared to the three amigos.

Your first two points wouldn't show up in photos taken by it.

03-17-2021, 12:20 PM - 2 Likes	#343
exnito Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Martin Posts: 53	Photos Originally posted by Adam Announcement of the winners and 5 runners-up: 2021 Pentax Lens Tournament Winners - PentaxForums.com - YouTube Full details will follow on the homepage in the coming days. Hi. Will you also open the galleries of the photos ? Or at least show top 3 entries for each winning lenses ? thanks

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03-14-2021, 04:35 AM	#331
ehrwien Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 2,782	Quite tele-centric at the top there, and the DFA* 50/1.4 and the SMC FA 31/1.8 are the only lenses that were really able to separate themselves from the the rest based on the cast votes. DFA 70-200/2.8 and DA* 300/4 were able to leave a little gap behind them as well, but I feel like the rest of the lenses will be cuddling up right around the 50% mark. Very interested to see how the rest of the field did and what lenses are at the back of the field. And what other lenses were nominated but didn't make the final.

03-14-2021, 05:03 AM	#332
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,177	Originally posted by ehrwien Quite tele-centric at the top there, and the DFA* 50/1.4 and the SMC FA 31/1.8 are the only lenses that were really able to separate themselves from the the rest based on the cast votes. DFA 70-200/2.8 and DA* 300/4 were able to leave a little gap behind them as well, but I feel like the rest of the lenses will be cuddling up right around the 50% mark. Very interested to see how the rest of the field did and what lenses are at the back of the field. And what other lenses were nominated but didn't make the final. It doesn’t look “tele-centric” at all to me, since the top two were 50mm or less, but there are a lot of physically big lenses there; I was kind of hoping that a “limited” lens would win, but that is not how the voting turned out.

03-14-2021, 05:44 AM	#333
ehrwien Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 2,782	Originally posted by reh321 It doesn’t look “tele-centric” at all to me, since the top two were 50mm or less, but there are a lot of physically big lenses there; I was kind of hoping that a “limited” lens would win, but that is not how the voting turned out. 3 of the top 6, with the other lenses being a normal, a wide and an ultra-wide? With 2 of the tele lenses being in the top 4? Perhaps I chose the wrong word, but it definitely directly stands out.

03-14-2021, 09:10 AM - 1 Like	#334
phoebus Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Buckinghamshire (UK) / Morbihan (FR) Photos: Gallery Posts: 470	Thanks for an interesting contest @Adam. I didn't submit the DFA* 50 as my favourite, only because my most cherished shots happen to be taken with the DA* 200. However, I have so many more shots I'm very happy with from the DFA* 50, I'm not in the least surprised it came top. It is a lovely lens and a great vote of confidence in the Ricoh/Pentax lens design decisions and production. Maybe the DFA* 85 will also be up there in the next contest..

03-14-2021, 04:32 PM	#335
Cambo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,016	Where do we find the results?

03-14-2021, 05:16 PM	#336
Tesla Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Washington State Posts: 589	Originally posted by Adam Announcement of the winners and 5 runners-up: 2021 Pentax Lens Tournament Winners - PentaxForums.com - YouTube Full details will follow on the homepage in the coming days. Results on page 22.

03-14-2021, 11:20 PM	#337
angerdan Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,639	Originally posted by Cambo Where do we find the results? Currently only in this video at minute 3:55: https://youtu.be/Ryh0bjEdTpk?t=235

03-15-2021, 01:11 AM	#338
K(s)evin Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 476	Odd that the 2014 winner (FA77) doesn't crack the top six, just 7 years later.

03-15-2021, 02:30 AM	#339
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	Originally posted by K(s)evin Odd that the 2014 winner (FA77) doesn't crack the top six, just 7 years later. It's a very different style of tournament. That previous one did not require photos, but only people to vote between lenses. At least that's what I recall.

03-15-2021, 05:15 PM - 2 Likes	#340
Weevil Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Near Montréal, Québec Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,444	Originally posted by Rondec It's a very different style of tournament. That previous one did not require photos, but only people to vote between lenses. At least that's what I recall. YEs That was almost it in 2014... Even tho the last tournament may had biases I preferred it's formula... I was more thrilled in 2014. For voting, I didn't really liked this year's formula. I did vote on many photos, but I didn't really knew for what I voting for... and I found that a bit repetitive... (same photos were coming back very often) my votes were more about the style of photography, the composition and somewhat a matter of taste and preferences of photography styles than the lens itself. For example, preferring a Wildlife Telephoto subject compared to a landscape.. Sometimes I liked both, or none, but I couldn't select those option. I had to chose one anyways, even if I didn't really liked them... or vice-versa. Anyways, I appreciate the efforts to go to a different route...

03-15-2021, 05:21 PM - 2 Likes	#341
JensE Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Leipzig Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,969	Originally posted by K(s)evin Odd that the 2014 winner (FA77) doesn't crack the top six, just 7 years later. The FA31 only lost to the FA77 in 2014 and plays its strength better on the K-1, so I am not surprised that it pulled ahead of the FA77. With several new high quality options released or at least widely used since, the field is pretty tight. In addition, the voting pictures had very low resolution, which tends to favor telephoto lenses or pictures at fairly wide open aperture in my perception.

03-16-2021, 06:42 AM	#342
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,401	Originally posted by reh321 It doesn’t look “tele-centric” at all to me, since the top two were 50mm or less, but there are a lot of physically big lenses there; I was kind of hoping that a “limited” lens would win, but that is not how the voting turned out. The 31 and 15 won their categories...

03-19-2021, 09:31 AM	#344
Naruto Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 66	I would appreciate to see the photos that allowed these lenses to be ranked better than the others. May be I voted for some of them? In 2014, the lenses were thought as a whole not just from some photos. This makes a big difference for me. Even if I have no doubt about the quality of the pictures it delivers, I would not personally vote for the DFA* 50 as the best lens because: 1) It is too big and too heavy 2) It does not have manual aperture 3) lacks character in its built compared to the three amigos.

03-19-2021, 10:26 AM	#345
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,177	Originally posted by Naruto I would appreciate to see the photos that allowed these lenses to be ranked better than the others. May be I voted for some of them? In 2014, the lenses were thought as a whole not just from some photos. This makes a big difference for me. Even if I have no doubt about the quality of the pictures it delivers, I would not personally vote for the DFA* 50 as the best lens because: 1) It is too big and too heavy 2) It does not have manual aperture 3) lacks character in its built compared to the three amigos. Your first two points wouldn't show up in photos taken by it.