I've dithered, sat on my hands, wavered and shilly-shallied long enough

Sluggo · 01-02-2019, 03:38 PM - **1 Like**

Finally ordered a K-1ii (bundled with grip) and expect it to arrive by Friday. Will be comparing my experience with Uncle Vanya's loan at least with regard to the redeployment of classic lenses in their intended fields of view.

Really as soon as Pentax announced there would be a full frame digital body, I knew I wanted one - I just wasn't prepared to shell out. But ars longa, vita brevis; and the "can afford but don't really need" gap was eventually closed by the knowledge that I'm not making the most of some lovely hunks of glass I've been gathering over the years. Most notably -- FA31, A*85/1.4, SMC50/1.2, A28/2.0; and the more common fare -- FA50/1.4, Vivitar/Cosina 19/3.8, Zenitar fisheye.

The DA*16-50 might get replaced with the DFA24-70 sometime, but there's a rhythm to these things. There will be plenty to experiment with and learn.

**Pentax Syntax** · 01-02-2019, 03:49 PM

Congratulations! You will love the K-1ii. Made all of my old glass shine again 😊

Paul the Sunman · 01-02-2019, 07:37 PM

Sweet. Enjoy.

Marktax · 01-02-2019, 07:46 PM

I have one of those. Can't wait to hear how it does K-1ii

**UncleVanya** · 01-02-2019, 10:56 PM - **1 Like**

I made my first shots with the fa 31 tonight. It was shocking how wide it is. Lol. The brain knows but doesn't really communicate well to itself.

wstruth · 01-03-2019, 04:34 AM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

I made my first shots with the fa 31 tonight. It was shocking how wide it is. Lol. The brain knows but doesn't really communicate well to itself.

Yeah that was a surprise to me as well and so was the 50 1.4 on the K-1. Its like I got a chance to relearn the lenses.

**UncleVanya** · 01-03-2019, 07:43 AM

Originally posted by wstruth

Yeah that was a surprise to me as well and so was the 50 1.4 on the K-1. Its like I got a chance to relearn the lenses.

Literally years and years of shooting 35mm film have been forgotten by my brain.

Sluggo · 01-03-2019, 11:09 AM

I'm at work, so no time to dig in just yet.

**kiwi_jono** · 01-03-2019, 02:55 PM - **1 Like**

With that glass, you will have a ball! Plenty to start getting results with.

I just bought a FA 31 and FA 77 from a local photographer and really loving them on the K-1. The FA50/1.4 is decent too for general use (and quite a compact combination!).

Enjoy!

Sluggo · 01-03-2019, 03:15 PM

Originally posted by kiwi_jono

... I just bought a FA 31 and FA 77 from a local photographer and really loving them on the K-1....

I just poked around your flickr feed a bit. Looks like you're off to a great start with your FA limiteds, and you've shot some real beauties with your other lenses - I'm impressed by what you've done with the FA35 in particular.

Sluggo · 01-03-2019, 07:11 PM - **1 Like**

The very first impressions:

not quite as big or heavy as I'd come to expect (though to be fair I haven't yet attached the grip or used a zoom lens)
nice quiet shutter
can autofocus in hardly any light
insignificant point, but cheers for the locking body cap! Those tupperware-ish push-in types always made me nervous.

In accordance with the "New Equipment Gets Tested on Cats" Rule:

testing the new k-1ii - FA50/1.4 @ f/1.4

**kiwi_jono** · 01-03-2019, 07:36 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Sluggo

I just poked around your flickr feed a bit. Looks like you're off to a great start with your FA limiteds, and you've shot some real beauties with your other lenses - I'm impressed by what you've done with the FA35 in particular.

Thanks - kind of you to say so! Yes the FA35 is a great lens and its under-rated in some circles IMO. Though my initial tests do show the FA31 is a tiny bit sharper and bokeh is improved in some scenarios (like in the focus transition zones) but the FA35 is surprisingly close to the FA 31 in other scenarios. As for build and handling, the limiteds are certainly impressive! Look forward to spending some time with them.

Enjoy the K-1 II!

Sluggo · 01-05-2019, 06:39 AM

Originally posted by Marktax

SMC-A 28mm f 2.0 ?? I have one of those. Can't wait to hear how it does K-1ii

That lens saw a lot of use when I was doing film, but I had some trouble with manual focus on my first APS-C, and then a used FA31 came along.... so it's been on the shelf. But since you mentioned it, I took it out for a walk yesterday after work.

A28/2.0 at f/3.2

An articulating screen is so nice for composing with live view - something I appreciate too on the MX-1 point and shoot. Easy to see what you're doing with the camera held anywhere from your shoe-tops to way over your head. This was around chest level.

Then the same scene with the DA21 Limited, uncropped - breaking the image circle could get to be a cliché pretty fast, but it made me smile.

DA21 at f/3.5

normhead · 01-05-2019, 08:18 AM - **1 Like**

Smoother out of focus areas on the 28, interesting but probably just a function of the longer focal length.

---------- Post added 01-05-19 at 10:19 AM ----------

Originally posted by Sluggo

The very first impressions:
In accordance with the "New Equipment Gets Tested on Cats" Rule:

4

You dodged a bullet. People have been excommunicated for breaking that rule.

Sluggo · 01-10-2019, 10:03 AM

Originally posted by normhead

Smoother out of focus areas on the 28, interesting but probably just a function of the longer focal length.

And it was a slightly wider aperture, 3.2 vs 3.5 - I was just stopping each lens down a little from wide open, rather than matching settings. But you're right.

A couple of days after posting those I noticed that the DA21 example wasn't really all that circular, then realized I'd shot with the integrated hood on - which of course is designed for APS-C. With the hood removed there's less darkness, more confined to the corners. I suppose if one didn't mind some of the aberrations around the edges, the DA21 could be used as a very compact full frame wide lens -- effectively ~25mm focal length after cropping out the missing bits? Rough guess there, just something to toy with.

Anyway. After one week, I'm madly in liking with this camera. It feels like coming home. Still haven't got around to doing much with the two main lenses that motivated the purchase (A*85, FA31) - have been kinda sidetracked with experimenting with lensbabies. Much fun.

01-02-2019, 03:38 PM - 1 Like	#1
Sluggo Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ames, Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 774	I've dithered, sat on my hands, wavered and shilly-shallied long enough Finally ordered a K-1ii (bundled with grip) and expect it to arrive by Friday. Will be comparing my experience with Uncle Vanya's loan at least with regard to the redeployment of classic lenses in their intended fields of view. Really as soon as Pentax announced there would be a full frame digital body, I knew I wanted one - I just wasn't prepared to shell out. But ars longa, vita brevis; and the "can afford but don't really need" gap was eventually closed by the knowledge that I'm not making the most of some lovely hunks of glass I've been gathering over the years. Most notably -- FA31, A85/1.4, SMC50/1.2, A28/2.0; and the more common fare -- FA50/1.4, Vivitar/Cosina 19/3.8, Zenitar fisheye. The DA16-50 might get replaced with the DFA24-70 sometime, but there's a rhythm to these things. There will be plenty to experiment with and learn.

01-02-2019, 07:46 PM	#4
Marktax Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Washington DC Photos: Albums Posts: 610	SMC-A 28mm f 2.0 ?? I have one of those. Can't wait to hear how it does K-1ii

01-03-2019, 07:11 PM - 1 Like	#11
Sluggo Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ames, Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 774 Original Poster	The very first impressions: not quite as big or heavy as I'd come to expect (though to be fair I haven't yet attached the grip or used a zoom lens) nice quiet shutter can autofocus in hardly any light insignificant point, but cheers for the locking body cap! Those tupperware-ish push-in types always made me nervous. In accordance with the "New Equipment Gets Tested on Cats" Rule: testing the new k-1ii - FA50/1.4 @ f/1.4

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01-02-2019, 03:49 PM	#2
Pentax Syntax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 595	Congratulations! You will love the K-1ii. Made all of my old glass shine again 😊

01-02-2019, 07:37 PM	#3
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,846	Sweet. Enjoy.

01-02-2019, 10:56 PM - 1 Like	#5
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,454	I made my first shots with the fa 31 tonight. It was shocking how wide it is. Lol. The brain knows but doesn't really communicate well to itself.

01-03-2019, 04:34 AM	#6
wstruth Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: at my kitchen table Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,294	Originally posted by UncleVanya I made my first shots with the fa 31 tonight. It was shocking how wide it is. Lol. The brain knows but doesn't really communicate well to itself. Yeah that was a surprise to me as well and so was the 50 1.4 on the K-1. Its like I got a chance to relearn the lenses.

01-03-2019, 07:43 AM	#7
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,454	Originally posted by wstruth Yeah that was a surprise to me as well and so was the 50 1.4 on the K-1. Its like I got a chance to relearn the lenses. Literally years and years of shooting 35mm film have been forgotten by my brain.

01-03-2019, 11:09 AM	#8
Sluggo Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ames, Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 774 Original Poster	I'm at work, so no time to dig in just yet.

01-03-2019, 02:55 PM - 1 Like	#9
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	With that glass, you will have a ball! Plenty to start getting results with. I just bought a FA 31 and FA 77 from a local photographer and really loving them on the K-1. The FA50/1.4 is decent too for general use (and quite a compact combination!). Enjoy!

01-03-2019, 03:15 PM	#10
Sluggo Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ames, Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 774 Original Poster	Originally posted by kiwi_jono ... I just bought a FA 31 and FA 77 from a local photographer and really loving them on the K-1.... I just poked around your flickr feed a bit. Looks like you're off to a great start with your FA limiteds, and you've shot some real beauties with your other lenses - I'm impressed by what you've done with the FA35 in particular.

01-03-2019, 07:36 PM - 1 Like	#12
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Originally posted by Sluggo I just poked around your flickr feed a bit. Looks like you're off to a great start with your FA limiteds, and you've shot some real beauties with your other lenses - I'm impressed by what you've done with the FA35 in particular. Thanks - kind of you to say so! Yes the FA35 is a great lens and its under-rated in some circles IMO. Though my initial tests do show the FA31 is a tiny bit sharper and bokeh is improved in some scenarios (like in the focus transition zones) but the FA35 is surprisingly close to the FA 31 in other scenarios. As for build and handling, the limiteds are certainly impressive! Look forward to spending some time with them. Enjoy the K-1 II!

01-05-2019, 06:39 AM	#13
Sluggo Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ames, Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 774 Original Poster	Originally posted by Marktax SMC-A 28mm f 2.0 ?? I have one of those. Can't wait to hear how it does K-1ii That lens saw a lot of use when I was doing film, but I had some trouble with manual focus on my first APS-C, and then a used FA31 came along.... so it's been on the shelf. But since you mentioned it, I took it out for a walk yesterday after work. A28/2.0 at f/3.2 An articulating screen is so nice for composing with live view - something I appreciate too on the MX-1 point and shoot. Easy to see what you're doing with the camera held anywhere from your shoe-tops to way over your head. This was around chest level. Then the same scene with the DA21 Limited, uncropped - breaking the image circle could get to be a cliché pretty fast, but it made me smile. DA21 at f/3.5

01-05-2019, 08:18 AM - 1 Like	#14
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Smoother out of focus areas on the 28, interesting but probably just a function of the longer focal length. ---------- Post added 01-05-19 at 10:19 AM ---------- Originally posted by Sluggo The very first impressions: In accordance with the "New Equipment Gets Tested on Cats" Rule: 4 You dodged a bullet. People have been excommunicated for breaking that rule.

01-10-2019, 10:03 AM	#15
Sluggo Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ames, Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 774 Original Poster	Originally posted by normhead Smoother out of focus areas on the 28, interesting but probably just a function of the longer focal length. And it was a slightly wider aperture, 3.2 vs 3.5 - I was just stopping each lens down a little from wide open, rather than matching settings. But you're right. A couple of days after posting those I noticed that the DA21 example wasn't really all that circular, then realized I'd shot with the integrated hood on - which of course is designed for APS-C. With the hood removed there's less darkness, more confined to the corners. I suppose if one didn't mind some of the aberrations around the edges, the DA21 could be used as a very compact full frame wide lens -- effectively ~25mm focal length after cropping out the missing bits? Rough guess there, just something to toy with. Anyway. After one week, I'm madly in liking with this camera. It feels like coming home. Still haven't got around to doing much with the two main lenses that motivated the purchase (A*85, FA31) - have been kinda sidetracked with experimenting with lensbabies. Much fun.