[Rupert]

After years of being a pure amateur, I am looking forward to opening the box and becoming a Pro! I assured Mrs Rupert that if she would buy me the K1 I would finally be the Pro I have dreamed of being.........and she is as thrilled as I am! No more squirrels complaining about inferior photos, no more excuses to Mrs Rupert about poor focus and making her look old........Once I am a Pro, every shot will be perfect!

Regards!

[KDAFA]

What I'm not looking forward to:
- Much less FA31. I shoot about 90% of my photos with this lens. It just blows me away with it can do--its images are just in another league. I'm really going to miss shooting with it so much. I worry the FA43 isn't going to be quite the same, although it's performed well for me the limited amount of times I have used it so far.

I wouldn't worry if I were you - the FA43 is an amazing lens, just like the FA31 & FA77.

Just give yourself a little time to familiarise with the 43's rendering character, and how to approach using the lens. I think you're going to like the results.

---------- Post added 04-11-16 at 10:19 PM ----------

I have the FA43. I recently acquired it because the thought of shooting with the FA50 was too...pedestrian. I didn't think I could live without that special limited rendering! We'll see how it does. I've only gotten to use the FA43 for a few shots on the APS-C. It's done ok although at <f/2.5 it's quite a bit softer than the FA31. Bokeh doesn't seem to be quite as ridiculous either.

You can rest assured that the special "Limited rendering" is there with the 43 - loads of it.

At f<2.5 is where the FA43's pensive, dreamy magic is at its best! Many of my favourite shots with it are taken at f<2.5. Pictures here are not about sharpness per se - which is not to say that they're soft - but here it's all about mood, emotion, magic - it's a different paradigm.

Then switch to f4-8 and it's deadly sharp as a razor.

[Pentikonian]

Better viewfinder. Using the FA Limiteds at 31, 43 and 77mm. Looking forward to trying the astrothingy.

[UncleVanya]

I'm looking forward to cheaper APSC lenses on firehouse clearance from people buying the K1... just kidding.

[TwoUptons]

After years of being a pure amateur, I am looking forward to opening the box and becoming a Pro! I assured Mrs Rupert that if she would buy me the K1 I would finally be the Pro I have dreamed of being..........Once I am a Pro, every shot will be perfect!

Regards!

I did have a friend tell me that the distinction between an amateur and a pro was that for a pro, the best shots are no longer accidents...

I've always liked that definition, even if I've rarely lived up to it...

It's a lot less mercenary than the traditional definition and implies skill only with the camera and not the business model...

-Eric

[Rupert]

I did have a friend tell me that the distinction between an amateur and a pro was that for a pro, the best shots are no longer accidents...

I am so looking forward to not having to depend on Lady Luck! With the K1 I can just set it on Auto and shoot away, then view my wonderful results! People will say "Wow! You must have a great camera!" I'll smile and thank Mrs Rupert for making me a Pro!

Regards!

[monochrome]

I'm looking forward to cheaper APSC lenses on firehouse clearance from people buying the K1... just kidding.

Discerning users have been buying DA Limited lenses for months.

[UncleVanya]

Discerning users have been buying DA Limited lenses for months.

I would have but I have already a pretty sizeable group of them.

[monochrome]

I would have but I have already a pretty sizeable group of them.

Hahhah!

I had a pretty sizable collection of FA Limited and other FF lenses, but no DA Limiteds.

[UncleVanya]

Hahhah!

I had a pretty sizable collection of FA Limited and other FF lenses, but no DA Limiteds.

I have too many lenses... that's what I tell myself. But the gaping hole of a missing FA 43 and DA 21 mock me when I say it. The DA 35 Macro I am willing to forgo with an FA 31, an FA 35 f/2 and a DA Limited 40. But dang... too many lenses in all directions pulling me.

[monochrome]

I have too many lenses... that's what I tell myself. But the gaping hole of a missing FA 43 and DA 21 mock me when I say it. The DA 35 Macro I am willing to forgo with an FA 31, an FA 35 f/2 and a DA Limited 40. But dang... too many lenses in all directions pulling me.

You have to find your comfort point on the continuum between 100% obsessed collector and 100% 'it is only a tool' user. For instance, I don't have a DA 21 and probably never will. I have an A20/2.8 instead. It would be gluttony to also own a 21. (Just don't ask about 28-35 )

Nevertheless, you cannot possibly have too many lenses. You are testing, not investing.

One at a time.

FA 43 before you spend another cent on gear. Buy clean used (except the 43 - watch B&H Weekly Deals). I paid only $450 for my 43 in 2014, so current prices clearly reflect K-1 demand. .

SMC DA Limiteds; HD - meh; who needs the box? Dollar is strong - buy Australian eBay.

[KDAFA]

...So I still think the 28mm-ish FOV on crop is my favorite, but the 28mm-ish range on FF has come up to a close second place.

I think you're in a very good place as regards your two favourite focal lengths, with respectively the FA43 and FA31 matching your needs well on Full-frame.

Indeed the original design intent with the Three Princesses was 31 for medium wide-angle, 43 for true-normal, and 77 for short, portraiture tele. The arrival of the K-1 is bringing things back to how it was designed.

Interestingly though, APS-C has of necessity caused us to explore different ways of working - I personally love the 43mm focal length on crop; superb for a close-up perspective of the world, and excellent also for certain kinds of portraiture. Even with the marvellous new possibility of using 43mm on FF as a true-normal focal length, as originally intended, I will nevertheless ALSO continue to use it on the K-3, for the different aesthetic result.

[todd]

I will nevertheless ALSO continue to use it on the K-3, for the different aesthetic result.

Yeah I think I will be doing the same with all three, at least hypothetically... We are extra-spoiled now with the three 'migos and our options.

FA50 was my first prime back in 2008 and I've always felt like I "see" best with that FOV for some reason (maybe because I spent those first couple years primarily shooting with it on my K100D), even though it can get a bit tight for normal and indoor shooting, but that general feeling (despite being completely subjective) gets me excited to use FA77 with that FOV on the K-1.

[KDAFA]

... gets me excited to use FA77 with that FOV on the K-1.

What excites me a great deal is the fact that the 31, 43 and 77 can now be used in their intended focal lengths, and captured with a good 36MP Full-frame sensor at that. With the K-1 making inroads into the professional segment, we should be seeing images from this august trio of lenses starting to appear in poster ads, magazines, wedding photobooks, and so forth. The world in general is going to see Pentax. The art of photography is going to be so much the richer for that. I don't mean that in any condescending way at all. I'm quite serious. For a long time, the "look" of commercial photography has been pretty much defined by Canon and Nikon - I see the emergence of Pentax impacting that realm as a good thing.

[bertwert]

I have too many lenses... that's what I tell myself.

Is that possible...?