[cport]

Is there anybody having experience with this combination? Two years ago I tested a K-1 and the old FA 35/2 and I was quite disappointed with focusing, especially in corner AF points. The body was completely new, the lens was older.

[amstel78]

I have one. It's soft wide open but quite nice at 2.8 and higher. I posted a thread with a mini review some time back.

HD Pentax-FA 35mm f/2 on K1-II - PentaxForums.com

[JerzyJ]

I’ve had two of those lenses so far, first one returned because of minor scratch on rear element. Both were sharp from f2.2/2.5 and razor sharp from 2.8. AF is bit disappointing, hitting at least 20% out of focus, even when shooting stills from tripod (when I write „out of focus” I mean minor ff/bf seen when cropped, but still annoying in portrait). AFC is out of the question with this lens. I still like and use this lens, it has good contrast, CA is not a problem from f2.5, it’s really lightweight, and works well as my everyday landscape/cityscape/portrait lens.

[cport]

I have one. It's soft wide open but quite nice at 2.8 and higher. I posted a thread with a mini review some time back.

HD Pentax-FA 35mm f/2 on K1-II - PentaxForums.com

Thanks for the link!

---------- Post added 02-22-20 at 11:47 PM ----------

And thanks for all replies! I owned this lens for a couple of year (the older version), so I know how it is optically. However I hoped in some AF improvement, but it seems that this is the same story as before.

[JerzyJ]

Thanks for the link!

---------- Post added 02-22-20 at 11:47 PM ----------

I hoped in some AF improvement, but it seems that this is the same story as before.

Always take into consideration that’s just my K1II problem, not the lens, however my dfa50/2.8 hits the target almost 100% of the time, my crop screwdriven lenses doesn’t seem to have that huge problem too... and microcallibration didn’t improve that ratio a bit. I’ll check that 35mm on my k70, maybe it would work better.

[kiwi_jono]

I don't have the HD but do have the FA 35 f2. Interesting to read the comments here as I found my FA, after fine tuning AF, to be surprisingly sharp wide open - just the corners a little bit soft (come right at f2.8). Apart from bokeh (in some situations), its nearly a match for my FA 31 I more recently acquired.
Sample variation maybe?

[BigMackCam]

I have one. It's soft wide open but quite nice at 2.8 and higher. I posted a thread with a mini review some time back.

HD Pentax-FA 35mm f/2 on K1-II - PentaxForums.com

We've discussed this previously. Either (a) your expectations are much higher than mine or (b) there's a focusing accuracy issue at play here.

On my K-3 - which is a tad more demanding than the K-1 / K-1II due to pixel density - I find the HD FA35/2 perfectly usable wide open, though it's certainly not "super sharp" in the way some of the latest high-end glass can be. I can tell it's a film era lens design, but knew this before buying, so no surprises there. Stopping down to even f/2.2 makes a BIG difference, though... I'd happily shoot mine at f/2.2 all day long, no question; and at f/4 (where it peaks) I really couldn't have hoped for more considering the price paid...

[amstel78]

Yes, we've talked about it before. The 35 f2 is a an older lens design. My copy is usable wide open but in my opinion, soft. Not horribly soft, but noticeable especially after switching from DA* 50 f1.2. It's not fair to compare the two though. I usually use mine around f2.4 or higher, in which case is perfectly acceptable. It's a great little lens. I just wish it was weather sealed.

[Jonathan Mac]

We've discussed this previously. Either (a) your expectations are much higher than mine or (b) there's a focusing accuracy issue at play here.

On my K-3 - which is a tad more demanding than the K-1 / K-1II due to pixel density - I find the HD FA35/2 perfectly usable wide open, though it's certainly not "super sharp" in the way some of the latest high-end glass can be. I can tell it's a film era lens design, but knew this before buying, so no surprises there. Stopping down to even f/2.2 makes a BIG difference, though... I'd happily shoot mine at f/2.2 all day long, no question; and at f/4 (where it peaks) I really couldn't have hoped for more considering the price paid...

I haven't had the HD FA 35/2 for long but I agree entirely with this. I also use mine on the K-3 and have found that sharpness is certainly usable wide open but improves significantly at f/2.2 and f/2.5. In contrast, the M series 35mm f/2, one of my favourite manual lenses, is far softer wide open and not really useable on a 24MP APS-C sensor until f/2.8.

There are currently only three reviews of the HD FA lens and mine is one of them, though it's preliminary because I haven't used it a great deal yet. Have a look (HD Pentax-FA 35mm F2 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database) and you will see a 100% crop. On it's own it doesn't look super sharp but have a look at what a small portion of the frame it represents and I don't think that anyone could dispute that it shows a lens that is very useable wide open.

AF is another matter and I can't really comment on that as I've rarely used it to shoot anything mobile. In that regard it works as I expected it to, nothing more.