[stevebrot]

IMO the FA 43mm Ltd is perfect in basically every way except the AF noise. Super compact and lightweight with great IQ and a wide enough aperture for most low light situations. Hence why I think an aps-c 28 ltd 2.0 or faster would be great.

I don't believe that was your original suggestion. Simply building a compact, all-metal 28mm f/1.9 lens is not the same as building a mini-me clone of the FA 43mm Limited, but one can wish, eh?


Steve

[someasiancameraguy]

I don't believe that was your original suggestion. Simply building a compact, all-metal 28mm f/1.9 lens is not the same as building a mini-me clone of the FA 43mm Limited, but one can wish, eh?

Steve

Haha, one can dream. It doesn't have to have the exact same optical formula but the design goal should be similar granted that I specifically requested a limited. Faster AF and weather sealing would definitely be appreciated.

[normhead]

It's amazing how much can attention can be lavished on a 3mm difference, between 31 and 28.

I have the DA 28-105, the DA 18-135, The FAJ 18-35, the Tampon 17-50, then there's the Sigma 17-50 an Pentax DA* 16-0 which is currently being redone and various 17-70 lenses. And there are more than 10 other choices out there..I have lots of 28mm lenses. It must be only "prime shooters" thinking we don't have one.

So I have 4 and there are more than 8 other choices out there. And I haven't mentioned the older primes. For some reason not having a modern 28mm prime doesn't really inspire much anxiety where I live. I guess it
would be nice to have the whole catalogue with primes available in 10% increases. Zooms make it pretty much unnecessary.

[someasiancameraguy]

It's amazing how much can attention can be lavished on a 3mm difference, between 31 and 28.

I have the DA 28-105, the DA 18-135, The FAJ 18-35, the Tampon 17-50, then there's the Sigma 17-50 an Pentax DA* 16-0 which is currently being redone and various 17-70 lenses. And there are more than 10 other choices out there..I have lots of 28mm lenses. It must be a "prime shooters" thinking we don't have one.

So I have 4 and there are more than 8 other choices out there. And I haven't mentioned the older primes. For some reason not having a modern 28mm prime doesn't really inspire much anxiety where I live. I guess it Ould be nice to hav the whole catalogue with primes available in 10% increases. Zooms make it pretty much unnecessary.

It's not just a matter of coverage but of what the limiteds typically represent, apertures typically wider than zooms, better IQ, compact build. The FA 31mm limited is a great lens, but it is in many ways wasted on the aps-c sensor and bigger than the DA ltds, hence my suggestion.

[normhead]

It's not just a matter of coverage but of what the limiteds typically represent, apertures typically wider than zooms, better IQ, compact build. The FA 31mm limited is a great lens, but it is in many ways wasted on the aps-c sensor and bigger than the DA ltds, hence my suggestion.

I have an older Sigma 24mm macro that has rarely been used at 2.8. When I first got it I took a cople o 2.8 practice shoots. Since then, 110 images 90% f8 a few ƒ5.6s and ƒ11s. I wonder what the odds for other people are. Unfortunately I only have my own library available, so I have no idea if other people use WA lenses at wide apertures. Given the whole the wider the lens the more DoF thing, it seems kind of counter productive.

Anyone else have numbers that suggest they'd use a 28 wide open if it was a sub ƒ2 lens?

How about you 31 ltd. guys? How often do you shoot wide open?

[Jonathan Mac]

Imaging Resource's review of the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art is absolutely in line with my own experience of the lens. It concludes:

I understand folks' concerns about AF problems... There have been plenty of reports, and Sigma even issued a firmware update for Canon-mount versions. I know it's been problematic on some Pentax bodies, too, and was aware of this when I bought mine, but on the K-3 (my K-3, at least) it hasn't skipped a beat. Build quality is waaaaaay nicer than the older version, it renders beautifully, and... well, it's probably my favourite APS-C prime lens

If I ever see one for sale locally and can try before I buy (and have some extra cash) then I might give it a go. For now the HD FA 35/2 does a decent job and the Fujinon 35/1.4 does an amazing job.

[someasiancameraguy]

I have an older Sigma 24mm macro that has rarely been used at 2.8. When I first got it I took a cople o 2.8 practice shoots. Since then, 110 images 90% f8 a few ƒ5.6s and ƒ11s. I wonder what the odds for other people are. Unfortunately I only have my own library available, so I have no idea if other people use WA lenses at wide apertures. Given the whole the wider the lens the more DoF thing, it seems kind of counter productive.

Anyone else have numbers that suggest they'd use a 28 wide open if it was a sub ƒ2 lens?

How about you 31 ltd. guys? How often do you shoot wide open?

I shoot my 43 ltd on the K-1 (so 28mm equiv on aps-c terms) all at F1.9 - 2.8. Granted the use case for each person is wildly different.

[normhead]

better IQ, compact build

IQ is pretty subjective. The big advantage to me of the 31 is the smooth transitions and out of focus areas. The limited are compact, but look at my 28 -105. By the time you have the 31, 43, 77, 20-40, they are hardly more compact. They are only more compact if you you can shoot with one focal length. And they require lens changes.

In the lens clubs the 21 ltd. (the only ltd. I own) there are almost 100,00 posts and 614 Ikes awarded for 362 posts.
For the FA 31 there are there are 157 posts, and 81,000 views for 208 likes accumulated over what? 15 years?

Meanwhile in a few short years, the DFA 28-105 has 141 likes, 88 posts and 2000 views.

There's no evidence that a DFA 28 ltd. would pay for itself. There's no evidence that the 31 images are preferred to other images from other lenses or even that there's much interest in one. There are a number of 28s that have received very little interest or participation in the threads. It's kind of a pipe dream for a specific number of shooters given the success of the 28-105 at 28mm.

Then you look at the 18-135, 73,000 views, 773 replies ad and 5700 likes in about 10 years
Pentax SLR Lens Discussion - PentaxForums.com

You really have to stretch to make a case for the even the 31. How popular could a 28 be?

[stevebrot]

There's no evidence that a DFA 28 ltd. would pay for itself.

OP is suggesting a DA 28mm Limited. APS-C only.


Steve

[redrockcoulee]

If Pentax makes a 43 Ltd as well as the 40 Da Ltd and the 40 DA Xs I don't see how a DA28 Ltd would affect sales of the FA31. For one thing look at the price difference between the FA and DA limiteds.

[normhead]

OP is suggesting a DA 28mm Limited. APS-C only.


Steve

You note the lens threads I used include both DA and FA listings. I'm not sure how that's relevant.

I have always though Pentax made very nice "brand lenses" the main purpose of which is to promote the brand and to make sure, people who have a lot of money to spend, have something of spend it on.

I'm unclear as to how much they were ever meant to be a functional working system.31, 43, 77. None o those lenses are 3mm apart. I still don't get it.

[sergeremy]

It's not just a matter of coverage but of what the limiteds typically represent, apertures typically wider than zooms, better IQ, compact build. The FA 31mm limited is a great lens, but it is in many ways wasted on the aps-c sensor and bigger than the DA ltds, hence my suggestion.

Also, it (the 31) is more expensive than any other ltd...

[sergeremy]

It's amazing how much can attention can be lavished on a 3mm difference, between 31 and 28.

Not sure I've noticed much attention lavished on that difference?

I have the DA 28-105, the DA 18-135, The FAJ 18-35, the Tampon 17-50, then there's the Sigma 17-50 an Pentax DA* 16-0 which is currently being redone and various 17-70 lenses. And there are more than 10 other choices out there..I have lots of 28mm lenses. It must be only "prime shooters" thinking we don't have one.

Must be indeed... I'm certainly one. Not the least bit interested in walking around with a zoom. Otherwise, I would be posting the same posts as you.

For some reason not having a modern 28mm prime doesn't really inspire much anxiety where I live.

Nor where do I. Nor, I imagine, where these forums live.

[stevebrot]

I'm unclear as to how much they were ever meant to be a functional working system.31, 43, 77. None o those lenses are 3mm apart. I still don't get it.

Me neither. The Limiteds were supposed to be, well, limited and sort of unique, not just another premium line. Apparently Fuji makes a fast 28 for APS-C and and demand for parity comes up every once in awhile.


Steve

(...has several 28s, but seldom shoots them on APS-C...go figure...)

[que es tu]

I wish Pentax would make a “plastic fantastic” DA 28 f2.8 for us little guys. Nothing special, just good optics in a small, light, affordable package. They could even give it a fancy name and call it an UNLIMITED!!