645 D FA 35mm

PhilRich · 07-11-2017, 09:04 PM

This lens is on sale at Adorama for $200 off with free overnight shipping. So I ordered it Sun pm. The lens arrived this morning. Awesome!

Today I ran a series of test photos comparing the D FA 35 to the A 35. The copy I received is a bit sharper than the A (my copy is very sharp) as well as rendering better contrast and colors. I was surprised how well the lens did at f 2.8 showing a very significant improvement over the A version. CA was very well controlled. All this plus the added bonus of auto focus makes the added cost of the D FA as compared to the A well worth it in my opinion.

My "A" will soon be for sale!

**Ed Hurst** · 07-11-2017, 11:42 PM

I presume you mean f3.5 rather than f2.8?

PhilRich · 07-12-2017, 06:56 PM

Originally posted by Ed Hurst

I presume you mean f3.5 rather than f2.8?

Yes, f3.5.

Today I made large prints to compare the D FA to the A version. The A is very good! At the time of my first post I was judging by what was seen on the monitor. In some sections it appears the the D FA is giving slightly better sharpness and at other places the A is giving better sharpness. The D FA is producing better contrast graduation.

The A is listing on Ebay for about $500 while the D FA is 1k more. The choice betweeen the two boils down to the budget and use, the D FA being better at the wider aperatures, has the updated lens coating, auto focus and a lens hood.

mikeSF · 07-14-2017, 12:57 PM

That matches my experience as well. I was very pleased with the A35 and found an across the board improvement at all apertures with the DFA35. Contrast is better too.

**loveisageless** · 10-04-2017, 09:39 PM

How does the DFA version compare with the FA version of the lens? Would one see a noticeable impact on image quality due to the new lens coatings on the DFA version?

PhilRich · 10-05-2017, 05:13 PM

Originally posted by loveisageless

How does the DFA version compare with the FA version of the lens? Would one see a noticeable impact on image quality due to the new lens coatings on the DFA version?

I ran a side by side comparison of the two lens before I sold the A version. Here's my opinion. The resolution of the two lens is quite similar as judged by the scene used for the comparison. I believe the DFA version provides a noticeable improvement in color rendition and contrast. But the difference is not huge. Apparently the lens coatings on the A version are quite good.

For my use a distinct advantage of the DFA version is the auto focus which is useful for a multitude of situations especially for the wedding I will be shooting for my Grandson's wedding this weekend.

I'm using the lens on the 645Z camera. Overall I really like the way Pentax renders colors.

Phil

07-11-2017, 09:04 PM	#1
PhilRich Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Western Washington Posts: 204	645 D FA 35mm This lens is on sale at Adorama for $200 off with free overnight shipping. So I ordered it Sun pm. The lens arrived this morning. Awesome! Today I ran a series of test photos comparing the D FA 35 to the A 35. The copy I received is a bit sharper than the A (my copy is very sharp) as well as rendering better contrast and colors. I was surprised how well the lens did at f 2.8 showing a very significant improvement over the A version. CA was very well controlled. All this plus the added bonus of auto focus makes the added cost of the D FA as compared to the A well worth it in my opinion. My "A" will soon be for sale!

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07-11-2017, 11:42 PM	#2
Ed Hurst Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Sydney Posts: 1,657	I presume you mean f3.5 rather than f2.8?

07-12-2017, 06:56 PM	#3
PhilRich Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Western Washington Posts: 204 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ed Hurst I presume you mean f3.5 rather than f2.8? Yes, f3.5. Today I made large prints to compare the D FA to the A version. The A is very good! At the time of my first post I was judging by what was seen on the monitor. In some sections it appears the the D FA is giving slightly better sharpness and at other places the A is giving better sharpness. The D FA is producing better contrast graduation. The A is listing on Ebay for about $500 while the D FA is 1k more. The choice betweeen the two boils down to the budget and use, the D FA being better at the wider aperatures, has the updated lens coating, auto focus and a lens hood.

07-14-2017, 12:57 PM	#4
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	That matches my experience as well. I was very pleased with the A35 and found an across the board improvement at all apertures with the DFA35. Contrast is better too.

10-04-2017, 09:39 PM	#5
loveisageless Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Oakland, California Photos: Albums Posts: 1,250	How does the DFA version compare with the FA version of the lens? Would one see a noticeable impact on image quality due to the new lens coatings on the DFA version?

10-05-2017, 05:13 PM	#6
PhilRich Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Western Washington Posts: 204 Original Poster	Originally posted by loveisageless How does the DFA version compare with the FA version of the lens? Would one see a noticeable impact on image quality due to the new lens coatings on the DFA version? I ran a side by side comparison of the two lens before I sold the A version. Here's my opinion. The resolution of the two lens is quite similar as judged by the scene used for the comparison. I believe the DFA version provides a noticeable improvement in color rendition and contrast. But the difference is not huge. Apparently the lens coatings on the A version are quite good. For my use a distinct advantage of the DFA version is the auto focus which is useful for a multitude of situations especially for the wedding I will be shooting for my Grandson's wedding this weekend. I'm using the lens on the 645Z camera. Overall I really like the way Pentax renders colors. Phil

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