Hi everybody,

I would like to open up a thread dedicated to one topic:

DA lens on Full Frame: a sticky test shots thread.

This thread shall be dedicated to test shots of a DA lens mounted to a full frame body (e.g., a film camera body). By test shot, I mean shots dedicated to evaluate the performance. Shots of ordinary subjects aren't suitable to this task, normally, and should not be posted. So, these are the rules:

• K mount lens dedicated to the APS-C form factor is used.
• Image is taken full frame 36mm x 24mm.
• Lens hood was removed.
• And ideally, no filter is mounted.
• The aperture used is specified (note that film cameras don't record EXIF...).
• Sample image shows the entire field of view.
• Sample image(s) show(s) corner, border and center performance at 10MP-100% (multiple crops, or single not-resized image).
• The subject is such that resolution and vignetting at the borders can be compared to the center.

The idea behind this thread is obvious: To compile enough data to assess the spectrum of available lenses for a forthcoming full frame DSLR in K mount.

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Table of results as obtained in this thread (updated regularly):

SMC Pentax-DA primes...

• DA 14mm F2.8: - (clawhammer)
• DA 15mm F4.0: - (Zav)
• DA 21mm F3.2 Limited: - (Boris Liberman)
• DA 35mm F2.4 AL: +++ (aurele ;like FA35/2.0 and no vignetting) (frank)
• DA 35mm F2.8 Limited Macro: 0 (ryno), + (@ 1.15 crop)
• DA 40mm F2.8 Limited: +
• DA* 55mm F1.4 SDM: +++ (aurele)
• DA 70mm F2.4 Limited: +
• D FA Macro 100mm F2.8 WR: +++ (officially specified FF by Pentax)
• DA* 200mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM: +++? (common belief, but is it true?)
• DA* 300mm F4 ED [IF] SDM: ++ (officially rated "designed for FF" by Pentax patent US7715116)

SMC Pentax-DA zooms...

• DA 10-17mm F3.5-4.5 Fish-Eye ED [IF]: FE, see #59, #61, #94. 10mm: heavy vignette / 14mm: almost no vignette / 17mm ++ (Reps, froeschle, Gooshin)
• DA 12-24mm F4 ED AL [IF]: - (below 16mm, xitek.com), o (at 18mm, architorture), + (at 20mm, architorture), ++ (at 24mm, architorture)
• DA 16-45mm F4: - (below 21mm, Nesster)
• DA* 16-50mm F2.8 ED AL [IF] SDM: - (xitek.com)
• DA 17-70mm F4 AL [IF] SDM: - (KjetilH)
• DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL: - (at 18mm, Spongefingers; below 23mm, xitek.com)
• DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II: missing
• DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 ED AL [IF]: - (xitek.com)
• DA 50-200mm ED: -
• DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM: - (elho_cid)
• DA* 60-250mm F4 ED [IF] SDM: ++ (officially rated "designed for FF" by Pentax patent US7489452) probably good on full frame but evaluation still missing; the rating is +++ with a baffle modification, + without)
• DA 55-300mm F4-5.8 ED: 0 (+, ++ at tele end, viking79)

Sigma K mount DC...

• Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC: -
• Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 DC: - (below 14mm, Gooshin)
• ...

Tamron K mount Di-II...

• ...

Overall rating scale:
+++: no significant difference between APS-C and FF corners
++: difference but usable at full aperture with a small loss in corner IQ only
+: usable staring at f/4~f/5.6, with no or a small loss in corner IQ only
o: usable at f/11 or with big loss in corner IQ only
-: not usable

[aurele]

However, in order to embrace the conclusion, I would have to know something about edge and corner resolution.

After pixel peeping around 60 frames done with the DA*55 i can say :

- it's damn sharp all across the frame from f2.
- it's quite sharp from f1.4 to f2.

- Color saturation / contraste are pretty accurate all across the frame. When stop to f5.6 or f8 color are super vivid. The only limitation seem the film itself when it come to the blue of the sky.

- Skin tones are almost perfect.

[mattiag]

I've tested the Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC on my old Pentax Super Program. It takes great photos but it shows strong vignetting at all apertures with completely black corners: less vignetting than the Pentax DA 14mm F2.8 but equally not usable.

[Medium FormatPro]

Is the D-FA 50mm f2.8 Macro considered as a full frame?

Works on all of the digitals quite well, and on every PK film camera.

[VisualDarkness]

Is the D-FA 50mm f2.8 Macro considered as a full frame?

Works on all of the digitals quite well, and on every PK film camera.

Since it's "FA" I'm pretty sure yes.

[vjacesslav]

Hi topace,

i´ve made a small update of the test od DA 35 Macro limited. I´ve take photos from min. focusing distance, than 28cm and finally infinity. Maybe this will help to anyone...
You can find it here:

vjacesslav: SMC PENTAX DA 35MM F2.8 MACRO LIMITED vs FULL FRAME

[Sandy Hancock]

Hi topace,

i´ve made a small update of the test od DA 35 Macro limited. I´ve take photos from min. focusing distance, than 28cm and finally infinity. Maybe this will help to anyone...
You can find it here:

vjacesslav: SMC PENTAX DA 35MM F2.8 MACRO LIMITED vs FULL FRAME

Excellent.
So at MFD it covers full frame wide open, and further away the vignetting is under control from f5.6.
I guess that confirms it as (+) as previously noted.

[topace]

Hi topace,

i´ve made a small update of the test od DA 35 Macro limited. I´ve take photos from min. focusing distance, than 28cm and finally infinity. Maybe this will help to anyone...
You can find it here:

vjacesslav: SMC PENTAX DA 35MM F2.8 MACRO LIMITED vs FULL FRAME

Good job!

Now if only I found the time to sort through and post my 60-250 findings. My initial reaction is that ++ is too high.

[reeftool]

It's been my understanding that the Tokina 10-17 is nearly identical to the Pentax and Tokina is currently advertising a 10-17 version for full frame cameras. The only difference is that the built in hood has been removed.

[filmamigo]

Any results for the new DA 50/1.8?

[Jean Poitiers]

Any results for the new DA 50/1.8?

Good question ...

[Jean Poitiers]

SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 Limited Reviews - DA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

According to PF listings, the DA 40 is a FF lens (marked "FF" on th DA Primes index page & in its own Features index) ... if it's a FF, why this low mark. I ask because I am considering a purchase of this lens. Thanks in advance for any input.

[aurele]

According to PF listings, the DA 40 is a FF lens (marked "FF" on th DA Primes index page & in its own Features index) ... if it's a FF, why this low mark. I ask because I am considering a purchase of this lens. Thanks in advance for any input.

i use this lens on SLR (like the DA*55 and DA 35/2.4) and so far, i've always got perfect result. but i never tried it wider than f3.5. at this value, even with hood, no vigneting. I got a roll in my Super A, if you accept to wait, say 6 days, until thursday, i'll do some real life test.

[jimr-pdx]

Just looking through my film SLR with the DA40 shows some clear vignetting. It's at f/2.8 when I do that, so it must get good enough for a + rating when stopped down - but I can see where it might not be ideal for the full range of aperture settings. My Sigma 50 macro definitely has no issues at f/2.8 (and it shouldn't).

[Jean Poitiers]

i use this lens on SLR (like the DA*55 and DA 35/2.4) and so far, i've always got perfect result. but i never tried it wider than f3.5. at this value, even with hood, no vigneting. I got a roll in my Super A, if you accept to wait, say 6 days, until thursday, i'll do some real life test.

Bonjour,

OK and thanks a lot ... I can wait, no problem at all. My possible purchase is for the end of the year ... A+, J

[Jean Poitiers]

Just looking through my film SLR with the DA40 shows some clear vignetting. It's at f/2.8 when I do that, so it must get good enough for a + rating when stopped down - but I can see where it might not be ideal for the full range of aperture settings. My Sigma 50 macro definitely has no issues at f/2.8 (and it shouldn't).

Thanks jimr-pdx, good to know ... J