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.

#################################################

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

[Class A]

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/31629-da-le...ml#post2371431

He may not have noticed the tag.

I'll send him a PM.

[Adam]

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/31629-da-le...ml#post2371431

Editing permissions are set on a per-forum basis, so this thread would have to be moved to the lens article section. Would you like me to do that? We could leave a sticky in here directing users to the new thread.

[geomez]

Editing permissions are set on a per-forum basis, so this thread would have to be moved to the lens article section. Would you like me to do that? We could leave a sticky in here directing users to the new thread.

Idk if this is directed to falconeye or all of us, but I definitely think so.

[falconeye]

Editing permissions are set on a per-forum basis, so this thread would have to be moved to the lens article section. Would you like me to do that? We could leave a sticky in here directing users to the new thread.

This sounds like a good idea.
However, before I jump to conclusions ... what about thread subscriptions? I guess this 7 year old thread is staying alive thanks to subscribers only.
So yes, if thread subscriptions are carried along.

[Adam]

This sounds like a good idea.
However, before I jump to conclusions ... what about thread subscriptions? I guess this 7 year old thread is staying alive thanks to subscribers only.
So yes, if thread subscriptions are carried along.

Those won't be affected at all I'll go ahead and move the thread.

[falconeye]

Those won't be affected at all I'll go ahead and move the thread.

Oh, a big thank you!
It worked, OP now editable and subscription still alive

Everybody, please give me some time while I update the OP with new info found in the thread. I'll post when done.

Thanks, Falk

---------- Post added 15-04-15 at 12:42 ----------

We could leave a sticky in here directing users to the new thread.

Note, the sticky somehow did not make it yet

[Adam]

I've put up a sticky redirect for now, but I think the system might automatically get rid of it after a few months. Since we already have 3 other stickies in the lens forum, I'm taking of making a consolidated sticky with links to this thread and others.

Adam
PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide | Site Help | My Photography)



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[saladin]

So the only primes that seem genuinely usable on the FF are the Da35 2.4 and the Da55 ? If so, grabbing the 35 at its pricepoint seems a "no-brainer"?

---------- Post added 06-23-2015 at 05:33 PM ----------

Actually, just found a post mid-thread that suggests the Da50 wide open is good on FF.

[robthebloke]

So the only primes that seem genuinely usable on the FF are the Da35 2.4 and the Da55 ? If so, grabbing the 35 at its pricepoint seems a "no-brainer"?

---------- Post added 06-23-2015 at 05:33 PM ----------

Actually, just found a post mid-thread that suggests the Da50 wide open is good on FF.

DA35 f2.4, DA40 f2.8, DA50 f1.8, DA55 f1.4, DA70 f2.4, DA200 f2.8, DA300 f4. All those work on FF (assuming Pentax don't force a crop mode on us)

[clackers]

So the only primes that seem genuinely usable on the FF are the Da35 2.4 and the Da55 ? .

On what do you base your assessment, Saladin?

[saladin]

On what do you base your assessment, Saladin?

I was just going off the OP and which lenses had three "plusses". Ive since seen that Falcon hasnt been able to edit his list.

[Rondec]

So the only primes that seem genuinely usable on the FF are the Da35 2.4 and the Da55 ? If so, grabbing the 35 at its pricepoint seems a "no-brainer"?

---------- Post added 06-23-2015 at 05:33 PM ----------

Actually, just found a post mid-thread that suggests the Da50 wide open is good on FF.

I think the DA lenses that are going to be solid on full frame are the DA 35 f2.4, DA 50 f1.8, DA *55, DA *200 and DA *300. Obviously the FA limiteds and the DFA lenses are full frame compatible by definition. The DA 40 limited has weak corners, but is very solid stopped down a little. The DA 70 has even weaker corners than the DA 40 and might need a small crop to be usable.

[UncleVanya]

I'm irrationally happy to see a number of my lenses listed. I say irrationally since I have no plans to buy the FF Pentax body. It's just nice to know the lenses will work in both formats if necessary and if circumstances alter.

[mee]

I think the DA lenses that are going to be solid on full frame are the DA 35 f2.4, DA 50 f1.8, DA *55, DA *200 and DA *300. Obviously the FA limiteds and the DFA lenses are full frame compatible by definition. The DA 40 limited has weak corners, but is very solid stopped down a little. The DA 70 has even weaker corners than the DA 40 and might need a small crop to be usable.

We still have no guarantee that any of these DA lens will be allowed in FF mode... I mean, don't get your hopes up TOO high just yet.

[Rondec]

We still have no guarantee that any of these DA lens will be allowed in FF mode... I mean, don't get your hopes up TOO high just yet.

My expectation would be a crop mode and a non crop mode. It would be nice if the crop mode was fine tuned to individual lenses and could be used in conjunction with lens correction features.