Originally posted by Wheatfield They are definitely doing different things. The D FA* 50/1.4 is giving as accurate a representation as is possible of what is in front of the lens. Some people call it clinical, I happen to prefer accuracy.
The Limited lenses are all flawed in their own way, I think the 43 is particularly flawed. Another term for these flaws is "pixie dust", another is, as you have used, "character". I do like the rendering of the 77 in portraits. It's undercorrected spherical aberration gives a very pleasing 3 dimensionality. Unfortunately, it is also something of a fringe monster, so one does need to be careful with it.
I've never come to appreciate the images from the 43, there just isn't anything to really like about it. The best I can say is that it is superior to the FA50/1.4, but frankly, that is damning it with faint praise. The 31mm has been quite good. I bought it originally as a standard lens for the APS-C cameras, now it is a very rarely used wide angle. It isn't a focal length I have much use for on full frame.
I've never had a problem with the noise coming off of screw drive AF lenses. I don't really see what the big deal is. I find the silent AF of the D FA lenses to be a bit eerie.
All the FA Ltds fringe. I've started to learn that the lenses with a lot of character fringe, it's just part and parcel, seems to be hard to have one without the other (Takumar 50/1.4 8 element also fringes but renders exceptionally well, in fact it can teach the Ltds a thing or two about pixie dust...). The lenses that do not fringe can often have a clinical look to them.
What I have come to learn in this game is it takes
time to
really learn a lens. A singles in month is a good start, but its not nearly enough time imo, you need months with a lens to really learn to make it shine and
compose properly with it. I know my FA43 better than my FA77 because for a long time I was learning outdoor HSS flash (through a DIY modifier/diffuser) and using the FA77 would put me too far back under max power to have a pleasing result, the FA43 (on the K-1) would get me in closer for the desirable results. I know however in non flash work of that nature the FA77 seems to be the better lens, but I really feel right now that I have not mastered the FA77 properly yet.
Right now I am learning the Tak 50, I am shooting a book with it and it's been a really challenging and rewarding experiencing to figuring out how to get a shot of something. It takes time, multiple attempts but often the rewards are there in the end.
Anyway, here's some of my fav FA43 shots during my learning curve;
Behance
The longer I do photography the more I can see myself whittling down my collection to just a handful of lenses. I think if funds allow a FA77 and 31 cover a lot of ground, if funds are tight a FA43 is a good compromise between both. Owning all 3 may be nice but perhaps overkill.