40mm DA vs 43mm FA

andi · 09-23-2009, 02:05 PM

Well, I decided to get and keep both

40 DA is very quick and very sharp.
43 FA is much slower to focus, but it's a much faster lens, the difference
between 1.9 and 2.8 is quite dramatic. 43 FA is great for manual focus also...
43 and 77 is a great combo to use when I want a shallow DOF.
One example from 43 taken yesterday:

Niklars · 09-23-2009, 02:08 PM

Another shot with the FA 43 and a K-7

Voe · 09-23-2009, 09:34 PM

I had both lenses and after many comparisons in IQ I decided to keep the FA 43mm and sell the DA 40mm.

The 43mm is my next favorite lens after the FA 77mm. No wonder the 43mm Limited is the only Pentax lens available in Leica M mount.

khardur · 09-23-2009, 10:42 PM

Originally posted by touchmyichi

I agree^^^, excellent shot! Was the lighting off a book light or something you set up?

This was a strobist experiment. Beauty dish in his lap lighting up the front of the book and his eyes. (that's why you only see half the beauty dish in his eyes)

I think I had a second dish above.

nulla · 09-23-2009, 11:50 PM

Originally posted by Niklars

Another shot with the FA 43 and a K-7

wonderful shot Niklars

builttospill · 09-24-2009, 07:43 AM

I like it a lot. (The picture (and the lens too!))

Originally posted by andi

Well, I decided to get and keep both

40 DA is very quick and very sharp.
43 FA is much slower to focus, but it's a much faster lens, the difference
between 1.9 and 2.8 is quite dramatic. 43 FA is great for manual focus also...
43 and 77 is a great combo to use when I want a shallow DOF.
One example from 43 taken yesterday:

andi · 09-27-2009, 12:45 PM

As promised, my little test - 43FA vs. 40DA.
In my opinion they are pretty much identical. No difference in color rendering,
contrast, sharpness or bokeh quality.
Of course, 43 is faster (the reason I got it) and slower to focus.
But the overall feel is the same.
Those are f2.8 examples, 40 shot wide open seems a bit less sharp,
but starting around f4 they are identical.
43 seems a touch more contrasty, but the difference is very subtle...
Both shots open in CS4, no sharpening applied.

netuser · 10-09-2009, 05:04 AM

Seems I just bought FA 43

ilya80 · 10-09-2009, 05:54 AM

Congratulations!

I have the other two FA Limiteds and I figured you can not go wrong with any of them.

Only FA43 was produced exclusively in Leica mount I think.

netuser · 10-09-2009, 05:58 AM

Originally posted by ilya80

Congratulations!

I have the other two FA Limiteds and I figured you can not go wrong with any of them.

....

I was only missing FA 43 myself

axl · 10-09-2009, 06:07 AM

I only have DA40 but have found vendor selling FA43 for £407!!! I'm veeeeeeeeeeeeeery tempted to swap 43 for 40 just because of that 1 stop in speed.
If only I didn't love 40 so much....
oh well
it's a hard life with LBA

netuser · 10-09-2009, 08:13 AM

There is one DA 40
in https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographers-marketplace/75934-sale-eu-s...tml#post769398

jensm · 10-09-2009, 12:55 PM

What a great shot!

Originally posted by khardur

Can't comment on the 43, I've never owned it. Here are some pics with the DA40:

legacyb4 · 10-16-2009, 10:59 PM

Just as a quick comparison:

DA 40mm, F2.8, ISO 400

FA 43mm, F1.9, ISO 400

A 50mm F1.4, ISO 400

Voe · 10-17-2009, 04:24 AM

I drive the blue car

though mine is silver

09-27-2009, 12:45 PM	#52
andi Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 200 Original Poster	43FA vs. 40DA As promised, my little test - 43FA vs. 40DA. In my opinion they are pretty much identical. No difference in color rendering, contrast, sharpness or bokeh quality. Of course, 43 is faster (the reason I got it) and slower to focus. But the overall feel is the same. Those are f2.8 examples, 40 shot wide open seems a bit less sharp, but starting around f4 they are identical. 43 seems a touch more contrasty, but the difference is very subtle... Both shots open in CS4, no sharpening applied.

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09-23-2009, 02:05 PM	#46
andi Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 200 Original Poster	Well, I decided to get and keep both 40 DA is very quick and very sharp. 43 FA is much slower to focus, but it's a much faster lens, the difference between 1.9 and 2.8 is quite dramatic. 43 FA is great for manual focus also... 43 and 77 is a great combo to use when I want a shallow DOF. One example from 43 taken yesterday:

09-23-2009, 02:08 PM	#47
Niklars New Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 6	Another shot with the FA 43 and a K-7

09-23-2009, 09:34 PM	#48
Voe Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery Posts: 719	I had both lenses and after many comparisons in IQ I decided to keep the FA 43mm and sell the DA 40mm. The 43mm is my next favorite lens after the FA 77mm. No wonder the 43mm Limited is the only Pentax lens available in Leica M mount.

09-23-2009, 10:42 PM	#49
khardur Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Massachusetts Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,560	Originally posted by touchmyichi I agree^^^, excellent shot! Was the lighting off a book light or something you set up? This was a strobist experiment. Beauty dish in his lap lighting up the front of the book and his eyes. (that's why you only see half the beauty dish in his eyes) I think I had a second dish above.

09-23-2009, 11:50 PM	#50
nulla Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 1,560	Originally posted by Niklars Another shot with the FA 43 and a K-7 wonderful shot Niklars

09-24-2009, 07:43 AM	#51
builttospill Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Utah, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,398	I like it a lot. (The picture (and the lens too!)) Originally posted by andi Well, I decided to get and keep both 40 DA is very quick and very sharp. 43 FA is much slower to focus, but it's a much faster lens, the difference between 1.9 and 2.8 is quite dramatic. 43 FA is great for manual focus also... 43 and 77 is a great combo to use when I want a shallow DOF. One example from 43 taken yesterday:

10-09-2009, 05:04 AM	#53
netuser Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Azores Islands, Portugal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,236	Seems I just bought FA 43

10-09-2009, 05:54 AM	#54
ilya80 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Saint-Petersburg, Russia Photos: Albums Posts: 410	Congratulations! I have the other two FA Limiteds and I figured you can not go wrong with any of them. Only FA43 was produced exclusively in Leica mount I think.

10-09-2009, 05:58 AM	#55
netuser Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Azores Islands, Portugal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,236	Originally posted by ilya80 Congratulations! I have the other two FA Limiteds and I figured you can not go wrong with any of them. .... I was only missing FA 43 myself

10-09-2009, 06:07 AM	#56
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	I only have DA40 but have found vendor selling FA43 for £407!!! I'm veeeeeeeeeeeeeery tempted to swap 43 for 40 just because of that 1 stop in speed. If only I didn't love 40 so much.... oh well it's a hard life with LBA

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10-09-2009, 08:13 AM	#57
netuser Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Azores Islands, Portugal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,236	There is one DA 40 in https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographers-marketplace/75934-sale-eu-s...tml#post769398

10-09-2009, 12:55 PM	#58
jensm Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Denmark Posts: 146	What a great shot! Originally posted by khardur Can't comment on the 43, I've never owned it. Here are some pics with the DA40:

10-16-2009, 10:59 PM	#59
legacyb4 Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Tri-Cities, British Columbia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,784	Just as a quick comparison: DA 40mm, F2.8, ISO 400 FA 43mm, F1.9, ISO 400 A 50mm F1.4, ISO 400

10-17-2009, 04:24 AM	#60
Voe Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery Posts: 719	I drive the blue car though mine is silver