Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2017 Posts: 1,977 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: October 26, 2023 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | IQ, build quality, AF | Cons: | size and weight | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 6
Value: 8
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1 ii
| | I have only had my copy (snapped up new for £500!) for a week or two now but even with owning it for such a short time I can attest that everything you see or hear about the IQ of this lens is true. At all apertures the IQ is stunning. It's not just a case of sharpness either (which is clearly there). Minimal CA's, great flare resistance, great contrast, great (for Pentax) AF, great colour rendition. Optically there is nothing to dislike about this lens. Forget about stellar performance at f1.4 for a moment (it is stellar compared to all my other f1.4's), even at small apertures it out performs my 50mm macro lenses. On IQ alone I think it is worth the price tag either new or used.
However, the elephant (literally in this case) in the room is its size and weight. Upon opening the box, I was shocked not just at how heavy the lens is but its sheer size. It dwarfs all my other 50-60mm lenses. Even the F 50mm f2.8 Macro and Tomioka Mamiya 60mm f2.8 Macro. It dwarfs my Canon FL 58mm f1.2 and FD 50mm f1.2. On my K1 ii with battery grip and extra battery the camera is still quite a bit nose heavy. You do not want to be carrying this combination around your neck. This bulk does have a positive though. When hand holding, the combination of big camera and lens is very stable. I need to turn off SR until I reach about 1/20th second or slower. For me this is a beautiful lens to use inside and not for trekking around town and country, though others below seem to have no problem with the weight.
To show what this lens can do stopped down here is a trio of comparison shots by three 50mm lenses, all of which I really like. All SOOC at the same settings and parameters. Tripod mounted and self timer f11 and 100 ISO:-
K 50mm f1.4
F 50mm f2.8 Macro
FA*
I was surprised at there being this much difference between the F Macro and the FA*. Proof that the FA* is not just a one trick pony when it comes to IQ. Any aperture looks great. Optically its the best standard lens I have ever experienced
Recommendations? Yes maybe. If your priority is absolute IQ above and beyond all else you will enjoy the lens. I do a fair bit of still life so it suits me in this role. If you do a lot of indoor work where portability is not an issue this lens will do all you ask of it within its focal length's parameters. Clearly if you are brave or foolhardy enough to take it out into the field it will also perform beyond all your previous experiences, but as they saying goes the best camera is the one you have with you and are you really going to go out in the field that often with a heavy combination like the K1 and FA* 50mm? I am not. You really do need to consider this aspect of the lens before committing to buy it.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: January, 2018 Posts: 47 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: March 3, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $900.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | image quality, low aberrations, sharpness | Cons: | tolerance of cold | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-1, K-3 iii
| | I have now had this lens for over two years and it has been a part of my travel and hike kit, for most of my travels.
IQ-wise, this lens is probably the best 50mm lens that money can buy. Amazing results. Very few lenses can be routinely used wide open like this one can (at the right places, that is). Especially in PP it is clear how little, hardly any, aberrations there are and how sharp this lens is. It is very easy to get technically good quality pictures with this lens.
The lens however has one weird behaviour, which is probably not an problem for majority of photographers. I live in a cold climate and spend extended times out in the wild, and this lens is my only lens which actually stops working in cold. This has happened to me even when it is not extremely cold, hardly even -20C (-4F). I have several modern lenses (e.g. DFA 15-30 and DFA 21) and none of my other lenses does this. (Actually the DFA 15-30 did that once, when I shot astro landscape in -35C (+ some windchill) overnight, but that is rather extreme, and it only failed after hours and hours of use.)
For my use case, this basically means that DFA 1.4/50 is a lens for summer hikes and not for winter. The lens let me down a few times in the cold, so I know this is not a one-time thing but keeps on occurring every time I go out with the lens in winter. It is however to be noted that shorter stays outdoors, do not make the lens fail, but you have to be outside for hours for that to happen. This is why I am reducing "handling" to only 8.
| | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2022 Location: Glyfada, a southern suburb of Athens Posts: 205 | Review Date: December 16, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | 99.999 % flawless in every aspect | Cons: | If I had to fine one it has some 1/3 stop vingetting at F1.4. F1.4! And yes it's heavy. | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: KP
| | "Kaiser"... this is how I named my copy of this spectacular glass since it came to me in Athens from Germany.
There are no words to describe its quality and you just can't pixel peep with this glass. It delivers perfection.
The photo below was what Kaiser gave me within 3 minutes of use; without having the chance to get into knowing him. I can only imagine what this lens can deliver after we get accustomed to each other.
It's heavy because you are holding a brick of gold.
[photo: ISO4000, f/2, 1/50s] | | | | Pentaxian Registered: February, 2010 Location: Eerbeek Posts: 1,849 4 users found this helpful | Review Date: August 11, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $740.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | sharpness, bokeh, speed | Cons: | size | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-3 III
| | Excellent image quality, in terms of sharpness and character. Beautiful OOF, good colours.
The AF is fast and almost silent (something you get used to...)
It was an open-box item for a great discount so I had to try it. On my K-3 III it functions like a 77mm equivalent, I use it in tandem with the FA 31mm (=48mm) and the 15/21mm Limiteds.
I do not regret it, despite also having the 43mm.
It is heavy, but its qualities convince me to bring it along time and again.
Moreover, if there's ever a K-1 III in my bag, this one is ready for it.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: January, 2022 Posts: 30 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: March 2, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $650.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Well-rounded shooter in tight build quality. | Cons: | Hefty and larger than competition 50mms. | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1ii
| | Sick images. This is one of those instances whereby if you can make your budget accommodate such a purchase - there is a clear case to make for price to performance and in my book it equals if not bests Sony's Zeiss 50mm f1.4 and G Master 50mm f1.2 which I have had much experience with (especially when I paid for a brand new copy at much less than half the price of either of the Sony options new).
If you had to start from scratch to build up a full frame system like myself recently - this is a no brainer as the first and one lens to rule the world with initially before you consider other options.
Not going to markdown AF score for the lens despite the minimum focusing distance is still too long for my liking but typical ballpark of most 50mm formulas.
| | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2016 Location: Paris Posts: 124 | Review Date: December 6, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $1,299.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | built, af, quality, bokeh | Cons: | it ain't pink ? | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1ii K1 KP
| | This lens is perfect in all manners.
Flawless operations, fast, solid built and sealed.
Bought it since it became available in Europe, and used it since.
quality is at least the same level as top notch canon L or zeiss. with the extra Pentax stuff coming with.
this lens is very very well priced for what it can deliver.
| | | | Forum Member Registered: December, 2012 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 66 1 user found this helpful | Review Date: August 3, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $980.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | sharp wide open, nice bokeh, well built lens, AW | Cons: | none | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
| | Similar to my 85 mm, I have bought a silver one as well. I have it for a few weeks now, so no processed pictures, yet. The lens is MUCH smaller and lighter than 85, but is possessing similar optical virtues - its sharp even wide open with no noticeable softness or chromatic aberrations. Bokeh is creamy and nice to look at. Lens is bult very well and feels good in hands. Handling is perfect. AW is great to have! Did not use it for astrophotography yet, though.
| | | | Pentaxian Registered: May, 2013 Location: Vilnius Posts: 1,014 16 users found this helpful | Review Date: June 2, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Very sharp at f1.4. Bokeh very nice, creamy, the iris keeps the round shape up to f2.8. Very good contrast, color rendition. Probably the speed of focus is second in the line after Pentax 55-300 PLM version. | Cons: | For many who likes smaller lenses, this lens will be heavy (910 g). The price is relatively high. | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-1
| | For me this lens is perfectly suited to the Pentax K-1 - a good balance, stability and less hand-shake. Regardless of the weight of camera and lens in combo, the Pentax K-1 is perfectly treatable with 2-3 fingers.
On older Pentax cameras as Pentax K5ii and earlier, autofocus works, but due to the electromagnetic iris control incompatibility with the software of the camera, it takes pictures only wide open. Nevertheless, the lens is absolutely usable at f1.4 and pictures taken with Pentax K-30, K200D I use more now proves this (links/pictures included below).
I shoot portraits with this lens mostly 2 years in studio, on locations as well as nature. DFA* 50/1.4 is really very good lens.
I like infrared portraits too and I shoot them with infrared modified K-30/K-5. The new HD Pentax-D FA* 50/1.4 SDM AW is capable of focusing correctly through the viewfinder on my modified Pentax K-5 with 640 nm filter. This is a terrible surprise. Another thing that's even more impressive - the lens is sharp at f1.4! Unbelievable! IMGP1601-Edit-2-Edit-Edit-3 by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr IMGP5450-Edit-Edit by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr IMGP5443-Edit by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr K1MG1263-Edit-2-Edit-Edit by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr IMGP5232-Edit-Edit-2 by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr IMGP1659-Edit-4 by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr K1MG2483-Edit by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr IMGP1837-Edit-Edit-2-2 by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr _IGP0009210519-Edit-Edit-Edit-2 by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr _IGP0595210526-Edit1-Edit-2 by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr _IGP82260315-Edit by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr _IMG0710-Edit by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr IMGP9671-Edit-Edit-2 by MG Mindaugas, on Flickr
| | | | New Member Registered: November, 2017 Posts: 1 | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2017 Posts: 20 4 users found this helpful | Review Date: December 8, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $1,000.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Its a big fat Summilux at a Pentax price | Cons: | none | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K1
| | This lens is ridiculous.
Here is one pic, JPEG straight out of the camera, with really no thought put into the shot. Point and shoot basically.
Yes, its a big lens, but paired with a K1, its pretty well balanced. Paired with a K1, its a versatile combo for sure, and that includes fast action sports shots.
For handheld stills work with depth, this combo is right up there with a Leica + Summilux. Its pretty good !
Here is a couple more - JPG straight out of the camera, no processing yet
(zoom in to see possible abberations on the leaves)
(zoom in close on this to see the "action shot" of the pair of flies doing a dance to the right of the pony)
Fast Action Sports Shot, Wide Open - Pentax Style ! | | | | | Review Date: August 19, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $1,096.95
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Everything! | Cons: | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K-1
| | I committed to the Pentax K-1 as my main camera based on the release of this lens, it is an excellent performer in every regard. The new K-mount D FA* lenses by Pentax are incredible pieces of equipment and I eagerly await a wider lens in the series to compliment this and the HD Pentax-D FA* 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW I recently purchased.
| | | | New Member Registered: May, 2017 Posts: 16 7 users found this helpful | | | | Forum Member Registered: December, 2018 Location: Telemark Posts: 86 10 users found this helpful | Review Date: February 8, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $800.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Sharp, nice colors, good autofocus, not too large | Cons: | Sorry but still K-1 and the new 50 is not a great autofocus system | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K-1
| | It's a brilliant lens. But on Pentax forums with Pentax people everything Pentax is always +25% of actual performance.
Don't misunderstand, this lens is brilliant and well suited to all types of photography. I like the size, FF lenses can be beasts, but as other Pentaxians says: "it balances nicely with the K-1", and thats true.
The autofocus is better than most Pentax lenses. But I also use other systems and the autofocus isn't great, but good.
I wish the near focus limit was 30 cm instead of 40 cm. The colors are excellent. You don't get that vintage look of course, but you get beautiful colors that are easy to work with. I used this lens along with a bunch of other quality lenses to photograph gear for a company and after putting all the files into lightroom I saw quickly that this lens and the 70-200 stood above the rest in what were quite similar shots. One of the other lenses I used was Sigma 35 mm f/1.4 art. And while this is also a great and slightly wider lens, the 50 mm just made better photos. I guess it's a combo of color rendition, sharpness and autofocus. For me, although yes different focal ranges, it's better than the 35mm sigma art, which is a brilliant lens.
I also own the Pentax 43 mm lens which is a fantastic lens. This is slightly sharper than both the 43 and 77 as expected, but the colors and 3d effect of the limited lenses make them still relevant for me. They're also more portable. But shooting in low light with the poor autofocus of the limited lenses is difficult.
I have 1200 shots with the new 50 and look forward to having more.
| | | | Moderator Registered: July, 2011 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,714 5 users found this helpful | Review Date: January 31, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10 |
Pros: | Amazing quality picture making ability | Cons: | price, but it is worth it | | The DFA 50mm 1.4 is a fantastic lens, more than capable of making my most uninspiring shots even have some pixie dust. The photos with shallow depth of field have the most lovely bokeh. The resolving power means this lens can easily act as a telephoto just by cropping down as the quality is there. Yes, it is a heavy lump of glass but when using it on the K1 it never felt heavy, certainly when I picked up the camera bag I felt the weight , however it is well balanced in the hand. The odd filter size of 72mm means I will most likely just use the 77mm filters with a step down ring. The hood works well and reverses nicely for storage. Every time I took a photo and examined it with this lens, the result was better than I expected , there is something magical about it. The only other lens I have that does that is the F*300mm 4.5. Sometimes a lens just works right and this 50mm is one of those. Is it value for money? I think so and it is staying in the bag full time from now on. green dog by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr saw painter crop by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr sunset stitch by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr dahlia by Gary Wakeling, on Flickr
| | | | Pentaxian Registered: March, 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Posts: 9,342 | Review Date: January 7, 2020 | Recommended
| Rating: N/A |
Pros: | Everything except the size | Cons: | Size, some CA | | As stated in the in-depth review, this lens heralds a new generation of high-performances, no compromises lenses.
Apart from some CA, there is literally nothing to complain about from an optical standpoint. Images have all the pop and clarity of the best that Pentax can offer, sharpness is stellar, AF is a step above everything else on K-mount. The comparison review with the Rokinon 50mm and DA*55mm show just how good this new 50 really is.
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