| Author: | | Moderator Registered: April, 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,991
17 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 20, 2018 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Extremely sharp, excellent bokeh, fantastic build | | Cons: | It's pretty big and heavy. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1
| |
It's big. It's really big. And heavy. It's really heavy. It's very similar in size to a Pentax 6x7 135/4 Macro lens, and half again heavier.
It's really big and really heavy. Mounted on the K1, it's really bigger and heavier.
Auto Focus seems quick enough, I don't have anything to compare it to. It's very quiet. There is no torque twisting, the 7.5 times more powerful motor is all good.
Manual focus is excellent. It has really nice damping and is absolutely slop free. It's as nice as any manual focus lens I've used.
In use, the K1 with this lens is a heavy rig at 1920 grams. That's 4.23 pounds. It's heavy.
However, it does balance nicely. For most people I wouldn't think this is going to be an all day walkaround camera/lens combination because of the weight, but because of the weight it's a great handholding lens.
I did a very little bit of handheld shooting, but I tend to use a tripod most of the time, and this time was no exception.
On a tripod, the K1 and D FA* 50/1.4 is a well behaved combination. I am using a fairly heavy Feisol CF Tripod and their large ball head.
Prior to this I hadn't liked this head very much as it felt a bit notchy. With the 4 pounds of camera and lens on it, that goes away and it's as smooth as polished glass.
Handheld, the weight works to advantage. There is a lot of inertia at play tp keep things steady. I noticed the same effect with my Pentax 6x7, which weighs in at ~2500 grams with the standard lens and film loaded.
I haven't tested it, but I expect the K1 with this lens could be handheld a stop or more slower than the K1 with the FA50/1.4
This is all well and good, but what is a lens for but to produce images? This one is superb for that purpose. It has meltingly beautiful bokeh. It's extraordinary. The previous bokeh king, the 77LTD has met it's match in this lens. The lens is startlingly sharp wide open, which serves to accentuate the out of focus areas. Stopped down to f/5.6 and this lens is sharp enough to shave with, while at the same time still giving very smooth out of focus areas, providing there is sufficient seperation.
Contrast is very high with this lens, colours pop right off the screen. I've only made one print so far, and it is vibrant and stunning.
This is an expensive lens, and the law of diminishing returns does hold true. F/8 is, as always, the great equalizer. If a person spends most of their time stopped down to smaller apertures, this lens won't be much of a benefit, other than giving a solid workout to upper body strength. If, like me, you shoot at mid apertures, like really nice bokeh, and razor sharp images, this lens should be on your radar.
Pentax has knocked it well and truly out of the park with this lens.
I demerited it a bit on handling because of the weight. It won't be for everyone as heavy as it is, and also for value. At the price of it, there will be many people who will pass it by.
However, if you can afford it and can live with the heftiness of it, it is truly an extraordinary lens.
Edit: This lens focuses closer than other 50mm lenses I have used. Both my FA50/1.4 and A50/1.2 focus to .45 meters ( ~17 3/4"). The D FA* 50/1.4 focuses to .4 meters (~15 3/4 inches). This may not seem like all that big a deal, but it does expand the usable range of the lens a little bit.
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: May, 2013 Location: Vilnius Posts: 1,021
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
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2013 Posts: 298
15 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 9, 2019 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Everything apart from the Negative Aspects | | Cons: | Weight and Size | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: APSC KP
| |
There have been some reviews lately about this lens (here and at dpreview). I find these review mostly not capturing what such a lens is about. Very technical and generic discussions.
If you need a wide aperture normal lens, this is a great option. The lens is a beautiful lens. The handling makes you like to handle it. None of the older lenses compares to it. The bokeh is magical.
A few images, mostly wide open.
 | | | | | 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.
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: December, 2011 Posts: 3,112
8 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 3, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $1,100.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | bokeh, microcontrast, fast silent focus | | Cons: | size, weight for a 50mm prime | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-1
| |
First to the con's:
- Yes, this lens is similar to Sigmas tries at producing lenses: large and heavy for a 50mm prime.
- Yes, it is not cheap, it falls into the middle price range.
Now to the pro's:
- Outstanding image quality overall.
- The superb bokeh quality mixed with very, very high microcontrasts even when used wide open make images "pop".
- Wide open sharp into the extreme corners, better than a good copy of a Sigma 35 Art.
- Fast autofocus, at least as fast as any other 50/55mm F1.2/1.4 lens from any maker out there.
- Weathersealing.
- Excellent build quality
- Smooth and precise manual focussing possible
- Handles surprisingly well on a K-1 and feels perfectly balanced, even better than a standard zoom like 28-105 or 24-70.
- Very pleasing color rendering.
Samples:
#1
 Nordfriedhof 005 by Karl Knipser, auf Flickr
#2
 Nordfriedhof 004 by Karl Knipser, auf Flickr
#3
 Nordfriedhof 011 by Karl Knipser, auf Flickr
#4
 Nordfriedhof 001 by Karl Knipser, auf Flickr | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: June, 2013 Location: Buckinghamshire (UK) / Morbihan (FR) Posts: 470
8 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 29, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $1,309.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Optically near perfect, quick focussing | | Cons: | Expensive and heavy - the 'price' of being so good | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1
| |
Just a quick first impression. I've had it two days and taken a couple of dozen shots with it:
1. The box it comes in is very protective - bigger than a Pentax KP box, with the space around the lens surrounded with corrugated card.
2. The build quality is similar to the DA* 200/300 - solid, dense barrel with smooth focus ring.
3. On the K1 it balances well in a two-hand grip. We've tried it on a KP, and it slightly overwhelms it.
4. Focus is snappy and quiet.
5. First look centre and edge sharpness is excellent from F1.4.
6. Out of focus transition is unbelievably smooth.
I'll add photos when I've got some worthy of demonstrating its performance.
Edit: price is converted from GBP with sales tax deducted. (UK price £1199 including 20% VAT)
Edit 2: photos added
Handling is fine despite weight. Out of focus backgrounds almost 'painterly'.
F1.4
100% crop
F3.5
100% crop
F1.4
100% crop
All F1.4
100% crop
Hint of purple/green fringing - aberrations re-scored to 9...
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2017 Posts: 16
7 users found this helpful
| | | | | Moderator
Site Supporter Registered: February, 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Posts: 11,275
7 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 12, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Bokeh, Image quality, Bokeh, Build quality, Bokeh | | Cons: | Size, weight, cost (duh!) | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
| |
It's the best lens I have ever used. Bravo Pentax.
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: August, 2011 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,847
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 10, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $1,098.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | scary sharp; creamy bokeh; beautifully built | | Cons: | heavy | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 8
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1
| |
The impossible lens! When the first 1:1 images popped up on my computer screen from my first outing with this lens, I physically jumped. Wow, I never realised a photo could be that sharp. And when I scanned across to the edges, nothing changed. They are just as good! I didn't bother checking for front or back focus, as it was clearly spot-on.
And the bokeh is to-die-for. Creamy-smooth, perfectly accentuating the sharpness of the subject.
The autofocus is very accurate and fast. It didn't miss once (other than due to my own error). I haven't tried it yet with AF.S and targets moving toward me.
Colours seem consistent with other good Pentax lenses. Nothing to complain about there.
The only aberration I have noticed is some purple fringing in a few wide-open shots of out-of-focus dark features against a bright background. It is easily removed in post-processing, though unusually simply clicking the "Remove Chromatic Aberration" button in Lightroom doesn't do the job; I need to go to manual and use the slider. I don't know if this is a problem with the LR profile for this lens.
f/1.4 (575x419 crop)
Despite its heft, this is a lens that every Pentax shooter should aspire to .... unless they don't want to be spoiled.
Sorry, I don't have any portraits of dogs.
These are from my first proper outing with the lens, walking around the arcades and alleyways of Melbourne.
f/3.2 (click for flickr, and then click again for zoom)
f/3.2 (heavily cropped 893x1013; see thumbnail for full frame)
 . 
f/6.3 (click)
f/1.8 (click)
f/1.8 (click)
f/2 (click and zoom on the lady in the red dress to see how she pops from the mildly oof background)
f/2 (click)
f/8 (click)
f/8 (click for flickr and click again to zoom; notice sharpness across the frame from bottom to top)
 | | | | | Moderator Registered: July, 2011 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,774
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: February, 2010 Location: Eerbeek Posts: 1,857
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.
| | | | | 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 !
 | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2018 Posts: 5
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 3, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $1,000.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Almost everything | | Cons: | big and heavy, a small amount of chromatic ab green/red/purple at wide apertures and high contrast transitions | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1
| |
Unbelievable lens - the best lens I've ever shot (and I've shot a *lot* of lenses from the 1950's era to current). This is a quick shot of my cat (overcast day even). F1.6, quick autofocus. I'm going to have to sell my 1950 Zeiss 58mm Biotar and my 50mm f1.4 8 element Takumar. Pentax + Tokina really did an amazing job building a cost-is-no-object world class lens - Happy 100th birthday Pentax! Check out the sharpness and out of focus and completely natural color. Slight foreground chromatic aberration in the metal grid in front of the cat's paws:
Overall after comparing results, this new 50mm is better than the 1950 Zeiss 58mm f2 Biotar, the 1964 50mm f1.4 8 element Tak and the 1970s era 50mm f4 Macro Tak which I also currently own. Sharpness is great on all when stopped down but the improvement is most obvious at the tougher wider apertures f2.8 and below, chromatic aberrations are good in all (sometimes very slightly worse in the newest one) but contrast is always best on the new 50 by varying margins depending on how close to the sun you shoot. While flare can be used for creative artistic shots and be superior in those cases, in general I avoid it and of course it can be added in post but not easily taken away. Autofocus, weather sealing and the coatings are the biggest areas of improvement when comparing to these similar focal length lenses from the past 70 years. Size and weight have gotten steadily worse so if you are backpacking, take the 1950 Zeiss 58mm f2 which is a tiny jewel of a lens with great results if not shooting into the sun. The flare difference in images (all shot at f4 with sun just outside upper right frame with a lens hood):
2019 Pentax 50mm f1.4 HD AW 
1950 Zeiss 58mm f2
1964 Takumar 50mm f1.4 8 element
1970's Takumar 50mm f4 Macro 1:2 (Tessar)
The above is a stress test to show the biggest optical differences as the lens options have gotten better (flare), but as I mentioned, the size and weight of equivalent focal length lenses has grown enormously. The 1950 Zeiss 58mm is an early tiny M42 mount jewel that you can hide in your fist and is great for low weight and has gorgeous results when not shooting so close into the sun and when stopping down. Check out the natural color and fantastic sharpness in this sample shot with the oldie (based on the serial number, I think this lens was made in the East German area after the war just as the Cold War was beginning and was built using parts eventually rescued by the Russians from the Dresden factory after the war. The Allies had bombed it in the infamous Dresden bombing. Interestingly, I bought this lens from a guy in Russia - via Ebay): 1950 58mm Biotar f2
crop of bird in photo above (sharper Raw, this is a JPEG): 1950 58mm Biotar f2
Update: I kept the 1950 f2 Biotar 58mm for its portability to complement the 50mm 1.4 FA D. I also kept my 300mm f4 which is a very very nice Pentax lens that I've sent in and had repaired when the autofocus failed. I sold all my other lenses on Ebay.
Another update: over time I've noticed that manual focus has a slight design issue. It is too stiff. I noticed that the initial release of the lens was delayed and in the interview with the lead of product engineering he mentioned the work they did to get the tension for the focus just right. A trick you can use is to avoid "gripping" the focus ring tightly. If you do that, it is very hard to turn. I find if I put my hand lightly under the focus ring and ensure I don't "grip" it much at all, it is more manageable. Note that the new 85mm doesn't have any issue with stiff manual focus.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: July, 2011 Posts: 2,389
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 5, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Just great | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K1/ii
| |
It took Pentax quite some time to deliver a FF camera and now we are seeing the first new FF prime specifically designed for a digital FF camera. So far FA Ltd with old AF engine, no weather sealing and old designs had to be used. I still have my 77mm lens and really like the bokeh, but I was waiting quite long for the new 50mm to arrive. The wait is over - still waiting for the 85 mm and some wide angle with alrger aperture.
This is the first Pentax lens that really shines in all aspects. f/1.4 is already sharp and quite sharp in the corners. AF feels fast and snappy, focus shift is not really an issue. Lens weight is OK, feels nice on K1 - more obstrusive than the FA 50s or the FA Ltds, but a lot of glass is needed to get this performance. For the photographer I see no issue wrt weight, (potential) models may be scared a little by the size. Bokeh is VERY nice and you can use the lens from f/1.4 and down. At f/5.6 the lens is bitingly sharp, but not yet plain technical. I use the lens for portraits and street photography where field curvature is less important. As far as I can see field curcature is well controlled. Filter diameter is 72mm, a little smaller than 77mm standard that is used for several Pentax lenses. This lens will get its own polarizer and everything else is attached by filter holder. It would be nice if other lense in the expected D-FA* line could also have 72mm filter diameters.
This lens competes against Canon 50L, Nikon 58, Zeiss Otus, Sigma Art
 I need to correct the statement above after working with two Sigma 35 ART copies and looking at image from relfex 50L and Nikon 58.. So far I have not found a lens with performance to the Pentax. You may complain that f/1.4 is too sharp, but here I prefer phyical performance and apply digital filters where needed.
Add weather sealing, AF, and its a Pentax lens for Pentax cameras. Price fits performance and market placement.
A wide angle and a medium tele portrait lens are on the roadmap and must follow this lens - Pentax has many 50mm lenses in their lineup, it is time to re-cover new bases.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2015 Posts: 142
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 22, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, IQ, IQ | | Cons: | none I've found | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 8
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-1
| |
This lens has impeccable IQ, definitely the best I've used. The only one that comes close is the Sigma Art and this seems to share some of the same DNA of big and heavy with stellar optics while managing to feel better balanced; I think more of the weight is in the back in that "heavy focus group" that is discussed as compared to the sigma I used.
Can't speak to how it is on APS-C but it seems like it'd be a waste of the corner-to-corner sharpness.
| | |
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
