| Latest Review Posted | HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
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... |
