| Latest Review Posted | SMC Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 AL Limited
Although the FA limited lenses were designed without numerical scores in mind, this doesn't mean they weren't technically superb lenses when they were first released over twenty years ago. They have been surpassed since on when it comes to such things as CA control and wide open sharpness by some of these high-end (and rather large and cumbersome) super primes. But in terms of aesthetics, of the image as it seen in a large print by the naked eye, nothing quite matches the FA 31 outside of high-end German glass. At its very best, the FA 31 produces images that had a beauty of tone, of tonal graduation, of rendering of detail that you'll find only in a handful of Japanese lenses. And while technically it may fall short of the very "best" lenses, it still holds up remarkably well even in terms of numerical specs. Yes, there is a bit of CA (which invariably cleans up in LR) and it's not as sharp wide-open as the latest and greatest. But those latest and greatest don't render detail like the FA 31; they lack the subtlety of coloration, the rich at times almost glossy ambiance, and the sheer subtle beauty of how this lens can project a scene. Those who are uptight about the FA 31's minor technical flaws would do well to avoid this lens. Get one of the DFA f1.4 primes instead. But for the aesthetically inclined photographer, this lens is self-recommending.
Some images, all shot with the K-1:
At f1.8:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49790361928_95a6b76801_c.j... |
