Pentax full frame lens review - Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4

VanHelsing wrote:

Well, after seeing this review at Lensfreaks website, it seems like Pentax needs to replace their aging 50mm f/1.4 with a new one after they released their new full frame camera.

http://www.lensfreaks.com/lens-reviews/pentax/pentax-fa-50mm-f1-4-review-at-full-frame-and-aps-c/

Hmm. Pity Sigma doesn't offer their 50mm f/1.4 Art with Pentax mount...

Pentax already have the DA* 55 mm f:1.4, which is reported to offer full frame coverage, in spite of the DA designation.

http://erphotoreview.com/wordpress/?p=4563

http://www.barrypearson.co.uk/articles/pentax/ff-55.htm

If 55 mm is too long, there is always the FA 43 f:1.9 ltd.

If you don't need f:1.4, the DA 50 mm f:1.8 covers full frame too, and is more reasonably priced.

Cheers,

tom1234567 wrote:

VanHelsing wrote:

Well, after seeing this review at Lensfreaks website, it seems like Pentax needs to replace their aging 50mm f/1.4 with a new one after they released their new full frame camera.

http://www.lensfreaks.com/lens-reviews/pentax/pentax-fa-50mm-f1-4-review-at-full-frame-and-aps-c/

Hmm. Pity Sigma doesn't offer their 50mm f/1.4 Art with Pentax mount...

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM (Pentax) Black

see here

http://www.mobicity.co.uk/sigma-50mm-f-1-4-ex-dg-hsm-pentax-black.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=CJidu6_Z88UCFQ-WtAodP28ASg

Tom G

Yes, I know the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG USM is offered with Pentax mount. But the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art is sharper. Why Sigma doesn't make it in a Pentax version is a mystery.

VanHelsing wrote:

tom1234567 wrote:

VanHelsing wrote:

Well, after seeing this review at Lensfreaks website, it seems like Pentax needs to replace their aging 50mm f/1.4 with a new one after they released their new full frame camera.

http://www.lensfreaks.com/lens-reviews/pentax/pentax-fa-50mm-f1-4-review-at-full-frame-and-aps-c/

Hmm. Pity Sigma doesn't offer their 50mm f/1.4 Art with Pentax mount...

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM (Pentax) Black

see here

http://www.mobicity.co.uk/sigma-50mm-f-1-4-ex-dg-hsm-pentax-black.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=CJidu6_Z88UCFQ-WtAodP28ASg

Tom G

Yes, I know the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG USM is offered with Pentax mount. But the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art is sharper. Why Sigma doesn't make it in a Pentax version is a mystery.

Hardly a mystery.  Third-party lens manufacturers need to make money by selling a sufficient number of units and 50mm is not a highly desired aspect for crop cameras, the only thing Pentax currently offers.  In all likelihood, Sigma does not sell many of their current 50mm offering, so why further dilute the sales with another 50mm?  It will likely take a year or so to determine whether a FF camera has sufficient market support to warrant additional third-party resources (or new Pentax primes, now loosely promised after the FF zooms are released).  In the meantime, as others have noted there are numerous viable options in the 50mm range from Pentax and others.

awaldram wrote:

klimbkat wrote:

VanHelsing wrote:

tom1234567 wrote:

VanHelsing wrote:

Well, after seeing this review at Lensfreaks website, it seems like Pentax needs to replace their aging 50mm f/1.4 with a new one after they released their new full frame camera.

http://www.lensfreaks.com/lens-reviews/pentax/pentax-fa-50mm-f1-4-review-at-full-frame-and-aps-c/

Hmm. Pity Sigma doesn't offer their 50mm f/1.4 Art with Pentax mount...

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM (Pentax) Black

see here

http://www.mobicity.co.uk/sigma-50mm-f-1-4-ex-dg-hsm-pentax-black.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=CJidu6_Z88UCFQ-WtAodP28ASg

Tom G

Yes, I know the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG USM is offered with Pentax mount. But the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art is sharper. Why Sigma doesn't make it in a Pentax version is a mystery.

Hardly a mystery. Third-party lens manufacturers need to make money by selling a sufficient number of units and 50mm is not a highly desired aspect for crop cameras, the only thing Pentax currently offers. In all likelihood, Sigma does not sell many of their current 50mm offering, so why further dilute the sales with another 50mm? It will likely take a year or so to determine whether a FF camera has sufficient market support to warrant additional third-party resources (or new Pentax primes, now loosely promised after the FF zooms are released). In the meantime, as others have noted there are numerous viable options in the 50mm range from Pentax and others.

In addition

Pentax FA 50 1.4

Pentax 40 limited

Pentax FA 43 Limited

Pentax da* 55

Pentax da 50 1.8

Sigma 50 F2.8 Macro

Would you bother introducing a lens into that space ??

If I want a full frame compatible, bright normal lens the selection is quite narrow. FA 50mm f/1.4 is old. The DA 40mm Limited, DA 50mm f/1.8 and DA 55 f/1.4 are for APS-C. And neither the FA 43 mm or Sigma's Macro lens has f/1.4. So what more can the market offer, besides the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM?

GossCTP wrote:

ozdean wrote:

Why don't folks realize that you need soft edges and sharp centre for a portrait lens when it's wide open, that's the character you need in a good portrait lens!

Well, it's only a portrait lens on APS-C.

Exactly. This is not meant to be a portrait lens in the first place. It's a normal lens for full frame. If you want a portrait lens for APS-C, Pentax offers the DA 55mm f/1,4 which probably performs better than the old FA 50mm f/1.4.

ozdean wrote:

Half the time a Normal lens shoots portraits the other half landscapes and that's how it is designed open up and shoot portraits - close it down and shoot landscapes that's what normal people do with a normal lens, it's just us enthusiasts who pontificate over lenses.

When it was designed it was the kit lens that came with the camera.

Agree. I like the versatility of the normal lens. When I started to photograph I only had a normal lens and used it exactly as you say; wide open for portraits and at small f-stops for landscape.

But I certainly wish Pentax could offer something as sharp as Sigma's 50mm f/1.4 Art. Even Nikon's new 50mm f/1.4 G is a little sharper, at least when you close it an f-stop.

Check out the MTF (scroll down on the page)

Pentax 50mm f/1.4:

http://www.lensfreaks.com/lens-reviews/pentax/pentax-fa-50mm-f1-4-review-at-full-frame-and-aps-c/

Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4 G:

http://www.lensfreaks.com/lens-reviews/nikon/nikon-af-s-50mm-f1-4-g-review/

and the mighty Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art:

http://www.lensfreaks.com/lens-reviews/sigma/review-of-sigma-50mm-f1-4-dg-hsm-a-phenomenally-sharp/