31mm f1.8 vs. 35mm f2.8 macro (autofocus question)

[Mr Kobayashi]

I just ordered a Pentax KP and currently already own a Pentax 35mm Macro with my K01. The autofocus is painfully slow with the K01.

The thing is, I don't want to use this lens for macro only. Will the autofocus be significantly better when paired with the KP, or am I better off buying the 31mm. I don't know much about the 31mm except that it is very good and very expensive.

I am EXTREMELY impressed with the sharpness of my 35mm Macro. I normally use Fujifilm cameras and lenses and I don't think any of my Fuji primes are quite that sharp except maybe the 14mm which I never use and plan to sell.

So does the 31mm focus that much faster than the 35 macro on a more modern Pentax? Thanks.

 

[chessov]

I can't say much about the 31mm as I have never had one, but I have the 35mm macro (great lens!) and have used it on K10 and K1. Being a macro lens, the focus throw is quite long, hence why it can be slow to auto-focus, in particular if going from/to near/far focus distance or if hunting after missing focus. Otherwise I find the focus speed is fine.

Both lenses have no internal motor. Both lenses are relatively light (345g vs 215g), hence weight will not be a material factor in focus speed. The shorter focus throw on the 31mm should help it focus quicker. Both lenses should make a similar degree of noise.

Does the focus speed of the 35mm macro bother you always, or only when it hunts? If the former, it's unlikely to be much better on the 31mm, if the latter the 31mm should improve on that. Of course, the best way to know for sure is to try one in store if that's an option.

 

[zakaria]

I just ordered a Pentax KP and currently already own a Pentax 35mm Macro with my K01. The autofocus is painfully slow with the K01.

The thing is, I don't want to use this lens for macro only. Will the autofocus be significantly better when paired with the KP, or am I better off buying the 31mm. I don't know much about the 31mm except that it is very good and very expensive.

I am EXTREMELY impressed with the sharpness of my 35mm Macro. I normally use Fujifilm cameras and lenses and I don't think any of my Fuji primes are quite that sharp except maybe the 14mm which I never use and plan to sell.

So does the 31mm focus that much faster than the 35 macro on a more modern Pentax? Thanks.

I have fa 31mm. It is one of the best pentax lenses and maybe the best of all.

I also had da 35mm macro a well crafted lens but I didn't use it very much because I already have dfa 100mm and 50mm macro.

Yes it is painful to get the focus with k01 with this lens. It is due to the k01 not the lens because it was working flawlessly in my k3ii.

If you intend to buy a k1 series on the future get the fa 31 mm .but if you keep shooting crop sensor then save money for another lens.

 

[brett nz]

I have fa 31mm. It is one of the best pentax lenses and maybe the best of all.

I also had da 35mm macro a well crafted lens but I didn't use it very much because I already have dfa 100mm and 50mm macro.

Yes it is painful to get the focus with k01 with this lens. It is due to the k01 not the lens because it was working flawlessly in my k3ii.

If you intend to buy a k1 series on the future get the fa 31 mm .but if you keep shooting crop sensor then save money for another lens.

I agree with all of this reply above - and reiterate that the 31mm is the best of all the limiteds - I recently shot it at night beach party and had no focus hunting issues even in that poor light.

cheers

Brett

 

[SungiBr]

I have the FA31mm, but not the 35 macro.

There is nothing I can say that wasn't said before. The 31 is a fantastic lens. Focus fast, have an outstanding full metal construction and the image quality is undeniable.

But yes, it's expensive, so I think you could look into another good old fashion pentax lens, the FA 35mm f2.

People say its almost as good as the FA 31mm ltd, but more pocket-friendly.

Also, as it is an FA, is full frame compatible.

My two cents

 

[Tyler Monson]

I use the 35mm macro on my APS-C Pentax bodies, and have been very happy with it. When I bought the K-1, I got the 35mm f/2.0 SMCP-FA AL autofocus lens, because it was smaller, much lighter, and a lot less expensive than the 31mm Limited. No regrets.

FWIW, I prefer compact primes and really have no use for large apertures—my default is f/8. My 'standard' lens for 35mm has always been the 35—or 21mm on APS-C.

Cheers,

The Profligatographer

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www.ora2.blogspot.com

 

[Gary Martin]

I have a K-01 and a KP; the AF is much much faster on the KP than the K-01. That being said, the DA 35, being a macro lens, has a very large focus throw, so if you miss the target (for example, placing the AF point on a low-contrast spot) it will rack focus in a very annoying manner. I loved the output of that lens, but since I don't shoot macro I found the AF behavior annoying enough that I sold it. The DA 40 isn't quite as good optically but I use it instead because it has much better AF behavior. As always, Your Mileage May Vary.

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

Gary Martin, thank you. I've been waiting for that exact reply, comparing the 35mm f2.8 macro on a KP vs. the K01. It sounds like the focus throw will still be an issue on the KP.

I will consider selling the 35mm macro and buying the 31mm f1.8. But I'll still test it out on the KP to see how unmanageable the AF is, once the camera arrives. It's a bit disappointing because the 35 macro is so damn sharp, but it may not be as bad as I'm predicting.

Thanks again.

 

[MightyMike]

Gary Martin, thank you. I've been waiting for that exact reply, comparing the 35mm f2.8 macro on a KP vs. the K01. It sounds like the focus throw will still be an issue on the KP.

I will consider selling the 35mm macro and buying the 31mm f1.8. But I'll still test it out on the KP to see how unmanageable the AF is, once the camera arrives. It's a bit disappointing because the 35 macro is so damn sharp, but it may not be as bad as I'm predicting.

Thanks again.

You'll find out you're over reacting by considering selling it when you test it on the KP, its only flaw will be focus hunt and that can be as much the fault of the user as it is the lack of a focus limiter. ...one assumes you plan to use the KP with the OVF and not live view however even in live view the KP should be better than the K-01 in speed.

--
Mike from Canada
"I am not a great photographer! God is a great creator! All I do is capture His creation with the tools He has provided me."
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[zakaria]

Gary Martin, thank you. I've been waiting for that exact reply, comparing the 35mm f2.8 macro on a KP vs. the K01. It sounds like the focus throw will still be an issue on the KP.

I will consider selling the 35mm macro and buying the 31mm f1.8. But I'll still test it out on the KP to see how unmanageable the AF is, once the camera arrives. It's a bit disappointing because the 35 macro is so damn sharp, but it may not be as bad as I'm predicting.

Thanks again.

You may consider the fa 35mm f2.

I have both fa 31mm and fa 35mm f 2 .the last is very sharp. Very cheap. Very light. It is fa 31 mm poor man!

 

[MrB1]

The KP is reputed to have better AF than my camera, the K-70 on which I use the 35 Limited with very few problems. In my opinion, selling this lens would be unthinkable. It is probably the best Pentax APS-C standard prime lens for general photography, and with the added bonus of macro focusing. Are you forgetting Quick-Shift? If necessary, just take a moment to spin the barrel somewhere near the required range and then let the AF do the job, as it usually does - fast and accurate.

Philip

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

Update: The KP arrived and I tested it out, the AF is more than adequate and much quicker than I expected. In very low contrasts situations it misses, but this is not much different than my Fuji gear.

I'm glad this all worked out because the 35mm f2.8 macro has excellent edge-to-edge sharpness and I really wanted to take advantage of it with a camera that could deliver the AF and the KP delivers. I don't think I have any need for the 31mm f1.8 at this point in time. Thanks for all of your help.