RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: An Old Pentax Lens, A New Review

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

An Old Pentax Lens, A New Review

Let's see what the tester(s) found and said:-

http://www.lenstip.com/index.php?test=obiektywu&test_ob=303

Comments (20)

Logging you in...

Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout

Logged in as

0 Vote up Vote down

Ying · 725 weeks ago

Not sure but, I thought you have the FA43 Rice?

Anyway, as an owner of one I am more than happy with mine, Polish reviews be damned, they don't shoot what I shoot :) So they can test all they want but I trust my own eyes.

Okay I am using hte K-7, I'm about to go to Japan this week to buy a new K-5, I wonder if it will make it magically go from excellent to bad LOL!

2 replies · active 725 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

RiceHigh 110p · 725 weeks ago

Frankly, I was quite shocked when I first read the review and saw the results! :-(

I think my 43 Limited performs much better, there is no obvious corner blur and softness even on Full Frame, not just APS-C! See the large sample below:-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/RiceHigh/G...

via http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2008/12/full-frame-m...

It should be noted that the sample under test by the Polish site is of very high serial number of 389xxxx, which should be amongst the latest production that are now made in Vietnam, whilst mine is of very low s/n in 000xxxx that was made in Japan. Maybe once again it is actually the deteriorated production quality and/or QC standard that count(s)?

+1 Vote up Vote down

OGL · 725 weeks ago

Mine is made in Japan, and superb at corners from f2.8. The outstanding at center from f2.8 and VERY GOOD at 1.9-2.

0 Vote up Vote down

Ying · 725 weeks ago

You know I just realised something.

There is some pararell of lens characters to cars. What is that you say? Well look at it this way.

In olden days, photographers LEARN their lens, they take shots and study and compare them to know thir weapon of choice's sweet spots. So take advatage of these and avoid situations where the lens may not at it's best.

0 Vote up Vote down

Ying · 725 weeks ago

These days, in the digital age, any bloody person with some lab software can be a 'reviewer', and all review care for is numbers - uniform high numbers means great lens to them, they don't take into consideration what the lens is designed for.

Also, people don't have patience to learn their lens any more, they just want instant review at 200% pixel level, and delete the not so good shots instead learn from them - all they want is machine gun shutters so they can take 200 shots and pick 2 out of them. SD card doens'e cost them like film does.

1 reply · active 725 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

RiceHigh 110p · 725 weeks ago

That's sad but true nowadays.

0 Vote up Vote down

Ying · 725 weeks ago

So basically - classic lens like the 43 is like that Small British/ Italian Sports car, it may not be the best at everything but it sure has REAL character and fun.

What the reviewers want - boring Japanese shoppying mobiles. take any Toyota for example, they are good all arounders but BORING as hell.

0 Vote up Vote down

Ying · 725 weeks ago

PS.
The 43 would have been considered as a street lens in FF days and now, a portrait. You just won't use a lens like the 43 to take far away landscape would you? And to me, the extreme sharp of the center plus the softer edges makes it a fantastic portrait/ street lens. It lends some of that magical 3D pop the 43mm is famous for.

-1 Vote up Vote down

Nubi · 725 weeks ago

Limiteds are very nice well built lenses but nothing magical.

2 replies · active 725 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

Chris · 725 weeks ago

Right. They are divine.

0 Vote up Vote down

Nubi · 725 weeks ago

Hm . . . . Not quite. But I guess what "divine" means to some, it may not mean the same to me. They are great lenses. No disputes there. But, by any means they are not perfect (and they don't have to be). Over priced? No. I actually think that the pricing of these lenses are quite reasonable though.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Simon · 725 weeks ago

My is made in good old Nipon, thanks God. *thumbs up*

0 Vote up Vote down

Malcolm · 725 weeks ago

So much for the "legendary" Limited lenses and this super expensive 43mm. I am not surprised by the results of the review tests, since the lens was made for film, and I am aware of the hype from all those old Pentax users. Based on actual test results however, these Limited lenses have proved to quite ordinary in fact, in speed, in sharpness, or in anything, except in their prices. Check the tests of other Limited lenses and you will find that they cannot beat even cheap zoom lenses of the same focal length range, e.g. the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8.

2 replies · active 725 weeks ago

-1 Vote up Vote down

Alex · 725 weeks ago

Let me guess... you're a Canon user, aren't you? :p
I have (only) 3 Limited lenses, all DAs. From my own experience - not by reading some tests on the Internet - I strongly disagree with your statement.
The DA 35mm macro and DA 70mm Limiteds are particularly superb.

No experience with the 43mm, though.

0 Vote up Vote down

Chris · 725 weeks ago

Agreed. The 35 macro, with its "normal" focal length, is a great walkaround lens and very versatile, since it can focus to almost any distance (until the object is touching the front element).
If I could have only one lens, it would be this one.

-1 Vote up Vote down

Chris · 725 weeks ago

The FA43 is the ONLY Pentax Limited lens I do not own. I prefer the DA40, the smallest lens in the whole lineup, which btw received the "highly recommended" blessing of photozone. I agree with Klaus, the DA40 is great. It is only f2.8, but I use it mainly for landscape. Also, there is the neighboring FA40/1.4. For action and portraits, there are the DA70, FA77 and DA100 macro, all of which are lovely.

0 Vote up Vote down

Chris · 725 weeks ago

I meant FA50/1.4, of course. Also a great lens. Many nice pictures with the "1.4 bokeh". As much "3D" as I need in this life.

0 Vote up Vote down

Chris · 725 weeks ago

...and whoever loved the FA43 in the film ages, should now (in the APS-C world) have a look at the FA31 or either one of the DA35s. Prime lens lovers are being served well in Pentaxland.

0 Vote up Vote down

Nick · 725 weeks ago

RICE
why post a contrasting review like this from Photozone.... http://www.photozone.de/pentax/125-pentax-smc-fa-...

It appears that you go out of your way to find negative reivews of pentax to post on your blog. If you wanted to be objective, as in the type of blog developed by a professional reporter, you would try to present balanced views. From your history in your blog and your history in DP review forum, it appears that you find every reason to attack pentax.

Meanwhile, according to Imaging Resources, there is not a single Canon in the top 15 results of their Imatest results. The top camera is a Pentax k5 which beats ALL Canon cameras including the full frame. see here http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/K5/K5IMATES...

Why dont you create a blog entery around that disappointing fact about Canon?

1 reply · active 724 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

RiceHigh 110p · 724 weeks ago

Didn't you read at the top that "I think my FA43 is much better"?

Post a new comment

Comment as a Guest, or login:

Tweet this comment

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

An Old Pentax Lens, A New Review

Forgot password?

Comments (20)

Post a new comment