New DFA 50mm f1.4

There is a lot of debate about the quality of the image here (understandably)( ! ) but nobody has raised the old chestnut of it having an SDM motor. Have Pentax solved this one or are users going to have wonder when or if it will fail? The fact that some call it a Self Destruct Motor is quite worrying. I would love to buy a new starred lens but I can't afford to throw £1K away or fork out for repairs that will fail in their turn.

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Both the *istDS and the K5 are incurably addicted to old glass

My page on Photocrowd - link

The sdm motor design that were troublesome on lenses such as the circa 10 year old DA* 16-50 and DA* 60-250 were consigned to the design bin many years ago. I have not heard of any problems with recent sdm motors.

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Peter



My Flickr page

"SDM" is just a label and the new lens has a new motor entirely.

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Best regards, John

The first pics from a purchaser of this lens have been posted....
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/371385-new-fat...

Looks awesome Good bokeh in front and behind the subject..

This is his page on Smugmug ....
https://juneauphotographs.com/Photography/HD-D-FA-50mm-tests/
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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

I got this yesterday and have not been able to do anything but take some shots around the garden and of course with my willing models. It is not that heavy/large on the K1. Focussing is swift and silent. the first Pentax 50mm normal lens for 27 years, whats not to like.

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Peter



My Flickr page

LOL ... looks like my dog when I head towards him with a new lens

Background rendering looks good, I may be tempted when black Friday comes around.

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No equipment list here but thanks for taking an interest. My Flickr

The circularhighlight bokeh is very nice but not been able to yet capture an image with it that is worthy.

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Peter



My Flickr page

Link to larger size first image https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/852/43716650842_e47c127953_o.jpg

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Peter



My Flickr page

Looks an awesome lens. From what I've seen it looks to have nice bokeh in front and behind the lens which isn't always the case and some lenses such as the Leica C Summicron 40mm have very good bokeh in front, but poor at the back.

Amazon UK are listing one available from GWC who also list it as available on their website at £1,199.

http://www.greatwesterncameras.co.uk/epages/BT3509.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/B...


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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

Wow Peter - I thought your Dog photos were as good as they could get already, but with the new lens there's already more than a hint of the great shots to come. You can even make a barbeque knob look good

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LennyBloke

....and i can cremate a chicken leg with the best of them.

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Peter



My Flickr page

I'm seriously impressed with the performance of this lens. Really seems like you can just turn up and take a shot, and providing it the focus is good you'll have a great sharp image at any aperture setting.

I (and most of us) would be used to stopping down to get impressive sharpness so this is an unusual lens. I can say it reminds me of the Samyang 135 in it's sharpness from wide open.

What can it do its F & FA predecessors couldn't/can't?
I'm sensing the Emperor's New Clothes theory at work here!

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John K

i have a very similar shot to this taken earlier this year with the FA 50mm 1.4. I could not objectively tell them apart.

But it is 27 years since Pentax last released a 50mm "normal" prime. Inevitably the flare resistance, and sharpness right across the frame will be better on the new lens.
I am sure there will be tests which will show this to be the case.

But I am under no illusions that this will give give me a better photograph that could be obtained with many other Pentax 50mm lenses. i am firmly of the school that in the hands of a decent photographer , any lens can produce the goods. That goes for kit lenses and lenses with jam smeared over the front element too.

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Peter



My Flickr page

Lenses do have a character that goes beyond test measurements. I'll be very interested to see how this new lens behaves. It hasn't arrived yet but I expect it will do in the near future.

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Best regards, John