On Feb 24, 2006, at 10:30 AM, Patrick Genovese wrote:
I guess this question has been asked a trillion times before so here goes: i have the opportunity to buy some wide angle primes at resonable prices.
It has but what the heck. From the perspective of the *ist DS ...
FA20 f2.8
Everyone I know who's used one loves it. I compared it against the Sigma 20/1.8 and Canon 20/2.8 tests I'd done a year earlier. The Sigma is essentially useless at any stop larger than f/4.5, the Canon is quite good at f/2.8 and excellent at f/4, the Pentax is at least as good as the Canon wide open and better at f/4. If I didn't have the FA20-35/4, I'd buy one.
FA24 f/2.0
Comments about this lens range all across the map. From "it's my favorite" to "too much chromatic aberration until I stop it down to f/ 11". It's big and heavy, and expensive. It's white. I pass.
A-28 f/2.8 FA-28 f/2.8 AL
I owned the first of these. A little soft and slightly low contrast when wide open, crisp and sharp 1-2 stops down. Beautiful, beautiful rendering everywhere. I found it a little difficult to focus accurately due to the wide open softness but it's a very nice lens otherwise.
The FA28/2.8 is a completely different lens formula. I had the pleasure of snapping a couple of pictures with one a few months ago. It impresses me as being of the same class and quality as the FA35/2 ... excellent contrast and sharpness even wide open, very nice rendering, love the field of view on the DS. Again, if I didn't already have the FA20-35, I'd buy one in a minute. It's not expensive, I just might do it anyway.
FA35 F/2
95% of the performance of the FA31/1.8 Ltd at one-third the price. One of my favorite lenses on the DS. I bought this despite having this focal length covered three times over (by the FA20-35, the F35-70, and the FA28-105...) due to its excellent performance, wide aperture, and small size.
You'll notice that the FA20-35 comes up a lot in my thoughts. It is without a doubt my most used Pentax lens. The performance is very close to a top-notch prime: it makes me think twice about buying anything in the same focal length range, and it is neither too bulky nor too heavy. An excellent lens.
They are all in very very good condition what are your opinions of each. given that there are 2 28mm options which one is best optically.
Regards the 28mm, buy the FA28/2.8 AL. Godfrey
