Hands-on with the Pentax HD FA* 50mm F1.4
The last time we saw the Pentax D FA* 50mm F1.4 it was an unfinished prototype at the CP+ show in Yokohama, back in March. Following some delays earlier this year (and a lot of patience from the Pentax faithful), it`s finally shipping, and is available now for $1200.
Check out our full gallery of samples from the Pentax HD FA* 50mm F1.4
Now that the finished article is in our hands and we`ve had some time to shoot with it and examine the results, we wanted to update our earlier impressions of this powerful lens, including some notes on image quality with the full-frame K-1 II.
Hands-on with the Pentax HD FA* 50mm F1.4
First announced last October, the HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW is a weather-sealed fast prime for the company`s full-frame DSLRs.
Optical construction consists of 15 elements in nine groups, including three anomalous dispersion elements and one aspherical. The combination of `Aero Bright Coating II` and `HD coating` is claimed to help reduce flare and ghosting in challenging lighting, while the `Super Protect` coating keeps dust and moisture from adhering to the front element.
The 50mm F1.4 has nine rounded aperture blades, and a minimum focus distance of 40cm / 15.75`. The maximum magnification at the closest focus distance is 0.18x.
Hands-on with the Pentax HD FA* 50mm F1.4
The `D FA*` label designates this as a flagship lens for Pentax, and it certainly feels like it. When we first handled the lens in prototype form back in March, we didn`t know its exact optical makeup but published schematics show exactly how much glass has been packed inside. It`s no surprise that the 50mm F1.4 is heavy (910g / 2lbs) and solid-feeling, and the K-1/II is no lightweight either. Despite its bulk though, the 50mm balances well on the K-1 II assuming you don`t mind the combined weight of the package.
Hands-on with the Pentax HD FA* 50mm F1.4
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