Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR USA

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

fantastic lens!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great performer, 3-d effect,real color !!!
magic bokeh!!!!!!!!!!
FA 31, FA43 or DA55SDM, FA77, D FA100mmMACRO --------- Mast have!!!!!!!
Stupid autofocus-- really bad work SDM. Perfect for manual work!!! 6mm depth perspective-Fantastic!!!!!

Sharp from 1.8 ,from 2.0 sharp as blade!! From F1.4 to F1.6 acceptable sharp
Need autofocus adjusting in camera body ( k-5) if not, you will have 3mm front or back focus -it is catastrophe for this lens!!!

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

Sharpness wide open is subpar. This lens begins to pick up as you stop down a little bit. SDM may not be the fastest silent motor, but it is adequate for my needs. And it seems to lock in focus quite well. Bokeh simply exudes quality. Weather sealing was definitely a consideration when I purchased this lens. Makes a nice portrait lens for APS-C.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

This is a great lens. Super sharp and wonderful blur. Backfocus WAS a big issue, needing and adjustment of +10 (ie maximum possible) with my k5, and impossible to use with my k10. However, contacted Pentax service (Belgium) and sent in the lens and both bodies. Backfocus fixed on both bodies (needing just -2 adjustment on k5, ever soooo slight backfocus on my k10). I've tested the lens on both cameras from about 25cm to infinity. Great across the whole range!

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

I use this lens for night shooting-- often at our commercial boat basin where lighting is low with wildly mixed colors. I needed weather sealing for this and the DA* 55mm f1.4 delivers-- and it's also very well built. Re sharpness and contrast: useable wide open and criticly sharp by f2.8. My only problem was significant back focus and I had to micro adjust +9 to 10 units to get accurate focus(I have 2 K5s). But it was worth it as the lens is both very sharp and contrasty. I don't find this lens heavy on the K5.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

I bought this lens almost exclusivly for outdoor night time use, but I'm discovering that it's an excellent general purpose lens with other uses as well such as scenics, portrait situations, and general nature shooting. Build quality is excellent and it's a bit larger/heavier than a typical 50mm f1.4 lens. When I first got the 55 f1.4, I found it to be very very soft wide open, in fact so soft I considered returning it, but I have a K5 and decided to see if micro-adjustment could correct the problem. It did, but I had to go to +10 on one body and +8 on my 2nd K5. Once corrected, this lens is still a bit soft wide open, but now quite useable-- part of that is low contrast-- f2 is better, and it's critacally sharp at f2.8 through f11. I'm glad I went the micro-adjust route as it is now optically an excellent performer, but really a lens this expensive shouldn't have that kind of issue in the first place IMO. Although a bit heavy, it feels good in use on the K5. I only gave this lens a 4 star rating because of the need for significant micro-adjusting-- once adjusted it's a five star.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

very quiet lens. Quick acquisition of subject matter. Great for close-ups. Really love that it picks up a lot of ambient light

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

Have not used this lens extensively yet, but thus far very pleased that I chose this as my 1st prime lens. It is sharp, fast and crisp. It has a nice heft to it on the camera body.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

Very nice lens, would give 5 stars if it focused faster.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

The lens I use most of the time. I really like to shoot portraits of them. The lens has excellent bokeh, sometimes it seems to me that the picture painted with colored pencils%)

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

I needed a lens for low light photography and debated about getting this or the Pentax 16-50mm f2.8 zoom. This won out because of the greater low light capability. In terms of convenience the zoom would have been better perhaps but in the situations I work in I can move to get the perspective I need. I also like the wonderful bokeh and with f1.4 I can isolate my subject nicely. It is also less money than the zoom. While nevertheless expensive, it is quality, and I've never regretted buying quality.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

after you touch this lens, I am sure you would love it and have it! But the price is little high.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

With open hole it is great for portraits, starting with 5.6 - for landscape panoramas.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

I love the lens in almost all ways. It's sharp, fast focusing, needs very little light in F1.4 and the quick shift to manual focus is really OK to have.

The downside is its' sunscreen. When I mounted a B&W Protection filter on the lens the sunscreen would not attach anymore hence the filter built out an extra 0,5 mm all around. That's poor design!

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

Great lens for portraits paired with the K7, really great bokeh and very sharp images. Could have a little more weight to it for such an expensive lens, but still great build quality.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

First, this lens produces an accurate reproduction. The f/1.4 aperature has opened-up a whole new range of photo oppurtunities.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

A great portrait lens for APS-C.
Rendering is much like the FA50/1.4 only much sharper at wide apertures (f1.4-2.0).

Like the FA50/1.4 bokeh can hard edged if the background is complex, but this also leads to wonderful disc rendering of background lights in night shots.

Focus is very accurate on my k-7 (no adjustment required).

Build quality is excelent.

Love this lens.

Comments about Pentax Telephoto 55mm f/1.4 DA* SDM Autofocus Lens for Digital SLR:

The DA*55 f1.4 is great lens and like great lenses cost more than your average lens. The lens is very sharp from f2.0. The boken is smooth. There is not PF even wide open. With SDM the AF is fast enough and it doesn't "hunt" any.