Based on the FA Limited Lens series, renowned for their meticulous attention in every detail, the HD Pentax-FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited lens from Pentax is a wide angle prime well-suited for everyday shooting applications. Its bright f/1.8 maximum aperture excels in low-light conditions and also affords greater control over depth of field for isolating subject matter. A nine-blade rounded diaphragm also contributes to a smooth and pleasing bokeh quality. This lens features a PENTAX high-grade HD coating for exceptional image rendition, which controls ghosting and flare to realize high contrast imagery with accurate, neutral color balance, plus protective SP coating on the front lens surface to repel dust, stains, and debris. The barrel, hood, and cap are all made of high-grade aluminum, meticulously machined for an attractive appearance and beautiful texture, and the lens barrel features a mount pointer made of Shippoyaki enamel ware.
- K-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
- Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/22
- High-Grade PENTAX HD Multi-Layer Coating
- 9 Elements in 7 Groups
Pentax FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited Overview
Pentax FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited Specs
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Pentax FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited Reviews
Not Cheap, But Worth It
This lens is good at so many different things. All of the FA Limited series of lenses are truly excellent and deserving of all the praise they've received. But this one particularly makes itself an indispensable piece of my kit by functioning so well on both full-frame and APS-C. On the former, it's a lens with pixie dust - a bit of magic to the focus transitions, gentle focus rolloff and slight vignette in the corners, and rich, lush saturation wide open, or near wide open. It has characteristics that maybe aren't run-of-the-mill modern high-end lens characteristics, but are the sort of thing people will still wax poetic about when shooting particular optics on Leica rangefinders (you could consider Pentax the Japanese equivalent of Leica as a company trying to stick with the past while bridging into the future). Stop this lens down enough, though, and it becomes razor-sharp, for what it is. Some shooters may be so accustomed to large modern lenses, full of a gazillion elements, which are indisputably sharper, but lacking a certain something. This lens is old-school sharp, but I still call it razor-sharp, because it is. On APS-C, on the other hand, you get a little less of the pixie dust (because you don't see the extreme corners), but more of the clarity, sharpness and contrast and the excellent focus transition and bokeh. I use it on the K-3 Mk. III Monochrome, and I'm always impressed by how well it renders on that camera. The angle of view goes from being a mild wide angle on full-frame to a very useful normal on APS-C - just a tad wider than a fifty, but with a slight amount more compression than the 40mm lenses I like to use on other systems. It's not a cheap lens, but it shows in both the materials and attention to detail, and in the optical performance. Fortunately for most, this lens, or its older SMC version, is easy enough to find used for considerably less than new going price. I bought mine in like-new condition for under $600. Would I have paid the current $850 for it? Perhaps not, but only because my budget wouldn't allow it. I do think it's worth it.
Will work on Pentax Film Cameras!
Right now this will be used on my KP, but I plan to mount this on either my K1000 or Super Me film cameras to experience the true focal length (it has an aperture ring). On the KP, this 31mm will become 46mm (crop sensor). That's fine by me for now. The K1 is on my horizon—I see it as my walk-around lens when that K1 beast becomes mine. I'm buying it here at B&H. (my candy store) Wow, this lens sold out right after my order!