I find it hard to believe that people have such mixed feelings about
this lens - either there are some batch to batch discrepancies (highly
unlikely), or (more likely) some of the posters really don't know what
they are talking about, and just find they aren't getting the results
they are after, probably from their own deficiencies, not the lens'.
Wide angle lenses are perhaps the most difficult to use; I know it took
me several years of shooting before I really liked this lens. But now,
you'd have to shoot me to get it off me.
I have a collection of FA* lenses, as well as an FA 50mm macro and a DA
14mm, and I can tell you from vast experience that this is one of the
sharpest and most detailed lenses in the entire Pentax lineup. The
results from this lens are nothing short of stunning, provided you use
proper techniques, good film, and you are not using a vibration prone
PZ1 - PZ1P. On the *ist-D, the results are absolutely stunning.
Occasionally, you will get some CA in extremely high contrast areas -
in most cases, it does not print, or it is to fine to see unless you
jam the print right up to your face, and if you shoot RAW, you can
correct it. I have stunning, grain-free highly-detailed prints at
24"x36" with this combination. I have beautiful prints hand held at iso
800 at 13x19", as well.
One of the greatest lenses ever. Extremely low distortion, and even
less on digital than on film because you are just using the centre of
the lens elements. Shoot at F8 and it is sharp from 1.5' to infinity -
you don't even have to focus.
I delayed getting a DSLR for almost 2 years because people on this list
said that this lens was 'terrible on digital'; really really bad CA,
oh, my god. I didn't want to lose the use of my favorite lens, the 24,
so I didn't buy a digital camera. I now feel stupid for having believed
them so completely, and I missed out on 2 years of digital shooting
because of it, not to mention the thousands of dollars I spent on film
in the meantime. My advice is: don't listen to them - make up your own
mind. I can only tell you my experience.
When I finally did get an *ist D, and went shooting with the 24, I was
stunned at the results; they approach or exceed the quality of medium
format prints that I have seen. Detail and resolution that I always
wanted but never got from film. Ever since then, I don't listen to
posters on this list, or I at least take them with a (great big) grain
of salt. Most of them were proven incredibly and completely WRONG by my
experience.
If you'd like some jpegs that will simply blow you away from this lens,
drop me a line.
Get a 24, and make up your own mind. You can always sell it if you
don't like it; there are a LOT of people who would love this
magnificent lens. Most decent camera stores will either lend you, or
sell you on spec the lens to try out before you buy it.
Personally, I WON'T be selling mine; I will be bequeathing it to some
lucky bastard in my will.
Thanks,
Cameron
- Re: FA*24/2.0 Cameron Hood
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