Buy Pentax 31mm F/1.8 FA Limited Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR CamerasPentax 31mm F/1.8 FA Limited Lens for Pentax and Samsung SLR Cameras Product Description:
- The unique PENTAX smc P-FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited lens offers exceptionally high image quality and a wide-angle perspective.
Product Description
The unique PENTAX smc P-FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited lens offers exceptionally high image and a wide-angle perspective. It incorporates a glass-molded aspherical lens element into its 9-element, 7-group optics, and offers sharp, crisp image reproduction, even at the maximum aperture of f/1.8. It features a beautiful aluminum body with metallic silver finish comes equipped with a flower-shaped lens hood.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
45 of 48 people found the following review helpful.
By LFLee
This is 'The lens' that every Pentaxian (well, this is what Pentax user called themselves) wants. It is a 'legendary' lens in the Pentax lens line up. Currently, Pentax have 3 FA limited lens: 31mm, 43mm, and 77mm. Their odd focal length number is also unique and add a sense of special to these 3 lenses. Pentax also have DA series limited for crop-sensor/APS-C cameras (current Pentax dSLR are all APS-C camera except, of course the medium format 645D). The FA limited fit full-frame digital camera, and of course can be use in crop-sensor camera as well. The 3 FA limited lenses are long been crowned as 'the three princess' in Asia, and ordered them according to the date they were introduced, the 43mm is the 'eldest princess', and the 31mm is the 'youngest princess'. More recently, (In US) some less-poetic folks called these three 'The three Amigos', which I think, doesn't fit bill to describe the size and beauty of these lenses (FA* lenses might be more suitable for 'Amigos').There are various versions of this lens. 1. Silver/Black color; 2. Japan/Vietnam made; 3. Brown/Black leather color lens pouch. Nowadays new FA ltd lens are all Vietnam made, come in Black leather lens pouch, either Silver/Black lens color. There are discussion among Pentax user that the older 'made in Japan' version is better (You can find the discussion and clarification from Ned Bunnell's blog, president of Pentax USA, though he concluded that there is no difference). They usually also command higher price in the 2nd hand market. I think it is personal preference. The old FA ltd that also come with brown lens pouch is more difficult to find (they are like the very first batch produced). A rare version of these 3 lenses come with different color lens pouches to match them as well! The 31 Limited came with a red pouch originally. The 43 with a brown one and the 77 with a green pouch (+silver color lenses), very hard to find. These 3 lenses, has achieved a 'cult' status among Pentaxian. You often hear high praises from Pentax users about them. Often, once you own one of them, you would like to collect all three of them eventually. The 31mm ltd is also the only FA ltd not design by Jun Hirakawa (the 77mm and 43mm is). The older versions of these 3 lenses are more expensive. Side note: The FA43mm ltd, however, is the only Pentax lens that was made to a Leica compatible mount (Pentax-L 43mm ltd).Rumor has it that Jun design the 31mm ltd trying to make it having the same size as 43 and 77 before it, but could only make it a f2.8 lens (due to size constraint). Pentax then change the design team, and resulted in this current large lens (compare to 43 & 77) with f1.8. Because of this (compromising in size to get larger f-stop), we now have a amazing lens. But the 31mm is the largest limited, the DA limited after it all has more compact size but with higher f-stop (slower). Guess 'compactness' is the direction of Pentax limited lens series design goal (sacrificing some f-stop) after the 31mm. I guess this is also why the new 100mm WR macro is not given a 'limited' status even though it also have a limited-like metal finished body - because of its size. whereas all DA ltd series lens are not as fast as FA ltd series lens.The price of this lens is around usd1200 everywhere. Some would say it is not worth the price. It probably is, as Pentax produced many great prime/limited lenses over the years at a lower price tag. But its built (all metal), it's sharpness at f1.8, it's special rendering (color and bokeh) and its cult status command such price. If you hold one of these lens, you know they are special. In term of price, 31mm > 77mm > 43mm (31mm price = 77mm + 43mm price). For comparable focal length lens, there is a FA 35mm f2, DA35 ltd macro f2.8, DA 35mm f2.4, FA 28mm, for 31mm ltd. There is DA 40mm ltd for 43mm ltd. There is DA70mm ltd for 77mm. The DA version is more compact than the FA version. But Pentaxian will tell you that the FA and DA ltd render the picture differently. They said the FA ltd give 'pixie dust' that DA ltd can't compare. Others say DA ltd are better because they are design/optimize for current digital camera. DA limited is also not that 'fast' (higher f-stop) compare to FA limited.The 31mm ltd is the most expensive one among the 3 FA limited. It is also the most heavy, and largest one (58mm filter size) - note 'heavy' and 'large' are relative to other Pentax FA/DA limited prime. But attached to camera, it make the camera-lens combo well-balance. Size-wise, 31mm > 77mm > 43mm.Pentax also gave the three limited lenses a unique lens hood style, which is a very nice touch. 31mm lens hood is fixed on the lens body, you can't remove it, or turn it at all. 43mm ltd has a screw-on metal lens hood, while 77mm has a slide-in lens hood that is integral part of the lens. This is just another nice touch that Pentax has put in these 3 FA limited. They each have a unique characters.If you are into Pentax system, eventually you will know about this lens. It is, of course not for everyone because of its price. But if one was to call him/herself a Pentaxian, this is one of the lens he got to own. They are not only lenses but a piece of beautiful engineering work. Its like the 'One Ring' in Lord of the Ring that rules all other rings, this is the lens that rule all other Pentax limited lens... and when you hold one, it become your 'precious'. :)If you want to start collect all three of the FA limited, I (as my friend suggested me) would suggest you to start with 77mm, 43mm, and finally 31mm. But if you come across a 31mm with a good price, just grab it. Yes, you might get cheaper fast lens in similar focal length as these 3 ltd (either from Pentax or 3rd party), but these 3 will render the picture different and unique in its own way.Hope I provided some background and history in these lens for those who wanted to own them.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
By R. Jones
I'm not the first and will not be the last hobbyist or professional to extol the virtues of this impeccable product. But beyond that, there has been so many reviews written about this archival quality photo glass that my comments would be psaltry. So suffice to say, it's everything good that has ever been said about it. Coupled with one of Pentax's fine Digital SLRs with Shake Reduction (or without it) you can count on getting some of the finest, sharpest, most detailed images recordable. So there!
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful.
By Finn C. Pillsbury
This is the most incredible lens I have ever used. Razor sharp even wide open, with silky bokeh and beautifully rendered color transitions. There is a luminosity to images that I have never seen with any other lens. The all-metal build makes this lens a joy to have in the hand, and the slightly damped focus ring makes it a terrific manual focus lens. One finger is all that is needed to focus manually, making it feel more like a rangefinder lens than an SLR lens. My favorite lens, both on my K100D (46mm equivalent) and my old MX.***Note that the product shot above is inaccurate; the attached lens hood is actually oriented about 90 degrees from the position shown.
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