Pentax FA Limited HD Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited 43mm
Pentax
42 Overall Score
vs
Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm
Zeiss
48 Overall Score
What Buyers Say
Pentax FA Limited HD Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited 43mm
82 out of 100 medium confidence 25 reviews
The Pentax FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited is highly praised for its exceptional sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and solid metal build. Users love it for portraits and low-light photography, often calling it a must-have for Pentax shooters. Some note quirks like screw-drive autofocus noise and occasional fringing wide open, but these are minor compared to the overall image quality. A few mention the lack of a lens hood and that it's best suited for full-frame cameras.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Beautiful bokeh
- Solid metal build
- Compact and lightweight
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Screw-drive autofocus noise
- Fringing wide open
- No lens hood included
- Not ideal on APS-C
- Occasional focus miss in low light
Image quality 12
Build quality 8
Autofocus performance 7
Bokeh 6
Value for money 5
Portrait photography 5
Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Portrait
Street
Video Cinema
Budget
Professional
Macro
Travel
Wildlife Sports
Landscape
Specifications
| Pentax FA Limited HD Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited 43mm | Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 43 mm | 50 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 43 mm | 50 mm |
| Elements | 7 | 6 |
| Groups | 6 | 4 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0★ | — |
| ED Elements | 0★ | — |
| Coating | SMC coating | T* |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/22 | f/1.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/1.9 | f/1.5 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 8 | 10★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Pentax K | Leica M |
| Format | full-frame | full-frame |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | — |
| Weight | 0.15 kg★ | 0.25 kg |
| Filter Thread | 49 mm | 46 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 450 mm★ | 900 mm |
| Max Magnification | 1:8★ | 0.0520833333 |
Pros & Cons
Pentax FA Limited HD Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited 43mm
- Strong build (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Below average bokeh (20th percentile)20th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (34th percentile)
Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm
- Strong bokeh (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong aperture (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong build (79th percentile)
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average optical (18th percentile)18th %ile
- Below average macro (24th percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Pricing
Pentax FA Limited HD Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited 43mm0.003score per dollar
vs
Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm0.002score per dollar
Pentax FA Limited HD Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited 43mm offers 1.5x better value for money
Verdict
Winner: Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm
Scores 48 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 1 of 21 specs.
