Pentax FA24/2

At 24mm f/2 max. apeature, it should make itself a great lens for snap around with the APS-size digital SLR.

But it's not.

The fact that it's heavy, bulky, and shining silvery color make it very intruding and not suitable for snap. I actually have mine made black using spray paint and black duct tape. See Here.

It also focuses slowly. Although it's an IF design, the on-camera motor is unable to fast focus the heavy lens elements. Yes I can use zone-focus when I need fast action, but it's only approximation. When you need something sharp, you just don't get it with zone-focus.

The infamous hybrid aspherical element is also a problem. My 24/2 is over 10 years age, and it get problem in it's hybrid element. The result: low contrast and heavy flare when face strong light source. It's not much a problem in DSLR thou because I can easily tinkle the contrast with the level command. But it'll still degrade the overall picture quality because the level actually flatten out the image data, and the overall details in the picture will be reduced.

Regarding the picture quality, the lens does give a rather soft image at f/2 and probably f/2.8; but it starts to be very sharp at f/4 and smaller apeatures. Well, it's expected for any large apeature lens but at wide-open, this lens just can't compare with the flagship limited lens from Pentax like the FA31/1.8 limited. You won't see the problem on film, but it just don't deserve the FA* designation when you use it on digital - you can easily enlarge the picture and view it on your 19" screen.

The FA24/2 is very hot on the auction sites now, and I've seen some biddings in Japan Yahoo goes to close to US$1,000. Totally outrages in my opinion. US$300 or $400 for a 2nd hand one probably still worth it because it's the only large apeature wide-angle from Pentax. But that's it.