The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 and the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR is the longer of the two lenses at 110mm. The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 with a length of 41mm, is 69mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4's 65mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 weighs 223g, which means it is 564g (71%) lighter than the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR which has a weight of 787g.
Lens Mounts
The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount and Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF3 Mount.
Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 is also available in the Pentax KAF mount.
Focal Range
Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR has a focal range of 24-70mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 36 - 105mm.