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 DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE 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 DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE is the longer of the two lenses at 71mm. The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 with a length of 41mm, is 30mm shorter. On the other hand, the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 has a larger diameter of 65mm compared to the Pentax DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE's 41mm 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 DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE weighs 158g, 29% (65g) lighter than the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4's weight of 223g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Pentax DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Pentax DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Pentax DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE 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 DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE has a focal range of 18-50mm and 2.8X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
