The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW and the HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW 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 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW is the longer of the two lenses at 117mm. The HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW with a length of 106mm, is 11mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW also has a larger diameter of 84mm compared to the HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW's 80mm 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 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW weighs 712g, which means it is 198g (21%) lighter than the HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW which has a weight of 910g.
Lens Mounts
The Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW has the Pentax KAF4 lens mount whereas the HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW 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 KAF4 Mount and Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF3 Mount.
Focal Range
Pentax 16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW has a focal range of 16-50mm and
3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW 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.
