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 Classic and the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II 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. Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II is the longer of the two lenses at 48mm. The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 Classic with a length of 37mm, is 11mm shorter. On the other hand, the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 Classic has a larger diameter of 65mm compared to the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II's 64mm 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 Classic weighs 216g, which means it is 104g (32%) lighter than the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II which has a weight of 320g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Prime Lenses in Pentax KAF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Pentax KAF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 Classic has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II 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 Classic:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 Classic and the Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II has the same Pentax KAF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF lenses are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 Classic 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 Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 SL II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 58mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 87mm.
