Ricoh/Pentax PENTAX-FA HD 31mmF1.8 Limited (Silver)

Ricoh/Pentax PENTAX-FA HD 31mmF1.8 Limited (Silver) – versatile wide-angle with a large F1.8 aperture

The PENTAX-FA HD 31mmF1.8 Limited in silver offers a compact wide-angle focal length combined with a large maximum aperture. It sits uniquely between conventional 28mm and 35mm lenses, giving photographers flexible framing options. With HD coating and a round-shaped diaphragm, Pentax updated the classic design to enhance imaging power for both digital and film photography.

Why this focal length matters

This lens uses a 31mm focal length, which places it roughly midway between the familiar 28mm and 35mm wide-angle perspectives. As a result, it can produce visual effects that draw from the strengths of both conventional focal lengths. Depending on how you frame a scene, you can emphasize broader context or a slightly tighter street/landscape view without changing lenses.

Optical design and image quality

PENTAX designed the lens with glass-molded aspherical elements and high-refraction, low-dispersion glass elements. These optical components work together to deliver sharp, fine-detailed images, even when capturing small subjects such as the tips of bare branches in winter.

Moreover, Pentax upgraded the optical performance of this model by applying HD coating. This upgrade, together with the round-shaped diaphragm, is intended to increase the lens’s imaging power compared with the earlier smc PENTAX-FA 31mmF1.8AL Limited while retaining its outstanding optical characteristics.

Practical handling and filter compatibility

Despite having a compact wide-angle design, this lens accepts 58mm-diameter filters. That filter size is relatively large for a compact wide-angle lens with an open aperture of F1.8, and it offers flexibility when using standard filters.

The lens also includes a flower-shaped lens hood. Pentax designed this hood to integrate seamlessly with the lens and to make it easier to mount and remove a PL (polarizing) filter. The hood’s shape helps preserve the intended handling and filter access for common photographic workflows.

Use cases

• Landscape photography: use the wide perspective and 31mm framing to capture broad scenes with controlled composition.
• Street photography: take advantage of the slightly tighter wide-angle view to work with scenes where subject isolation and environment both matter.
• Detail work: rely on the lens’s fine detail rendering for small subjects such as branches or architectural details.
• Digital and film photography: the lens is described as suitable for both digital and film use, reflecting Pentax’s intent to maintain its appeal across formats.

Specifications

FAQ

question: What filter size does the PENTAX-FA HD 31mmF1.8 Limited use?
Answer: The lens accepts 58mm-diameter filters, which is a relatively large filter size for a compact wide-angle lens with an open aperture of F1.8.

question: Is this lens suitable for both digital and film photography?
Answer: Yes. Pentax designed this updated model to retain the optical performance of the earlier smc PENTAX-FA 31mmF1.8AL Limited while adding HD coating and a round-shaped diaphragm, and it is intended for use in both digital and film photography.

question: How does the flower-shaped lens hood affect filter use?
Answer: The flower-shaped hood is designed to integrate perfectly with the lens and to make it easier to mount and remove a PL (polarizing) filter, improving practical handling during shoots.

question: What optical elements does this lens include and what are they for?
Answer: The lens features glass-molded aspherical elements and high-refraction, low-dispersion glass elements. These components help deliver sharp, fine-detailed images, particularly useful when photographing small subjects or fine textures.