Flash prime lens between 80 and 150mm?

jms698 · 08-22-2009, 03:55 PM

I'm thinking of getting a semi-long prime lens to round out my lens collection. I have a 16-50mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4 and 55-300mm f/4-5.8 lens. I find I need something faster (f/2.8 or faster) indoors for taking pictures of subjects across the room (roughly from 80mm to 150mm). The Pentax 70mm and 77mm lenses come to mind as possible choices, but I find them not quite long enough for what I'm trying to capture.

What other choices in that range can you suggest?

*Ash* · 08-22-2009, 04:00 PM

How about an FA or DFA 100 macro?
They're more readily available than the FA 135, just not as long (but I'd think quite long enough for any indoors work).

philbaum · 08-22-2009, 04:11 PM

Depending on what you want to do with it, an option is the DA 50-135. Great sharp lens. and not all that more expensive than some you are considering.

I bought this lens to do playhouse photography and it works great indoors with K20.

Phil

Lowell Goudge · 08-22-2009, 04:26 PM

look at the samyant 85mm F1.4, also sold by vivitar bower and a host of others.

Not AF but is a KA mount so it will aslo work with P-TTL flash

rparmar · 08-22-2009, 05:52 PM

I'd choose the FA77, even if you think it isn't long enough. With the K20D you can simply crop in when you need to. Works for me across a room, since anything longer is also slower or poorer quality, so you lose out one way or another.

little laker · 08-22-2009, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by rparmar

I'd choose the FA77, even if you think it isn't long enough. With the K20D you can simply crop in when you need to. Works for me across a room, since anything longer is also slower or poorer quality, so you lose out one way or another.

That's what I'd do as well. That is unless you plan on doing prints bigger than 11x14".
Unless you go ape, while cropping you can most likely pull off 18x24" prints as well... just don't use a magnifing glass and pixel peep

kjao · 08-23-2009, 05:59 AM

I can highly recommend Tamron 90/2.8 (which has got a focus limiter which helps with focusing) and FA135/2.8 which is very sharp and has fast focus speed.

*blackcloudbrew* · 08-23-2009, 09:24 AM

I've been using the Vivitar 85 f1.4 manual lens. Here is a spot on review of it.

Vivitar Series 1 85mm f/1.4 Lens

I find it a very bright lens and clearly more than my DA 70 for inside portait work. It is hard to focus and I upgraded to a split image view finder which has helped this lens and others as well.
At around 350USD (at B&H) it's not cheap but it's not that expensive either.

Works very well with my k10 & k20.

*Nick Siebers* · 08-23-2009, 09:48 PM

I love my old Tokina AT-X 90mm f/2.5 macro. It has "A" contacts so should be compatible with flash. No AF, though. Optically the same as the Vivitar Series 1 90mm macro.

**Marc Sabatella** · 08-24-2009, 01:58 PM

I'm not sure if by mentioning "flash", you mean you want to use the lens in conjucntion with flash. If so, then something "A" series or later would be definitely be worth holding out for. Otherwise, consider the possibiity of getting the job done very well for cheap with either the M100/2.8 or one of the various 135's.

jms698 · 08-24-2009, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by kjao

I can highly recommend Tamron 90/2.8 (which has got a focus limiter which helps with focusing) and FA135/2.8 which is very sharp and has fast focus speed.

I like the idea of the Tamron 90/2.8. I certainly want something with AF. Preferably fast AF (another reason why I shy away from the Pentax 77mm). I hadn't considered a macro lens like it before. How does it compare to the Pentax 100mm macro?

jms698 · 08-24-2009, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Marc Sabatella

I'm not sure if by mentioning "flash", you mean you want to use the lens in conjucntion with flash. If so, then something "A" series or later would be definitely be worth holding out for. Otherwise, consider the possibiity of getting the job done very well for cheap with either the M100/2.8 or one of the various 135's.

"Flash" is a type, sorry. Please ignore that word in the post title.

However, you are right in that I'm not looking for a manual lens.

*Ash* · 08-24-2009, 03:31 PM

The Tamron 90 rates well amongst all the other macros.
The Pentax 100s are fine also.

But why shy away from the 77 ltd - AF speed? Have you tried one to see how fast it is?
To me, its AF speed is not a show-stopper at all. It has a relatively long focus-throw, making AF have to travel just that little bit further than many other lenses, but that's really only obvious going from close to far focus. You'd be hard-pressed otherwise to notice its supposed slouchiness.