[tabl10s]

specifically the 77 compared the 85 1.8. Which wins?

[axl]

Never shot 85/1.8 but I'd suspect it would be touch softer wide open (hard to beat 77ltd in there) but after owning K50/1.2, K55/1.8 and K24/2.8 I can't see 85 being worse than 77 in other respects.

[tabl10s]

Do you think I should keep this and add the 43 & 30?

[robbiec]

K is bigger & heavier (fantastic build quality) with a silky focus throw of around 270 degrees. The 77 blows it away in every respect that matters, sharpness, colour rendition, bokeh, AF, size. I found the 85 f/1.8 to be colder in its colour rendition, it easiest way to describe it is being very Zeiss like, blues are stronger. The 77 is warmer and more natural. I had the K in its Takumar format and also the f/1.9, they both left soon after the 77 arrived.
Some of the K series were and still are optical standouts that took decades to be surpassed if at all, Peter mentioned the K24 f/2.8, K50 f/1.2, K55 f/1.8, I would add the K28 f/3.5, K30 f/2.8 and K35 f/3.5 to that list as being some of my favourite Pentax lens that I have ever used.

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Last edited by robbiec; 11-17-2011 at 01:37 AM.

[hoanpham]

i have fa77, K85/1.8 (and several other in 85mm). If you need AF, go for the fa77.

The K85/1.8 is my most used lens in the last year. You will need a split screen (and calibrated) to focus in dim light. K85 has a warm tone, nice smooth bokeh and nice rending which i like. For outdoor, f4 or f5.6 should deliver beautiful bokeh. Yes it is a bit softer than fa77 at wide open, but not much and still very sharp at in-focus area. Step down one click and they are equal.

In the other hand, the fa77 delivers razor sharp, high contrast, better flare resistance (than K85). bokeh is different, not as soft as the k85, but still very good.

If you dont have many MF lenses, go for fa77. because the k85+split screen may not as an AF lens.
If you want to have MF lenses, for use in the future like K50/1.2, you can always get the split screen later.

MF lenses need training and skill to use. Once you got it, you will hardly touch AF lenses.

Same for DA43, or FA31:
Either FA31 or K28/2
Either DA43 or K50/1.2

I dont have many other AF lenses.

[robbiec]

Do you think I should keep this and add the 43 & 30?

Have you used it? I find it strange that you would be asking this question if you had.

[SylBer]

I have a K 85 f1.8 and love it. I hesitated a long time before buying it. The FA 77 is an incredible lens, but a very expensive one compare to the K85. I paid 200 $ for mine and it's in excellent condition. However, like the previous posters said, if you need AF, go with the FA77. If you intend to use it as a portait lens in studio, the K85 is a good choice. Yes, the K85 especially hard to focus at f1.8 but I don't care personally since the DOF is so small at f1.8 that when you focus on one eye, the tip of the nose is OOF. Plus, I like the bokeh of the K85 better (my personal taste only), especially at f4.

[kaipa]

I had K 85/1.8 first, then I bought FA 77, and after some thought I sold K 85/1.8, that I a little bit regret of. I could keep it for the collection. K 85/1.8 is very good lens, with very good colors and contrast, but it is manual. And if I want to go manual for portraits, I prefer K 50/1.2 or K 135/2.5. For some reason I had hard time focusing on K 85/1.8 comparing to my other manual lenses. Not sure why, maybe due to some softness wide open.

[SteveM]

I have both the K85/1.8 and the FA77 and I prefer the rendering from the K85 and find the contrast of the 77 to be flat. Perhaps there are variations for each lens as others have found it differently.

The K85 is on my K5 about 75% of the time, and I have a lot of lenses to choose from.

A little comment about a split screen. I had one on a K10d a while back and loved it but when I put one on the K5, I didn't like it at all and went back to the stock screen. I find I don't need one. I guess it depends on how used you might be to using manual focus?

[vanchaz2002]

This is apple vs. orange. K85 is $400 lens and FA77 is close to $800. When comparing lens, always have the price in mind.

[RonHendriks1966]

There was a French test with both of them in. I had that K once on my K-5 and it is a small and very good lens. I'm more for AF, so I would suggest for convenience the FA.

[RonHendriks1966]

This one is taken with K85:

[Adam]

The old lenses are nice but some of them do summer from CA issues on digital- I wouldn't expect the M85mm to be a bad matchup, though, as lenses in the 50-85mm range as extremely sharp by nature.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

This is apple vs. orange. K85 is $400 lens and FA77 is close to $800. When comparing lens, always have the price in mind.

Unfortunately, you are comparing apples with oranges here. Price can only be an indication of quality for lenses being in production at the same time. The K is an older lens that was discontinued; the FA77 is old too, but is still in production. The K was probably a more expensive lens in its time than the FA is now - it sells for less just because it's a K lens - if it would have been an FA lens, it would probably cost even more.

As for CA, the FA77 seems to suffer from them as much as any old lens.

So it does make sense to compare the K with the FA. What I don't think makes much sense is to spend $400 on a K, when you can get a Samyang/Rokinon for $260. And the Rokinon does handle CA better than old lenses.

[Pentaxor]

the FA77 is a magnificent lens, although I always have this love for 85mm lenses. can't beat an old habit. I'm missing my M85 already. great colour rendering (if you avoid the blue fringing).