[1412235827]

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I bought this lens from ebay, website below
Pentax SMC FA 85mm F 1 4 If Lens from Japan 1293 0027075033443 | eBay

The problem is it doesn't have autofocus. And when I figured that out, I was totally mindblown. Like, ***? FA* without autofocus?

So is this thing broken or made without auto focus? I feel really cheated eitherway, the seller listed it as lens with auto/manual focus.

*Note, it doesn't have the word "Autofocus" on the lens, unlike ALL other 85mm f1.4 lens.

[Sandy Hancock]

It's broken. Definitely an autofocus lens. Unless you got it for an insane bargain I would start complaining vociferously.

[wullemaha]

Hey there,

which one is it exactly, the A* or the FA*?
The seller has contradicting statements in his sales text...

Be a professional-level photographer with the Pentax SMC-A 85mm f/1.4 camera lens...

Although his pictures clearly show a FA*, which is autofocus.

SMC Pentax A* 85mm F1.4 Reviews - A Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

SMC Pentax-FA* 85mm F1.4 [IF] Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

What you can check: the FA* does not have quick shift, meaning you cannot be in "Autofocus-mode" and still manually focus.
There is the possibility to "disengage" the autofocus on the lens, by shifting the focus ring back/forth (don't have my lens here to check which position is "engaged").
If your focus ring is "disengaged", you can try to autofocus as much as you want, your lens will not care.

Try to check that. I hope that's all you need to do!

BR René

p.s.: beautiful lens, I love my copy!

[Sandy Hancock]

I forgot about the manual focus clutch. That might be the problem. Good on you René.

The A* and the FA* are quite easy to tell apart. For a start, the FA* is silver/grey, and has the screw drive AF mechanism on the mount ring.

If you got the A* by accident and you don't like it, contact me

[seventhdr]

For many FA lenses the selection of Auto Focus or manual focus is achieved by pulling/pushing the focus ring towards or away from the camera.

For your lens you need to push the focus ring away from the camera to reveal the words Auto Focus.

Regards

Chris

[tranq78]

For many FA lenses the selection of Auto Focus or manual focus is achieved by pulling/pushing the focus ring towards or away from the camera.

For your lens you need to push the focus ring away from the camera to reveal the words Auto Focus.

Regards

Chris

That's definitely it. If you look at the pics from the flea-Bay auction you can see that it is left in manual focus position. The original poster simply needs to push the af/mf clutch forward. There is nothing wrong with the lens.

[1412235827]

Hey guys! Thanks for the reply! Took me awhile to figure that out too.

The lens are working well, I thought I bought some kinda fa prototype. Lol