[FantasticMrFox]

77mm. Better subject isolation. It's unforgiving so your subjects who are self-conscious about their flaws will be unhappy.

That's something to fix in post, and if it's so unforgiving that you can't even fix it, then it's not a good portrait lens (unless you desire a documentary style).

[Sandy Hancock]

I depends on what sort of working distance you and you model are comfortable with, and how tight you want the portraits to be (face, head and neck, upper body, full body).
In other words, you need both
And an FA43. And an FA31. And a fast 135....

[Edgar_in_Indy]

My Sigma 85mm still blows me away when I shoot portraits with it. It's too bad you've taken it off your list.

[JibbaJab]

I depends on what sort of working distance you and you model are comfortable with, and how tight you want the portraits to be (face, head and neck, upper body, full body).

Agree wholeheartedly with this.

In other words, you need both

I am a fortunate/unfortunate follower of this advice. I love both of them, but that doesn't make Sandy any less of an enabler.

[reivax]

It kind of seems like the 77 is what people favor most. Are it's advantages significant over the Sigma 85 1.4?

[Edgar_in_Indy]

It kind of seems like the 77 is what people favor most. Are it's advantages significant over the Sigma 85 1.4?

From what I've read and seen, the 77mm has great image quality, as does the 85mm. The 77mm is smaller and lighter, the 85mm goes to f/1.4 and has a silent AF motor and quickshift (or whatever you call it, full time manual focus without switching out of AF). I believe those are the main differences.

[nms_photog]

It kind of seems like the 77 is what people favor most. Are it's advantages significant over the Sigma 85 1.4?

Unrivalled all metal build quality, and smaller/lighter form factor. Won the "Best Pentax Lens Ever" contest, and nite to mention, it's made to communicate very well with Pentax bodies. The Sigma 85mm is a huge somewhat heavy lens even with it's use of plastics.

[Edgar_in_Indy]

Unrivalled all metal build quality, and smaller/lighter form factor. Won the "Best Pentax Lens Ever" contest, and nite to mention, it's made to communicate very well with Pentax bodies. The Sigma 85mm is a huge somewhat heavy lens even with it's use of plastics.

Yeah, the Sigma is kind of a bazooka. However, size does have some advantages. For one, the Sigma has much less vignetting. Even at f1.4 it has light falloff than the 77mm at f1.8.

In regards to metal vs plastic, I have not seen evidence that metal is, in fact, a superior material for lenses compared to modern plastics. In fact, it seems like plastic may be more durable since metal will bend when plastic might just bounce. But if a fall is bad enough, it probably won't make a difference which material it is.

Will they give me better results than what I currently own? .

You have good quality lenses. Lighting and posing are more important than the lens.

[reivax]

You have good quality lenses. Lighting and posing are more important than the lens.

Wow, awesome picture. You are right, but LBA is so powerful sometimes... Can I ask what kind of lighting setup you used?

[nicoprod]

There are copies of the FA*85 f/1.4 for under 1K. FA*55 vs. FA77? Game over.

Wow, awesome picture. You are right, but LBA is so powerful sometimes... Can I ask what kind of lighting setup you used?

Just a flash about 1/4 power through an umbrella, balanced with the ambient, manual exposure. Last 3 years, used a Pentax 17-70, before that Tamron 28-75. The key is, getting to kid eye level by kneeling in the street and just watching.

Ole Time Winterfest

[Rondec]

I guess I would say that I prefer the DA *55 just because the working distance is closer than with the FA 77. Both are very sharp. With regard to size, they are similar, except that the DA *55 has a really nice hood (the FA 77's is built in and adequate, I guess).

FA 77 shots...







DA *55 shots.







The 55 gives more neutral rendering and is significantly less suceptible to purple fringing. I wouldn't sell either lens, though. Someone mentioned the lens line up that works best and I do think DA 15, FA 31, DA 55, FA 77, DFA 100 takes care of 95 percent of one's focal length needs.

[Conqueror]

I do think DA 15, FA 31, DA 55, FA 77, DFA 100 takes care of 95 percent of one's focal length needs.

Yes this is the possibly the ultimate K-mount prime AF setup.

[FantasticMrFox]

Yes this is the possibly the ultimate K-mount prime AF setup.

I'll wait for the DA* 55 to be updated with HD coating and a DC motor, that'd make it truly great.