[dired]

Hey everyone, this is my first post here. I just ordered a k20d and now looking to pick up some glass. I'd like to purchase something equivalent or better than my current nikkor 85mm 1.8d AF. At first I was looking at the 50-135 2.8 and the 77mm 1.8, but with a friend's influence I've been exposed to the older takumar and company. Is there an older auto focus lens comparable to my 85? Thanks in advance.

[felix68]

Hey everyone, this is my first post here. I just ordered a k20d and now looking to pick up some glass. I'd like to purchase something equivalent or better than my current nikkor 85mm 1.8d AF. At first I was looking at the 50-135 2.8 and the 77mm 1.8, but with a friend's influence I've been exposed to the older takumar and company. Is there an older auto focus lens comparable to my 85? Thanks in advance.

Sounds like the 77mm Limited is the ticket in terms of new lenses at near the 85mm focal length. The FA*85mm 1.4 is universaly regarded as an exceptional lens but is not in production any more. They go for a pretty penny on e-bay.
You might consider the FA 50mm 1.4 as a great portrait lens on the crop sensor. It is inexpensive too but if you want closer to 85, the 2 above are your best options.

[flyer]

Try to find a Pentax 50/1.4. On a DSLR, it is equivalent to 75mm (close to 85) and the quality is on par with the Nikon. On the used market, it is possible to find it for around $100.00.

[dired]

Thanks for the recommendations. I was at BH yesterday to check out the 77 and 50-135, the 77 focus speed really impressed me. Unfortunately the BH Nikon fanboys totally discouraged me from switching, "your 85mm 1.8 is worlds about anything pentax makes", bleh.

I'm very interested in a vintage auto focus prime somewhere close to 80mm - not set on a specific length at all. How would i go about finding one and how much do they run? How do i know which are AF? I already picked up the m42 adapter and my next purchase will probably be a 50 F1.4 SUPER TAKUMAR. Now what I really need is an AF but i seem to finding only manual lenses on ebay, what am I doing wrong?

[vizjerei]

hmm you can get a FA 50/1.4 tho if you want AF, and it is quite cheap. Or if you really want 85, try finding the FA* 85/1.4 from pentax hehe ( I am sure that BH guy doesn't know a thing about it), just expect it be expensive :P

77ltd is great, color is excellent especially skin tone.

I thought those M42 lens are all manuel.. only until it gets to F, FA and later DFA and now DA lens are the ones has autofocus.

[libbe]

Here is a link to the Pentax lens review database on this forum, Pentax Lens Review Database - 85mm F1.4 [IF]

Here is a quote from the database

Pros: Build quality, extremely sharp. great in low light, bokeh
Cons: Heavy

This is probably the sharpest 85mm lens ever made. That includes the lens from C and N. When the image requires critical sharpness this is the lens of choice in my opinion.

The 77mm is also EXTREMELY good, even if it is about 1000USD. I took the freedom to post a link to Roentarre's photogallery. James Wei :: Photography

Here is a link to a test Roentarre made of the 77 limited,
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/1962-review-sm...8-limited.html
And here is a link to the Pentax lens review database on the 77,
Pentax Lens Review Database - 77mm F1.8 Limited

You should definitely not be worried about getting any of those lenses, as they are SUPERB lenses, and i can almost promise you that they are not ANY worse than your nikkor.

[k100d]

if you need more convincing about the FA77 read this sm-02-05-02
it is also very tiny compared to other lenses of the same style which makes it great to use

[dired]

Thank you again, very useful feedback.

So other than the 77mm and the 85mm are there any other options within that range? I'm convinced that both are excellent lenses, but somehow I was hoping that there would be an alternative. Next step for me is to figure out if I need/like the 50-135 2.8 enough to buy it first.


PS
Why does the silver version exist?

[flyer]

PS
Why does the silver version exist?

When you were able to buy 35mm film cameras, the standard color was silver, while the black bodies were considered "pro". So, the silver lenses were made to match the silver bodied cameras. All manufacturers had silver and black lenses.

[dired]

When you were able to buy 35mm film cameras, the standard color was silver, while the black bodies were considered "pro". So, the silver lenses were made to match the silver bodied cameras. All manufacturers had silver and black lenses.

ah thats what i suspected, but for some reason when i searched, a 5d with a silver 77mm came up and that threw me off. fashion?!!

[vizjerei]

PS
Why does the silver version exist?

Because I love it :P

btw, I try using DFA 100mm marco for portraits, it turn up great, but mind you the focus speed is slow since it has long focus range to go around.

[Wheatfield]

Thanks for the recommendations. I was at BH yesterday to check out the 77 and 50-135, the 77 focus speed really impressed me. Unfortunately the BH Nikon fanboys totally discouraged me from switching, "your 85mm 1.8 is worlds about anything pentax makes", bleh.

I'm very interested in a vintage auto focus prime somewhere close to 80mm - not set on a specific length at all. How would i go about finding one and how much do they run? How do i know which are AF? I already picked up the m42 adapter and my next purchase will probably be a 50 F1.4 SUPER TAKUMAR. Now what I really need is an AF but i seem to finding only manual lenses on ebay, what am I doing wrong?

As an owner of a Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 I rather take exception to what B&H told you. The Nikkor 85/1.8 is a good lens, but to say it is worlds above(?) anything Pentax makes is at best a sales rep showing extreme ignorance about the quality of Pentax glass, and at worst is an out and out lie.
If you are dead set on something in the 85mm range, my choice would be the FA77/1.8 (as good as or better than ANY Nikkor 85mm lens), or if you can find one, an FA85mm f/1.4 (reputed to be stellar at portrait distances, but a wee bit soft at infinity, or, if you can find one and then get away with murdering it's owner to get it, an A*85 f/1.4 (manual focus, but the best 85mm lens ever made, according to both Nikon and Canon users that I correspond with).
And no, mine is not for sale......
If you can stand a modern lens, the DA70mm f/2.4 LTD is pretty similar to the 77mm LTD as far as the look of the pictures go (I have both and have made the comparison), is very similar in resolving power (Image IQ?), but is 2/3 or so of a stop slower, is much smaller and has no aperture ring.

Personally, if B&H is spreading that kind of crap around, I would be finding a different vendor, and telling B&H management why you are no longer buying from them.
There are lots of places to buy equipment, B&H is just one more name on the list, and not necessarily one of the best ones.

[Wheatfield]

Why does the silver version exist?

Pentax was, for reasons known only to them, trying to emulate the look of the old Contax lenses from the early 1960s. As soon as the black versions became available, I bought black ones and sold the silver ones. I liked the optical quality, but I always thought the silver lenses looked cheap and old fashioned.

[frank]

Pentax was, for reasons known only to them, trying to emulate the look of the old Contax lenses from the early 1960s. As soon as the black versions became available, I bought black ones and sold the silver ones. I liked the optical quality, but I always thought the silver lenses looked cheap and old fashioned.

Well, I did the opposite. Had one set of black ones, but love the silver ones better. So I changed to the silver ones, and I'm not going back

[dired]

pics of silver on black?