Originally posted by jake14mw Hi All,
In looking at portrait lenses for Pentax, two that always come up in the discussion are the FA77 and the FA85. The FA77 is available new still, and the FA85 on the used market. In looking it seems that the FA85 has been selling for about $1000 used. In what ways do you guys thing the DFA85 will distinguish itself as being a better value than the existing lenses? Autofocus performance is not that critical with this type of lens. I guess that I am thinking that it needs to have better sharpness and better bokeh at the 1.8 - 2.8 range?
DFA85: Much bigger, much heavier, more expensive. Sharp to the corner at f/1.4. A more neutral rendering like other DFA rather than the FA rendering. Far less chromatic aberations.
More importantly vs the FA85, available new, with warrenty and easy to change it if you got a lemon.
An FA77 going to give you most of the DFA85 for significantly less money, less weight, smaller form factor and an a warmer FA rendering. You'll get some CA at times and I think less precise focus. That last point may be signfiicant wide open.
FA77 need maybe f/2-2.5 depending of your requirement to be really sharp on APSC. It is ok at f/1.8. On FF I think it look ever sharper at least on the center. But the strength of FA77 vs an f/2.8 zoom is the lovely rendering. Same for FA85 and likely DFA85, but the rendering will be different on the 3 lenses.
To know the lens you like much, you need to see picture take with the 3, a few hundred likely for the type of subject you are the most interrested with and then see what you tend to prefer.
The sharpness difference will not show if you don't zoom. So you the photographer will likely look at 100% crop and think it much more important than anybody else that will never ever see it. The AF difference may not be visible, as only keeper shall be available, but you may guess less keepers or perfectly in focus with FA77 and FA85 wide open. On day to day basis, the FA77 will be much more pleasant to use because of the size/weight. And that will be also the less costly. Potentially half the DFA85 price if you buy FA77 used.
By far I'd say for candids and walkaround and conveniance, the FA77 win hands on. For the studio, depend what rendering you prefer, but there no warranty what lens it would be.