[Jonathan Mac]

My wife can't really tell one camera or lens from another but she can't help but notice the inexorable growth in volume of both...

[TwoUptons]

My wife was annoyed the Rokinon wasn't autofocus...

She has little patience for focusing...

But she likes the DA16-50 on the K-01 and the old FA28-105 on the K1...

-Eric

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

Once you get to certain point they are all just black tubes on black boxes. My wife still hasn't noticed my 645Z, and I have used it in front of her

Wow, I thought mine took the cake when it comes to turning a blind eye. Pretty sure I couldn't get away with flashing a 645z without a pointed question. And, if the question was, "What did that cost?" doubt that saying "less than half what the Hassy version costs" would get me out of that pickle.

[JimBrennan]

I have the Zeiss 85, and if you are saying it does fit your budget, I recommend it. It's is awesome quality construction, beautiful color rendition on skin tones, nice contrast, sharp.

The Voigtlander 90 apo lanther rocks as well.

Is some samy yang lens going to hold it's value? The Zeiss will.

---

Last edited by JimBrennan; 09-19-2017 at 08:43 PM.

[yusuf]

Samyang is a beautiful lens. M85 is small but has bad CA and also prone to element separation. See if you can get hold of K85, much smaller than Samyang, and reasonably well controlled CA, sharp, though not 1.4.

[pleo]

I don't think anyone owning both would ever sell the M85. It's all about the pixie dust...

Seb

I did!
I had the M 2/85 and sold it - the Samy 1,4/85 staying (beside the Pentax M 2,8/100).
The Pentax' advantage is being small and lightweight.
Yes: the old K 1.8/85 is quite a tad better in sharpness and contrast.... but at least 50% more expensive....

Another Option - if 2.8 will be 'fast' enough (I think it's all about small DOF and blurring Background - is for me the big&heavy 2.8/70-200 (Tamron).
Being an AF-lens I just don't care about wrong Manual focussing.

Same with my Sigma 1,4/50 HSM: very good for Portraits.

Besides I use Tamron 90 mm macro lens:
the old 2.5 makes a lovely background softness wide opened but good center sharpness (at 2.5 !) - stopped down it becomes an Overall very sharp lens.
The new 2.8/90 macro is very sharp even wide opened....

[brightseal]

Zeiss

Voigtlander

Do these lenses require K mount adapters?

I'm still kicking myself. I was in Berlin late 80's, there was a Zeiss store I believe on or around Alexanderplatz at that time was East Berlin. The east mark exchange rate was about 1000 to $1. Who knew.....

[Wasp]

Thanks for all the input guys. I am leaning towards the Samyang. It looks really good at $200 for a lightly used example. Build quality remains a worry. There are many quite a anecdotes about it on the interwebs. On the other hand, buying used from a reputable retailer means that it has been checked out. More so than a brand new one would be. That seems like a good thing.

Some say that there is a bit too much plastic on the inside and that it will not last forever. The glass is excellent so some cost cutting is done where most buyers will not look. On the other had, old Pentax lenses were built to last forever. Now that I think about it, all my Pentax lenses are at least a decade old. The optics might not be up to modern standards but they just keep on going with no end in sight.

Decisions, decisions....

[stevebrot]

I'm confused why Pentax doesn't have an affordable 85 1.8 that every other system has

You mean systems such as Sony (85mm f/2.8 SAM, A-mount only), Nikon (85/1.8G), and Canon (85/1.8 non-L)? Of course, Pentax users would complain about plastic build, but I would love to see a Pentax equivalent of the Nikkor 85/1.8G. In the mean time, there is still the Samyang, which is a notch down in terms of performance, but is still quite usable for portraits and is backwards compatible to all K-mount SLRs.

As far as the OP's request...if one is comfortable without "A" setting, the Pentax-M 85/2 is probably the better lens. Rare is the time when one needs that extra stop of whatever available at f/1.4 and good luck attaining consistent focus.


Steve

[stevebrot]

M85 is small but has bad CA and also prone to element separation.

You might want to add a review for your copy on this site. It will be the only one out of 42 reviews reporting element separation.


Steve

[gatorguy]

I admit I had a bad experience with a Rokinon 85/1.4 that I bought used (sticky aperture), and I admit that I have never used the M85/2, but my genuine, certified, warrantied, brand-new Rokinon 85/1.4 is nothing but wonderful.

I'm shooting it for Single in September this month and I'm having a wonderful time. Here's the album:

Rokinon 85/1.4 | Flickr

There's a glow at f/1.4, but its amazing stopped down a bit, f/2.2 being my go to for dramatically thin DoF and isolation at the moment.

What wonderful images! I've had the Bower-labeled 85 (exact same lens as the Rokinon for new shooters who might not know) and had not considered it for some of the situations you captured, but it's on my list now. You nailed that 3D pop well in so many of the captures.

[awscreo]

You mean systems such as Sony (85mm f/2.8 SAM, A mount only), Nikon (85/1.8G), and Canon (85/1.8 non-L)? Of course, Pentax users would complain about plastic build, but I would love to see a Pentax equivalent of the Nikkor 85/1.8G. In the mean time, there is still the Samyang, which is a notch down in terms of performance, but is still quite usable for portraits and is backwards compatible to all K-mount SLRs.

As far as the OP's request...if one is comfortable without "A" setting, the Pentax-M 85/2 is probably the better lens. Rare is the time when one needs that extra stop of whatever available at f/1.4 and good luck attaining consistent focus.


Steve

Yes, I think most systems have affordable 85 1.8 lenses, maybe I'm mistaken, not sure if fuji has one. Sony, canikon, Olympus and Panasonic all have 85-90 1.8 lenses that aren't their top of the line but work just fine. I'd settle with a 1.8 lens too if it was available I think. 1.4 is sexy, but I don't do too many portraits and investing into a top of the line 85 isn't in the card for now

[stevebrot]

Yes, I think most systems have affordable 85 1.8 lenses

Those are the three available that are reasonably priced and cover the FF 24x36mm frame. I would add the Sony FE 85/1.8 except that at just under $600, it is pushing the boundaries of what might be called reasonably priced. I got my FA 77/1.8 Limited new for less than that.


Steve

[JimBrennan]

Do these lenses require K mount adapters?

I'm still kicking myself. I was in Berlin late 80's, there was a Zeiss store I believe on or around Alexanderplatz at that time was East Berlin. The east mark exchange rate was about 1000 to $1. Who knew.....

No they were made with Pentax mounts.

[stevebrot]

I'd settle with a 1.8 lens too if it was available I think. 1.4 is sexy, but I don't do too many portraits and investing into a top of the line 85 isn't in the card for now

That may be why the OP is looking into the Pentax-M 85/2. That would be my choice if I didn't already own the FA 77/1.8. I also own the LZOS MC Jupiter-9 85/2, but while it is competent, I consider it a specialty lens and a little cumbersome to use without auto aperture actuation.


Steve