[bobbotron]

I work remotely for a company in New York. They recently saw some portraits I did as part of a photo club meet up and liked them. I've been enlisted to do some head shots when I head down in a bit. I think it'll go well, but got me thinking it might be time for a dedicated portrait lens. I was shooting portraits with the 50mm DA 1.8, which I actually quite like with some flash support. I have the Rokinon 85mm; I love manual lenses, but the lack of auto focus here is a deal killer. Thinking either the 70mm or the 77mm would be great. Would love to go for the 77mm but that's stretching the budget a bit too thin.


I think the 70mm HD would be great but curious what others suggestions are. I don't need the extra aperture of the 77mm as these are corporate headshots, don't want or need a really thin depth of field. I plan to shoot around f4 or f5.6.

[aslyfox]

just remember that unless you are using a full frame sensor camera body - Pentax K 1 or K 1 II

the" field of view ", but not the focal length, of the 77mm will not be the same

. . . In other words, an smc Pentax-A 50mm F1.7 lens as shown to the right is a 50 mm lens when mounted on a Pentax Q7 (1/1.7 inch sensor size), on a Pentax K-3 (APS-C sensor size), or on a Pentax film SLR (aka 24 x 36 mm or full frame). The focal length does not change with the camera. But the field of view which the lens captures does change. And so does depth of field, but that is for another article. . . .

Read more at: The Crop Factor Unmasked - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

[ehrwien]

You're using a K-3? Then I'd go for the 70. It's incredibly sharp, almost a bit too much for portraits sometimes so instead of pushing microcontrast in DxO when editing a photo with other lenses like I sometimes do for more sharpness, I rarely find myself pushing the microcontrast in pictures with the 70, but rather pulling it down a little in portraits.

I don't have the 77 (and also no full frame camera), but from what I read about it it really only begins to shine when used on a full frame camera, and if you're not going to be using it at 1.8 (at least on this shoot) I would save the extra money.

Unless of course you're planning to go full frame in the near future, then the 77 would perhaps be the better choice. You can also use the 70 on full frame with little limitations(?!), but the 77 on full frame is said to have more "pixie dust"

I only know the 70, but it's a work of art itself and I think the 77 is in no way inferior to the 70 in that regard, the 70 is joy to touch and use.

[bobbotron]

I'm using the K3 yeah. Would love a K1, but that kinda money is tied up for other projects at the moment!

[luftfluss]

I work remotely for a company in New York. They recently saw some portraits I did as part of a photo club meet up and liked them. I've been enlisted to do some head shots when I head down in a bit. I think it'll go well, but got me thinking it might be time for a dedicated portrait lens. I was shooting portraits with the 50mm DA 1.8, which I actually quite like with some flash support. I have the Rokinon 85mm; I love manual lenses, but the lack of auto focus here is a deal killer. Thinking either the 70mm or the 77mm would be great. Would love to go for the 77mm but that's stretching the budget a bit too thin.


I think the 70mm HD would be great but curious what others suggestions are. I don't need the extra aperture of the 77mm as these are corporate headshots, don't want or need a really thin depth of field. I plan to shoot around f4 or f5.6.

It sounds like you don't actually need to acquire another lens, but if you want the 70 Ltd then why not? You could save money by getting the SMC version.

[aslyfox]

I'm using the K3 yeah. Would love a K1, but that kinda money is tied up for other projects at the moment!

you could try an SLR

About the SMC Pentax-FA Lens Series
SMC Pentax-FA lenses have fixed focal lengths and can be used with both Film and Digital Pentax SLRs. They cover the full-frame 24x36mm image circle.
Auto-focus
Auto-aperture (aperture ring available)
Select lenses feature Power Zoom
Film & Digital

Read more at: Pentax FA Prime Lenses - Reviews and Specifications - SLR and Interchangeable Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

___________________________________

It sounds like you don't actually need to acquire another lens, but if you want the 70 Ltd then why not? You could save money by getting the SMC version.

there is an article on that:

HD vs. SMC Pentax Limited Primes
Introduction
At Photokina 2012, Pentax announced a brand new lens coating which they named the "HD Coating". This coating is slowly starting to replace the conventional "Super Multi Coating" (SMC) on high-end Pentax glass. According to Pentax, the new HD coating greatly reduces reflectance without making any sacrifices in terms of durability. This kind of coating isn't new to the industry, however: Pentax digital medium format lenses have been treated with a slightly less durable variant called Aero Bright coating ever since their debut, and other manufacturers have been using "nano" coatings on their premium lenses for several years.

The modern SMC coating that DA lenses have been using for about a decade now isn't the same as the SMC coating that Pentax originally launched in the 1970's. In fact, most DA lenses have been said to have a "ghostless" coating, so while we don't expect the difference between SMC and HD coating to be be a game-changer, it should certainly still be easy to observe . . . .

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/reviews/hd-pentax-limited-primes/introduction.h...#ixzz6CXxKIHRN

[bobbotron]

just remember that unless you are using a full frame sensor camera body - Pentax K 1 or K 1 II

the" field of view ", but not the focal length, of the 77mm will not be the same


Read more at: The Crop Factor Unmasked - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

For sure! I'm well aware of the relation ship between field of view and depth of field between different formats. I have a ton of different film cameras of different formats, try shooting a head shot at f5.6 on my 4x5, with a 180mm lens.

[aslyfox]

For sure! I'm well aware of the relation ship between field of view and depth of field between different formats. I have a ton of different film cameras of different formats, try shooting a head shot at f5.6 on my 4x5, with a 180mm lens.

sorry to bore you then

you never know - - -

[bobbotron]

you could try an SLR

Ha, I don't think I'd ever live it down if I showed up with a film camera for head shots. Sounds like great fun to me but I try to only be "crazy film guy" in my spare time.

sorry to bore you thenyou never know - - -

Not at all! It is a common misconception, worth bringing it up.

[JensE]

I had the 70mm before on my K-5 and initially on the K-1, got a 77mm later and sold the 70mm. The out of the box daylight rendering with camera white balance of the smc 70mm is a tad cooler, which leads to a somewhat higher perception of edge sharpness and contrast. It definitely doesn't ever "glow", which the 77mm sometimes can, wide open. Stopped down to f/4 though, using flash and flash white balance setting, I think I could not tell the difference. Maybe I could spot some residual PF on shiny surfaces with pixel-peeping on the 77mm.

AF-wise, the 70mm was a bit more decisive in moderately low light. Handling-wise, I really miss quick-shift on the 77mm but after using the 77mm and 31mm for a while now, I'm fairly quick at flipping to MF without having to take the camera off my eye.


Why have I kept the 77mm then? First, sometimes you want all light which you can get and I like to shoot under those conditions, handheld. Fairly wide open it can produce its special rendering. My third camera in use is a Program-A, where it works nicely with its aperture ring. On the K-1, it's usable at all apertures.


I don't think you'd be disappointed by the wonderfully compact and well handling 70mm. For the intended use, it would be my Pentax prime of choice.

[WorksAsIntended]

I don't have the 77 (and also no full frame camera), but from what I read about it it really only begins to shine when used on a full frame camera, and if you're not going to be using it at 1.8 (at least on this shoot) I would save the extra money.

I own my second FA77 (the first one got destroyed by accident together with the k10d it was mounted on). I did also own a DA70. Both are great lenses for their usage. The FA77 shines on FF, but even on APS-C it isjust a tiny bit sharper than the DA70 on same aperture. At least both my FA77 I owned compared to a DA70 selected from three lenses available. I do not consider the FA77 being inferior to the DA70 when used on APS-C.


I ended up selling the DA70 while on APS-C, now that I got a FF too, the decission became even better.

That being said, the DA is more compact and has quickshift, what I really liked. The build quality is really good too. Also it has significantly less purple fringing, the FA77 seriously suffers from this. More than any other lens I ever used regulary.

The DA70 has a much better value by price ratio too, as it is available for around $200 on the used market.


Take a look at your photos taken with your mf 85/1.4. If you dont use f1.4 to f2.0 much, I woudl get the DA70. It is a good lense and I never had a lense that was this compact and better.

[Paul the Sunman]

The DA 70 is a very nice lens, ideal for portraits. I actually use it quite a bit on FF, where only the extreme wide edges are a bit muddy, which is not a concern for portraits.

[Sandy Hancock]

They are both wonderful lenses, and in the ideal focal length range for head shots on a crop camera. If the FA77 is stretching your budget, the DA70 will do you proud.

[stevebrot]

It sounds like you don't actually need to acquire another lens, but if you want the 70 Ltd then why not? You could save money by getting the SMC version.

What they said ^ ^ ^

50mm is a very appropriate focal length for portraits with APS-C, but if one has the money and wants the 70 LTD, then by all means buy one. Of course, similar logic applies to the FA 77/1.8 LTD.


Steve

(...owns the FA 77...never wonders if the DA 70 would be better...uses 35mm or 50mm for most portrait stuff...)

[bobbotron]

I've always never really liked the 35mm. I get some really good shots with it, but often feels like the wrong lens for the job.

I really like the 50mm 1.8, but I wonder about it for a portrait lens, I've always thought something a little longer would be a little more aesthetically pleasing.

Definitely interested in the DA version of the 70mm, definitely a great budget option but the HD coatings are so nice.