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11-17-2009, 09:29 PM   #1
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Query : Best Pentax DSLR prime lens ?

Whats the best all around fast Pentax DSLR K mount prime lens ?

The only lens you can take with you in 2012...

All criterias apply but please detail them (price, fast, IQ, aperture, value, etc...)

11-17-2009, 09:41 PM   #2
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.

Oh boy. Probably too open-ended to even answer, and you'll probably just get everyone's personal favorites.

Here's mine:

AF:

FA 77mm Limited
DA 35 f/2.8 macro Limited

MF:

M 85 f/2
M 20 f/4


I could list a dozen others, but these four will always hold ranking positions in my heart.


One lens only in 2012: FA 77ltd.


Here are my personal reasons for choosing these:

77ltd: This lens is The One Ring. You don't own it, it owns you.

35ltd: Simply flawless, and the most versatile lens I've owned.

M 20: Got kicked around on film for having soft corners, on aps-c, it's colors and sharpness and fun FL and small size make me smile ear-->ear.

M 85: A diminutive, heavy-elemented telephoto, built like a limited and with enough sharpness at f/2 to count eyelashes across the yard. My most 3-D lens after the 77. In some ways, renders more pleasingly than the 77.



.

Last edited by jsherman999; 11-17-2009 at 09:50 PM.
11-17-2009, 10:00 PM   #3
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Great post, exactly what I was targetting ; personnal favorites with the "why". What's the speed of the FA 77mm ltd?

Open ended questions where always my favorite at school!
11-17-2009, 10:20 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by mba1971 Quote
Great post, exactly what I was targetting ; personnal favorites with the "why". What's the speed of the FA 77mm ltd?

Open ended questions where always my favorite at school!
It's f/1.8 - check out the lens review database here for thoughts on that lens.

Here's some images/thoughts from me --> Link.

Here's some opinion from --> Luminous Landscape.

Have fun in your quest!


.

11-17-2009, 10:25 PM   #5
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Current favorite:

M 50mm F/1.7

Reason:

- Sharpness: This lens is sharp sharp sharp....sharp. Wide open it rivals any lens, including my macro which is regarded as taking pictures nearly to sharp for the human eyes to handle .

- Speed: This lens is moderately fast.... I don't shoot low light so its just about perfect *for me*. I enjoy the creativity enabled to me by the shallow DOF.

- Special something: This lens makes an ordinary picture extraordinary. It has that certain magic that I can't find in any other lens to date. I'm hoping the M 85mm will have some similar fairy dust sprinkled on it

- size: It may not be a pancake lens, but man is this thing compact!

- MF: I shoot manual focus almost exclusively, so I enjoy having a lens with a silky smooth focusing ring. It truly is a joy to use.

- Price: This lens in nearly mint condition cost me $30... nuff said
11-17-2009, 10:41 PM   #6
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This will seem odd to many. But it's a Takumar 28mm f3.5. Super Tak

Partly personal. My wife posted here last year and the forum members helped her find one.
Partly IQ. I've owned all the limited's and a bunch of other great glass. This old gal looses nothing to any of those lenses.
Partly because it's not auto anything. I take my time with it, slow to meter, slow to focus, slow aperture and renders a sweet image. Like taking time with a beautiful woman.... I digress.

Finally with the exception of the 31,43 and 77mm's, nothing is built like a Takumar.
11-17-2009, 10:59 PM   #7
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In 2012 I shall fall into the eternal fire clutching my 77mm f1.8 Limited close to my heart. It's magic within shall save me.



11-18-2009, 12:34 AM   #8
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FA31 Limited.
11-18-2009, 01:02 AM   #9
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Too tough to call between the 31 ltd and 77 ltd.
Both f/1.8.
Both bright and contrasty.
Both perfect bokeh-producing.
One for wide full-body portraits and narrow landscapes, one for head & shoulders portraits, amongst other applications.
Overall, both magic...
11-18-2009, 01:06 AM   #10
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Yeah same here for me. 31 and 77 limited. The 31 feels very REAL. And 77 well feel SURREAL.
11-18-2009, 01:36 AM   #11
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For those unable to stump up the cash for the FA/DA Limiteds...

Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 (or the A version, I only have the M at the moment)
Pentax-K 55mm f1.8
Pentax-M or K 135mm

The K 55mm could probably be put into a sock as an impromptu weapon and still work afterwards! Proper heavy-duty photography equipment. I don't yet have a 135mm but intend to buy one, along with a 28mm of some sort. I'd like one of the K 28mm but they seem rare, so it might have to be one of the M versions. The K 35mm also looks good on paper but seems hard to find.
11-18-2009, 02:01 AM   #12
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I do not own any limited lenses.

So here is what I would carry if I have to have four with me.

1. short: K 24mm f2.8 (you could use slower shutter speed, since it is a wide lens. A new design in its age. Much lighter than FA 24mm.)
2. medium short: K 35mm f3.5 (best daylight landscape lens on film cameras; a decent choice for digital cameras; light, relatively cheap, and stunning image quality) / the M Pancake (not bad at all, light, not too expensive, f2.8 usable) / M 35mm f2 (slightly soft wide open; very compact; excellent image quality if slow down one or two stops)
3. medium long: DFA 50mm f2.8 (wonderful walk around lens; you can shoot anything with it) / A 50mm f1.2 (if dark)
4. long: K 85mm f1.8 (my preferred lens for shooting portraits, relatively light and stunning image quality) / K 135mm f2.5 (a decent choice and relatively light; a bit PF at f2.5)

You can certainly bring the F1.7 converter with you just in case.

Last edited by yyyzzz; 11-18-2009 at 02:13 AM.
11-18-2009, 02:33 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dangermouse Quote
I'd like one of the K 28mm but they seem rare, so it might have to be one of the M versions. The K 35mm also looks good on paper but seems hard to find.
Like Peter Zack, I'm quite enamoured with the Takumar 28/3.5 - might I suggest adding it to your potential 28s list? They're not overly rare, the original K/M42 adaptor is cheap enough, and the performance is great.
11-18-2009, 03:45 AM   #14
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Hi, I'm new to these forums, but here's my suggestion for an up to date lens with auto-focus which won't burn a hole in your pocket when you pay for it.
Sigma 50mm f2.8 ex dg macro.
Sharp from full aperture, and equivalent to an f1.7 when you consider the image stabilisation built in to Pentax DSLR's. However, the focus is a little slow, and relies on contrast differences in the subject. See my review under third party lenses.
11-18-2009, 04:55 AM   #15
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FA 77 ltd .... is all that needs to be said here.

c[_]
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