[Sandy Hancock]

AF speed is not particularly important for portraits.
At your price point, the FA77 would be my top recommendation.





The DFA*50 and FA*85 are awesome as well, but well above your maximum spend.

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Last edited by Sandy Hancock; 08-26-2018 at 07:59 PM.

[UncleVanya]

Actually I was looking for FA 135 f2.8, but I dont know how this lens performs on k1 camera...

Scroll through the list: SMC Pentax-FA 135mm F2.8 [IF] Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

The more recent ones include the camera used in the review summary and so you can find out what people say. What little I have read tells me you won't regret it if you prefer primes over zooms.

[Kaisas]

AF speed is not particularly important for portraits.
At your price point, the FA77 would be my top recommendation.

Fa77 looks very nice, I think I should consider about it.nice pictures thanks for sharing ,even low light your pictures looks sharp.

[UncleVanya]

There are a lot of threads on this both crop and full frame. Here's some of my work using various lenses on various systems: aps-c portrait primes: 43 Limited or DA*55? - PentaxForums.com

[Kaisas]

There are a lot of threads on this both crop and full frame. Here's some of my work using various lenses on various systems: aps-c portrait primes: 43 Limited or DA*55? - PentaxForums.com

Nice portraits thanks , fa 77mm or fa 43mm looks nice I will check it out more samples online.

[UncleVanya]

Nice portraits thanks , fa 77mm or fa 43mm looks nice I will check it out more samples online.

OK the K-1 the FA 43 is a normal lens like the old 50mm on 35mm film. It's a little short for most people - unless you like to get really close to the subjects. I like the DA 40 on crop - a lot like shooting 58mm on film but going to say the FA 31 on crop is like shooting the FA 43 on FF - it isn't my favorite focal length for portraits. It can be done - but it has you working very close and requires more work on lighting to avoid being in between the light and your subject. Of the two the FA 77 seems a better choice on FF albeit a ilttle shorter than some may like. With your exisitng 70-200, when you do portraits what focal length do you prefer? (For distance to subject, subject perspective, etc. )

[TedH42]

The FA 77 f1.8 gives a very good working distance. Note that, as an FA lens, it does not have Quick Shift, so manual focus tweaking when in Auto Focus must be done by flipping the camera to manual focus. Or just use manual focus all the way. This is not really a problem for portraits, which is not timing sensitive.

Nice pict it looks very sharp,yea tamron 28-75mm I checked the samples pictures online ,I think with full frame camera corners comes out kinda dark like vintage I guess ,

They didn't when I used it with an MZ-S.

[08amczb]

The FA77 ltd. is very good, the DFA100 and the FA43 ltd. is also nice and the new DFA*50 is an obvious choice. I would add the DA*55 also, but it has some vignetting problems.

[Digitalis]

The FA77 Limited is hard to beat at the going prices. Eventually, if you have the money for it, the DFA*85mm f/1.4 will be an excellent choice as well.



Pentax K5IIs - SMCP-FA77mm f/1.8 Limited @ f/2.8 1/60th ISO 1600

[Medex]

Depends on how much of people you want to include in the picture and how much blur you want. I use FA* 85/1.4, 100/1.5 @f2,2 (special projection-type lens for infrared portraits), 85/1,4 soft focus DIY lens, 140/1,8 projection lens or 141/1,9 projection lens for half and full body portraits, and 168/1,9 or 178/1,9 projection lenses for full height portraits. The best range for me in aspect of blur / communication with model ratio is 135-150 mm on FF camera.

[RAART]

Head shots - around 200mm
Portrait - 105 or 135mm
Half body - around 80mm (70, 77 or 85mm)
Full body - 50mm
Small group - 35mm
Larger group - 28mm (24mm for bigger groups)

In regards of lenses I prefer for portrait manual focus when working with adults but for kids you got to have auto focus. I used a lot when I was shooting professionally Zeiss lenses, as they have very nice micro contrast.
Now that I just doing it as a hobby anything fast with above mentioned focal lengths will do.

My mostly used lenses now are Sigma 35mm 1.4, Sigma 50mm 1.4 and Sigma 70mm 2.8 and some old manual focus primes in 135mm and 200mm.

[Kaisas]

Head shots - around 200mm
Portrait - 105 or 135mm
Half body - around 80mm (70, 77 or 85mm)
Full body - 50mm
Small group - 35mm
Larger group - 28mm (24mm for bigger groups)

In regards of lenses I prefer for portrait manual focus when working with adults but for kids you got to have auto focus. I used a lot when I was shooting professionally Zeiss lenses, as they have very nice micro contrast.
Now that I just doing it as a hobby anything fast with above mentioned focal lengths will do.

My mostly used lenses now are Sigma 35mm 1.4, Sigma 50mm 1.4 and Sigma 70mm 2.8 and some old manual focus primes in 135mm and 200mm.

I have never used any sigma lenses but I heard some sigma lenses has af issues on k1 ,do u have any problem with using sigma lenses on pentax camera?

[RAART]

I have never used any sigma lenses but I heard some sigma lenses has af issues on k1 ,do u have any problem with using sigma lenses on pentax camera?

I do not know about K-1 but I never had any issues on Pentax camera... Some people saying that 35mm 1.4 has some AF issues but not copy I use.

[Kerrowdown]

Which lenses do you use for portraits or do you recommend?

Any of these "Ladies" will give the results that I'm looking for... "Special Lady” (Pentax-A 50mm F1.2), “Sweetheart” (Pentax-A* 85mm F1.4), "Lady Luck” (Pentax-A* 135mm F1.8) or “Gorgeous Lady” (Pentax-A* 200mm F2.8 ED), just depends on circumstances.