[micl161]

85mm is the classic "portrait" FF lens. It makes sense from one perspective to manufacture to specific focal lengths (or equivalents) since a practiced photographer knows exactly what they're getting.

Sigma has an optical formula for a 70mm macro and there have been a few iterations of that lens. But you typically see 'strange' focal lengths primarily on crop sensor cameras and they're often an attempt to provide equivalence, like the 42.5 lenses for m43 are just equivalent to good ol 85.

And of course there are the FA Limiteds.

I know 85mm is classic 'portriat' focal length, but sometimes I would prefer a shorter one (may be like 60-70mm) when shooting indoor.

---------- Post added 07-09-21 at 05:46 AM ----------

I seem to have obtained a number of prime lenses between 31mm and 55mm

SMC Pentax-FA 31mm F1.8 AL Limited ( MIJ )
SMC Pentax-DA 35mm F2.4 35mm AL
SMC Pentax-DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited
SMC Pentax-M 40mm F2.8
SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS
SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 Limited
SMC Pentax-FA 43mm F1.9 Limited ( MIJ )
SMC Pentax-A 50mm F1.2
SMC Pentax-A 50mm F1.4
SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7
SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8
SMC Pentax-D FA 50mm F2.8 Macro
SMC Pentax-DA* 55mm F1.4 SDM
SMC Pentax 55mm F 1.8

[ although my son who lives in Nebraska currently has custody of the DA 35mm 2.4 and DA 50 1.8 ]

WOW, Nice....so that's true. I heard that almost everyone have 50mm lens more than the other focal length.

[Wasp]

It seems to me that Pentax has got you covered...

[aslyfox]

. . . WOW, Nice....so that's true. I heard that almost everyone have 50mm lens more than the other focal length.

I just deleted that post thinking it was not pertinent to the thread

[CarlosU]

In film days 135mm primes where quite common. Almost every important manufacturer offered at least one. It was the portrait lens "with an extra working distance".

These days it looks like a forgotten prime focal length. Always wondered why....


P.S: I just did a quick search in B&H and looks like Pentax is one of the few that doesn't offer a 135mm any more. Canon, Nikon, Sony and many third party manufacturers do, go figure. My mistake.

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Last edited by CarlosU; 07-09-2021 at 06:29 AM.

[pepperberry farm]

I heard that almost everyone have 50mm lens more than the other focal length.

not having a film background, I never learned what was 'conventional'; I've found that I really don't care for the standard 50mm focal length....

but move up a notch, and I found that I love the 55 to 58mm range...

[boriscleto]

WOW, Nice....so that's true. I heard that almost everyone have 50mm lens more than the other focal length.

My spreadsheet shows that I currently have ~151 prime lenses...84 are 50-58mm...and looking at it I realize I haven't added 2 recent 50mm lenses...so 153 and 86...Then there are the 2 40mm, 1 45mm, and 1 48mm...

From 58mm to 85mm just 3 lenses, 2 80mm Retina C and 1 85mm Retina DKL-mount.

Longer than 85mm: 3 90mm, 4 100mm, 1 105mm, 10 135mm, 3 200mm.

Wider than 40mm: 3 24mm, 20 28mm, 12 35mm.

[Michail_P]

of course...

Mamiya Macro Sekor 60/2.8 (M42)
Fuji XF 60/2.4 R Macro (X-mount)
Pentax DA 70/2.4 Limited (K-mount)
Sigma EX DG 70/2.8 Macro (K-mount)
Pentax FA 77/1.8 Limited (K-mount)
Pentax SMC A* 85/1.4 (K-mount)
Zeiss Planar 85/1.4 ZK T* (K-mount)
Voigtlander AR 85/2.8 (QBM-mount)

You have a great looking list here. Enjoy. That Zeiss must be amazing.

[pepperberry farm]

You have a great looking list here. Enjoy. That Zeiss must be amazing.

thank you.. it is amazing (and for sale in the Marketplace)...

[Serkevan]

not having a film background, I never learned what was 'conventional'; I've found that I really don't care for the standard 50mm focal length....

but move up a notch, and I found that I love the 55 to 58mm range...

Conversely, one can move down a bit and have the 43... which I find much more liberating on the K-1 than I ever did 50. (I do quite like 50mm on APS-C, but I never really got used to it on FF despite the Pentax 50/1.7 formula having a delectable rendering, IMO).


The 55-58 range fits with the 85mm FOV on full frame, which probably means something . I've been known to enjoy both the 77 Limited and 90mm Tamron on my K-1, I'd say it's really a toss up in terms of which FL is better...

---------- Post added 07-09-21 at 12:09 PM ----------

In film days 135mm primes where quite common. Almost every important manufacturer offered at least one. It was the portrait lens "with an extra working distance".

These days it looks like a forgotten prime focal length. Always wondered why....

P.S: I just did a quick search in B&H and looks like Pentax is one of the few that doesn't offer a 135mm any more. Canon, Nikon, Sony and many third party manufacturers do, go figure. My mistake.

Most of those 135 lenses are more the fast bokeh monster options, aren't they? I think both Sony and Sigma are f/1.8, the Canon and Samyang are f/2. Most typical film-era 135s are more in the 2.8-3.5 range.

I personally quite like it, but it's a focal length that only really works for "portraits with a lot of space"... and every manufacturer has very good 70-200 f/4 relatively lightweight zooms for those situations, so the only reasonable versionof a 135mm prime would be a large, fast prime (or a sorta pancake - I'm actually hoping for a DFA Limited that goes to ~120-140mm).

[stevebrot]

P.S: I just did a quick search in B&H and looks like Pentax is one of the few that doesn't offer a 135mm any more. Canon, Nikon, Sony and many third party manufacturers do, go figure. My mistake.

On of my recurring responses to the "what should Pentax do next" threads is to suggest strong support for a high quality traditional three-lens kit: D FA 28/2.8, D FA 50/1.7, and D FA 135/2.8. No *s, no limiteds, and no f/1.4, just real-world solid performance.


Steve

[pentaxus]

Although there are a few exceptions, most focal lengths are just tradition. People expect something and so they get it.

[micl161]

My spreadsheet shows that I currently have ~151 prime lenses...84 are 50-58mm...and looking at it I realize I haven't added 2 recent 50mm lenses...so 153 and 86...Then there are the 2 40mm, 1 45mm, and 1 48mm...

From 58mm to 85mm just 3 lenses, 2 80mm Retina C and 1 85mm Retina DKL-mount.

Longer than 85mm: 3 90mm, 4 100mm, 1 105mm, 10 135mm, 3 200mm.

Wider than 40mm: 3 24mm, 20 28mm, 12 35mm.

--------------------------------------------------------

I'll keep this and show it to my wife when its needed.

[tvdtvdtvd]

135mm primes where quite common.

These days it looks like a forgotten prime focal length. Always wondered why....

In the early days of digital, when most photogs could only afford ASPC, 135mm, became too long to be convenient as a portrait lens and yet too short as a tele. That coupled with the ever improving performance of zooms
that also cover the range, is likely why dedicated 135mm lenses faded from common use.

[UncleVanya]

In film days 135mm primes where quite common. Almost every important manufacturer offered at least one. It was the portrait lens "with an extra working distance".

These days it looks like a forgotten prime focal length. Always wondered why....


P.S: I just did a quick search in B&H and looks like Pentax is one of the few that doesn't offer a 135mm any more. Canon, Nikon, Sony and many third party manufacturers do, go figure. My mistake.

It is an odd thing. 135 on crop is 200'ish. The 50-135 is a great example of how useful that focal length can be on APSC. On full frame it is used similarly to how it always was and the other camera manufacturers have had FF longer in Digital.

[ChristianRock]

Pentax is the only company that has primes at 55mm, 70mm, 77mm and 85mm... no room for complaints there...