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10-16-2017, 09:41 PM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by pakinjapan Quote
FA43
I picked up a 43mm a few months ago and since then my 50mm & 35mm primes haven't gotten any use.

10-16-2017, 10:04 PM - 1 Like   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by RoccoStiglitz Quote
I picked up a 43mm a few months ago and since then my 50mm & 35mm primes haven't gotten any use.
Then your 50 and 35 aren't good enough

Seriously though, the FA43 is a polarising lens, and I remain ambivalent. I keep my copy only to complete my silver MIJ Three Amigo set. My Sigma Art 35/1.4 and DA*55 (and to a lesser extent my A50/1.2) get a lot more love.
10-16-2017, 10:10 PM   #18
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Reiterating the sentiment posted above: start with the DFA 28-105 and build.

The 70-200 is a magic lens, but very big and heavy, making it not ideal for when you don't want to be noticed.

Personally, I haven't bothered with the 24-70. For me, a great all-round kit would be the 28-105 plus a wide angle option (I love the 15-30) plus a fast prime. The FA 77 would be perfect for portraits on FF.
10-16-2017, 10:15 PM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by josepheller Quote
Hi all, been reading and using the many resources on this site for some time now as my wife and I did our research and finally settled on a camera for her (feels more like I will be the one doing most of the work though ). We are both novices to serious photography and DSLR cameras, but decided to take the plunge as we both have an interest and with the arrival of our first child cell phone photos would no longer do. Anyhow, the camera is arriving tomorrow and we have no lenses for it. My first order of business is to get a good portrait lens and then build out the collection (the 24-70 and 70-200 probably next up, though I have read that the kit 28-105 is a really good all around lens). With that said I have narrowed the portrait lens search to the following options (as I currently rank them), but thought I'd check with the experts before settling on a specific one:

1. SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.4: SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.4 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

2. SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7: SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7 Reviews - FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

3. SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8: SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Let me know if you think these are good options or if there are other/better ones out there that I should be considering.

Other than that I am wide-open to hearing thoughts on other lenses we should consider (for portraits and other modes of photography), or philosophies on building a lens collection (primes v zoom, pentax v third party, D FA v DA/F/FA/etc). To give a bit of background and context on how the camera will be used: mostly portraits, family photos and events. But we do like to travel so street, city and some action photography will occur from time to time (hence my thinking that the 28-105 D FA lens may be a good and versatile all around option). I understand there's not a one size fits guide to building a lens collection, but I want to learn from the folks that have been there and done that to avoid any common pitfalls along the way

Thanks for your help. I look forward to learning from you all, and hopefully (with time) contributing to the community as well.
I would start with the FA 50mm F1.4 for now, as it's available new with warranty, and is affordable.

Then, once the D FA* 50mm and D FA* 85mm are released (hopefully by the end of the year), you can upgrade and select the focal length you prefer. These will both be high-performance lenses, and I'm personally quite excited for them.

If you want to stick to primes most of the time, I'd get the 28-105mm for now, and then add one of the aforementioned primes later.

The D FA* 70-200mm is of course an amazing lens, but it's also heavy, hence I'd favor the 85mm for portraits.


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10-16-2017, 10:28 PM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
Then, once the D FA* 50mm and D FA* 85mm are released (hopefully by the end of the year), ...
Which year was that Adam? There's not much of this one left, and it's been very quiet in Pentax-land.
10-16-2017, 10:49 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
Which year was that Adam? There's not much of this one left, and it's been very quiet in Pentax-land.
Not much left, but it's certainly not over yet!

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10-16-2017, 11:11 PM   #22
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Don't be afraid of the Samyang/Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 for your dedicated portrait lens! It's MF but auto-everything else. And it can be had on the secondhand market at ~$199.

10-16-2017, 11:12 PM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
It's been very quiet in Pentax-land.
The calm before the storm?
10-16-2017, 11:15 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sandy Hancock Quote
Then your 50 and 35 aren't good enough.
That's part of it. I picked them (M 50 1.4 & FA 35 2.0) up to have something smaller than the 24-70 for street use but after awhile of being disappointed by the results compared to that lens they got less and less use until I got the 43mm when I took them out of my kit altogether. Results from the 50 shot wider than 2.8 just don't look appealing to me and at that point the 24-70 preforms better in every way. The FA35 feels sterile and I always find myself looking to fit juuusst a bit more in to the frame when I'm using any 35mm (the first camera I cut my teeth on had a 28mm that I learned to love so that's just personal preference really). The 43mm may not be terribly sharp but the bokeh and colors are lovely and I find the field of view to be very versatile for a walk-around city lens.
10-16-2017, 11:44 PM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by josepheller Quote
mostly portraits, family photos and events. But we do like to travel so street, city and some action photography will occur from time to time
Sounds to me a 'wider' portrait lens is what you'd want first. Especially with a child, you can't stray too far & probably you'll want more people in the frame.
and for travel/city, imo, you don't want heavy lenses.
10-17-2017, 01:39 AM   #26
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The FA 50mm F1.4 is a great classic lens with a design going back to the sixties. It works very well for portraiture on a crop sensor. On full frame it is a standard lens. it can be used for portraiture but don't get in too close to avoid perspective distortion. The FA 1.7 and the DA 1.8 have the same basic lens design, but the DA has more modern coatings, so its rendering also is more modern and contrasty when shot wide open.
10-17-2017, 03:25 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by josepheller Quote
Hi all, been reading and using the many resources on this site for some time now as my wife and I did our research and finally settled on a camera for her (feels more like I will be the one doing most of the work though ). We are both novices to serious photography and DSLR cameras, but decided to take the plunge as we both have an interest and with the arrival of our first child cell phone photos would no longer do. Anyhow, the camera is arriving tomorrow and we have no lenses for it. My first order of business is to get a good portrait lens . . .

Thanks for your help. I look forward to learning from you all, and hopefully (with time) contributing to the community as well.
I suggest that the OP look at this thread or similar threads to see what people have gotten using certain lenses when taking protraits

No rembrandt-Show us your portrait shot-people close-ups,head shots - Page 109 - PentaxForums.com

some of the photos id the camera and lenses used. some you can click on the photo and it leads to where you can get more info

this post shows it was taken with a K 1 and Pentax-FA 85mm f 1.4

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/26-mini-challenges-games-photo-stories/1...ml#post4048024

and here is one with K-1 & FA*200/2.8

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/26-mini-challenges-games-photo-stories/1...ml#post4044541

Last edited by aslyfox; 10-17-2017 at 03:32 AM.
10-17-2017, 04:22 AM   #28
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If this is your first DSLR, spend time learning about photography. Read Understanding Exposure by Bryan Petersen. Or take a class. Otherwise you are probably better off with a point and shoot. This is much more important than buying lenses.
10-17-2017, 04:24 AM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kozlok Quote
If this is your first DSLR, spend time learning about photography. Read Understanding Exposure by Bryan Petersen. Or take a class. Otherwise you are probably better off with a point and shoot. This is much more important than buying lenses.
good advice

but I still think they need at least one lens

the OP did say they were getting the camera but had no lenses to go with it.

10-17-2017, 04:24 AM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sandy Hancock Quote
Then your 50 and 35 aren't good enough

Seriously though, the FA43 is a polarising lens, and I remain ambivalent. I keep my copy only to complete my silver MIJ Three Amigo set. My Sigma Art 35/1.4 and DA*55 (and to a lesser extent my A50/1.2) get a lot more love.
My 43 takes my breath away. I'm feeling ambivalent about the 31.
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