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09-27-2012, 03:53 PM   #1
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Super nice bokeh lens K30

In your opinions, what lenses would have great bokeh for close to medium portrait shots with the k-30?
Still trying to decide if I should just get the kit 18-55??? Or maybe the Sigma 28mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro? Any thoughts?
THANKS!!!!

09-27-2012, 04:10 PM   #2
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Grab an old takumar like the 50 or 55 1.7. Super cheap, great for portraits. Just use the catch in focus feature
09-27-2012, 04:11 PM   #3
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I have a Revuenon 55mm f1.2 and it has some of the sweatest bokeh i have ever seen

Oh and a quick plug, I happen to have a Sigma 30mm F1.4 for sale that is capable of awesome bokeh as well
09-27-2012, 04:17 PM   #4
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The longer the better- get an 85mm (new or old)!

09-27-2012, 04:33 PM   #5
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DA* 55mm

You didn't really say what price range you'd be willing to commit to, so it's easy for us to offer lenses that might be more than you'd want to spend.
09-27-2012, 04:36 PM   #6
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For portraits I would suggest M or A 50 1.7 and the DA* 55 1.4

Also the M85 f2 Gives awesome results and is one of my favorite lens.
09-27-2012, 04:51 PM   #7
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If you want AF

If you have a little more money to throw around and you want auto focus, but don't have the budget for the premium Sigma 85mm 1.4, then I would vote for either the Sigma 50mm 2.8 Macro or the Tamron 90mm 2.8 Macro.

Both are plenty sharp wide open for portraits. No, they aren't bokeh monsters, but I've never heard anybody complain about the out-of-focus qualities of these lenses. And of course, the macro features of both the Sigma and Tamron come in handy. I own both lenses and they are fantastic.

09-27-2012, 04:56 PM   #8
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135mm are Superb Bokeh.
09-27-2012, 05:11 PM   #9
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Can a good one be found for under $400?
09-27-2012, 05:19 PM   #10
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The M or A 50 1.7 can be had for $30 - $100 Although not an Autofocus lens it delivers amazing IQ and superb bokeh, plus having a k30 you would be able to utilize its focus peaking to achieve awesome portraits.
09-27-2012, 05:26 PM   #11
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Skip on the kit lens, lots of good suggestions.

If you're on a budget and don't mind using manual focus the Samyang/Rokinon/Vivitar 85mm F1.4 looks pretty decent for the cash shooting at ~ F2.8

Flickr examples from it, on APS.C it should have basically no vignetting good sharpness from F1.4 really good from F2.8
http://www.flickr.com/groups/vivitar_85_14/pool/with/7937979604/#photo_7937979604

Last edited by FruitLooPs; 09-27-2012 at 05:53 PM.
09-27-2012, 06:45 PM   #12
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Medium portrait lens with great bokeh? FA 50 f1.4, or f1.7. Or F 50 f1.7, Sigma 50mm f1.4. All of these can be had for $400 or less. Tighter portraits different story, 77mm, 85mm, even D-FA 100 WR macro would do but they cost more.
09-27-2012, 07:42 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by northmole Quote
In your opinions, what lenses would have great bokeh for close to medium portrait shots with the k-30?
Still trying to decide if I should just get the kit 18-55??? Or maybe the Sigma 28mm f/1.8 EX DG Aspherical Macro? Any thoughts?
THANKS!!!!
I bought the WR version of the kit lens with my K-7. I have many other lenses (don't actually know how many at the moment) but the kit lens is useful for general purpose, and the cheapest WR option. I might skip the L version if that's your only package option with the camera, just because the WR version is good to have for its sealing.

For me, 28mm is too wide for portraits - I have to be too close. The Sigma might be an intimidating size to some subjects. I'd agree with other posters that 50-55mm is a good starting point and conveniently has a ton of lenses in every type. You can go with new, old, sealed, SDM, third-party, macro, extremely fast, M42, AF, whatever features you want, there's something there. I like manual focus lenses such as the SMC Pentax 55mm f1.8, a manual focus Sigma 50mm f2.8 macro, or an SMC Pentax-A 50mm f1.4. If I need AF, I have the SMC Pentax-F 50mm f.7. I like 35mm too for closer stuff (SMC Pentax FA 35mm f2.0), but at 35mm you only have a handful of choices.

Buying the kit lens first allows you to try out a lot of these common focal lengths first to see for yourself whether they work. You could set it to say 28 or 35 or 50mm and see how far away your subject is, how much of the person is in the frame, the depth of field, etc. You may eventually go to another lens for better image quality but the kit lens can save you from buying three or four of them to find one that works best for you.
09-27-2012, 07:50 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by kaiserz Quote
The M or A 50 1.7 can be had for $30 - $100 Although not an Autofocus lens it delivers amazing IQ and superb bokeh, plus having a k30 you would be able to utilize its focus peaking to achieve awesome portraits.
If you are doing portraits on a tripod, the live view focus peaking makes it easy to manually focus. There are a lot of good suggestions here, some are out of your price range, and there are many more. There are a lot of resources on this site that can help you, lens reviews, galleries, etc. I would recommend taking a look at this thread:
200+ pages of Bokeh Samples And it you don't already have one, get an EXIF viewer to see the setting used in photos. Good luck!
09-27-2012, 08:49 PM   #15
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Ok- total obvious newbie question, what is the difference between a DA L, D FA , and FA lens? What is most easy to navigate for an idiot ? Also will Samyang/Rokinon/Vivitar 85mm F1.4 or Sigma lenses be compatible with the k-30?
Thanks!
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