Originally posted by PKMike Thanks Uncle Vanya for the comment. My eyes are not what they used to be but still manage to focus manual with correct diopter setting. Auto focus is certainly easier for me. A while back I debated between DA70 and FA77. Bought the DA70 but no comparison to A*85. I kept it for its compact size and auto focus. Now I'm considering that FA77 might be the best of both worlds. I also ponder FA*85. From the images I've seen I like FA* and A* best. Suppose I'll never know for sure unless I own and use them all. Thais is an expensive game! Tell me though if you would, do you feel that the images from the FA77 are as pleasing to you as the A*85 were?
I too have a DA 70 - actually it's my Dad's or mine I forget since we share a pool of lenses these days - LOL. But I find it hard to fault. The rendering of the DA 70 is quite lovely but the bokeh at f/2.4 is not as subject isolating as what you can get from the A* 85 at f/1.4, or 2. The distance from the subject is a bit shorter but I like that usually and the focal length on crop is akin to the old Nikor 105. The FA 77 meanwhile is slightly tighter with an equivalent field of view to a roughly 115mm lens. The FA 77 shares nearly the same configuration of elements as the A* 85 and has a similar sharpness from the start. According to articles I have read, the FA* 85 has a totally different arrangement of lenses, and has a softer look than the A* 85 or the FA 77 at close distances and wide open. But I have no experience with the FA*. LeRolls on the forums is using an FA* - a recent acquisition - and has been a long time FA 77 user. You should reach out to him for his thoughts. He likes it even better than the FA 77. For me once you reach the limited, or * series the differences become so minor as to be trivial compared to lighting and subject placement.