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Just saw this, if anybody is interested. I have no affiliation with the seller.

RARE!! EXCELLENT!! PENTAX FA*85mm F1.4 [IF] A+++++ | eBay

[KX-Digital]

Just saw this, if anybody is interested. I have no affiliation with the seller.

RARE!! EXCELLENT!! PENTAX FA*85mm F1.4 [IF] A+++++ | eBay

Thanks for the alert.

This lens (or actually the A*) was on my wishlist in the '90s and early '00s. When in 2001, i first went on vacation after getting a job, i doubted on purchasing it to bring along next to 24, 35-105 and 200 for evening shots. Reasoning there might not always be time enough to change from wide-angle to zoom and vise-versa i chose for the Tokina AT-X 2.8 28-80. The lens that i should have bought then was a 35/2.0 but eBay wasn't that common and the 35 was not in the Pentax Catalogus then.

Although the AT-X is in many respects a great lens, in handling it is beaten by the 35-105 due to its weight and size, especially the filter-diameter.

In 2003 i met my wife and priorities changed. Then in 2009 i bought the K200d and went digital. Now for digital the field-of-view is totally different. As a result this focal length doesn't appeal anymore. This might be different for those who have K1 though. For myself, even though i am returning to film (especially slidefilm) i will not likely put it on my wishlist again. The lenses that i value are 24mm, 35mm, a fast 60mm (or 55), a 105 and a 200. Anything with a filter-size of 77 or 72 is out of the question too.

As for those that are interested, i assume they haven been checking eBay themselves.

[curto]

Just saw this, if anybody is interested. I have no affiliation with the seller.

RARE!! EXCELLENT!! PENTAX FA*85mm F1.4 [IF] A+++++ | eBay

I’m currently selling one for less 🙂

[Unregistered User 8]

I’m currently selling one for less 🙂

Good luck with your sale.

[LeRolls]

Paid about $1000 for mine well over a year ago. Totally worth every penny!

[BruceBanner]

Paid about $1000 for mine well over a year ago. Totally worth every penny!

Did you ever try the Sigma Art 85mm 1.4? I'm a bit slow off the bat realising this was even an option. I gather it's quite a bit cheaper?

[LeRolls]

Did you ever try the Sigma Art 85mm 1.4? I'm a bit slow off the bat realising this was even an option. I gather it's quite a bit cheaper?

Not really a fan of Sigma glass plus I'm pretty sure it is not much cheaper maybe $100 also don't like the bokeh much. I have multiple friends who have owned Sigma art lenses (mostly Nikon shooters). They always complain of unreliable focusing. The only other 85mm lenses whose output I like are from Canon. The 1.8 (which my brother has), the 1.4, and of course the awesome 1.2 which one of my friends has. I have heard good things about the Sony 85mm 1.8 though.

[BruceBanner]

Not really a fan of Sigma glass plus I'm pretty sure it is not much cheaper maybe $100 also don't like the bokeh much. I have multiple friends who have owned Sigma art lenses (mostly Nikon shooters). They always complain of unreliable focusing. The only other 85mm lenses whose output I like are from Canon. The 1.8 (which my brother has), the 1.4, and of course the awesome 1.2 which one of my friends has. I have heard good things about the Sony 85mm 1.8 though.

Thanks for the info. I soon realised after posting the 85mm was discontinued (I just figured seeing as the Sigma 35mm 1/4 arts was still around to buy then so would the 85mm... silly me )

I think it maybe the Samyang MF only for this guy, toss up between 135/2 or 85/1.4, I guess I should be ok with flash use if using Cactus V6ii triggers (the vello cord and MF is not gonna work at all...).

[LeRolls]

Thanks for the info. I soon realised after posting the 85mm was discontinued (I just figured seeing as the Sigma 35mm 1/4 arts was still around to buy then so would the 85mm... silly me )

I think it maybe the Samyang MF only for this guy, toss up between 135/2 or 85/1.4, I guess I should be ok with flash use if using Cactus V6ii triggers (the vello cord and MF is not gonna work at all...).

I used to own the Rokinon 85mm which is the same as the Samyang. Good lens especially for the price but I ended up selling it after getting the 77mm. I think they are starting to make some AF lenses now.

[BruceBanner]

I used to own the Rokinon 85mm which is the same as the Samyang. Good lens especially for the price but I ended up selling it after getting the 77mm. I think they are starting to make some AF lenses now.

Being familiar with your work, how did you find the MF of the Rokinon, like... in your workflow was it a major hindrance or something you got better at? Was using it a frustrating experience, was missing AF that painful an experience?

[zbrueningsen]

I loved the Rokinon 85 1.4. I accept what it was for and what it was good at. My copy was accurate focus, and produced very stunning portraits. The reality of that lens: it is an extremely good optic without great coatings and isn't really smooth manual focus. Overall, it is a terrific product for portraits. The Pentax one has the A so it has auto aperture, which is good for manual lenses. Compared to the FA 77 (I've not used the FA 85), the FA 77 does everything better, weight, quality of lens, AF, looks, flare resistance, but I believe the Rok 85 holds it own for portrait quality. If all you care about is quality of optics, and you don't care about weight, size, looks, or smoothness of focus (it wasn't bad, just not great) then the Rok 85 is a thumbs up all the way.

[BruceBanner]

I loved the Rokinon 85 1.4. I accept what it was for and what it was good at. My copy was accurate focus, and produced very stunning portraits. The reality of that lens: it is an extremely good optic without great coatings and isn't really smooth manual focus. Overall, it is a terrific product for portraits. The Pentax one has the A so it has auto aperture, which is good for manual lenses. Compared to the FA 77 (I've not used the FA 85), the FA 77 does everything better, weight, quality of lens, AF, looks, flare resistance, but I believe the Rok 85 holds it own for portrait quality. If all you care about is quality of optics, and you don't care about weight, size, looks, or smoothness of focus (it wasn't bad, just not great) then the Rok 85 is a thumbs up all the way.

Good feedback thanks. I really am after something very special for Portrait work, but I fear spending upwards of $1k for that experience (for a man of my limited cashflow) is perhaps a mistake. I do believe the 85mm/1.4 is what I'm after (135mm/2 if I had the physical space and not constrained), it's simply down to whether I can live without AF, it seems for the lens to carry that sole feature... it's 4-5x the price!

Watch this;

You Tube

You Tube

The shots he takes with the Rokinon, IQ wise it looks spot on, where he gets it wrong is always focusing issues. I suspect he's not overly experienced in doing MF, nor is he using any of the aids suggested here. You can only get better with it... not worse.

[zbrueningsen]

I've used the Auto Tak 85 1.8, the SMC Tak 85 1.9, SMC Tak 85 1.8, SMC K85 1.8, SMC M85 2 - And all of them have terrific focus smoothness. However, the Rok 85 held its own to all of them in portrait quality. Pick one up used for like $180 and if you don't like it, turn and sell it like you just rented it. I feel like image quality is at least as good as all of these. (they all have their strengths though).

[LeRolls]

For me and my workflow I definitely prefer to have AF. That being said if you are a patient person (as well as a patient subject) and use focus peaking then you can get really nice results with the Rokinon. The only reason for me to ever use MF again is maybe for a helios lens to get that crazy bokeh!

[BruceBanner]

For me and my workflow I definitely prefer to have AF. That being said if you are a patient person (as well as a patient subject) and use focus peaking then you can get really nice results with the Rokinon. The only reason for me to ever use MF again is maybe for a helios lens to get that crazy bokeh!

I think I too would prefer AF, but on a 85mm or 135mm I just don't have those funds :'(

Speaking of the 135mm/2, did you ever try that at one time? I'm really torn between the 135mm and 85mm now...

The remainder of this month (or more) I am using only MF for every lens, as a challenge to see if I think I could shoot a lot with an 85 or 135 if it came down to it.