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Forum: Post Your Photos!
07-17-2022, 03:20 PM
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I have discovered macro photography doesn’t require travel thus saving gas. I just walk in the backyard and hunt around the flowerbed. This bumblebee stayed in the same spot for sometime while I took several photos. Single shot with diffused flash.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-12-2022, 09:37 AM
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The New HD77 is the one to go.
Rationals the coating is much better preventing flat and low contrast in backlight situations I sold my mij SMC 77 version after shooting side by side with the HD version. The new coating did not solve the purplefringe though 😟
If you are really in to portraiture and are willing to carry around a very heavy lens then you could consider the hd85 but combine it with a K1.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-11-2022, 04:19 PM
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My Zeiss optics bench can't tell the difference between the Pentax FA Limited AIV and MIJ lenses....that buyer was either very special or very stupid and I'm betting on the latter.
Then again, I have seen Leicaphiles display a certain reluctance to buy Canadian made Leica lenses.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 08:05 PM
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I was in the same boat years ago. When I connected everything together, weight trumped all else. I can bring the 77 f1.8 and several other lenses effortlessly. I have been VERY happy with the lens, very snappy (I wanted to shoot children portraits). At the time it was also an APS reason (the focal length of the 85mm seemed a bit long on APS) but I have been happy with the lens on both APS and Full frame. For fun I ultimately also picked up a 85mm f1.8 SMC Takumar and that is a sharp fun lens too.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 05:49 PM
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Number of 77Ltd owners with buyer regret ever in the entire galaxy = 0
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 04:56 AM
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SMC FA 77mm, incredible results from a compact lens. I've spent months using it with K-1, in all sorts of locations and circumstances.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 05:06 AM
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If I didn't already have a DA70, I would prefer FA77 over FA*85.
There just is something special about the compact limited lenses.
More enjoyable to use than larger lenses IMO.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 03:57 AM
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It was tough to part with the FA*85 even after buying the HD version. It wasn't really heavy or huge IMHO, even if it looked a bit beastly next to my FA77. Half the size is in the hood, and using it for indoor stuff or shooting in low light/shadow I wouldn't use the hood anyway. But the results were quite different from the 77 which I never quite made a connection with. The FA85 on the other hand was my all-time favorite lens, at least until the DFA85. TBH I kinda regret selling the older 85, but as you alluded to, I always feared the gears would fail, and really it was far too fine a lens to just have it go unused when other Pentax owners would love having one. It now has a happy home with a local Pentax photographer.
I'd personally rank the new DFA*85 the best performing of the three for people work, with the FA*85 very close behind. At full open both produce a sharp, yet soft glow image, a beautiful render that more often than not needs very little to no PP. Had it not been for a perhaps overblown fear of something failing in the old lens I would have been perfectly content with it, no real advantage to be had from the DFA*85 especially considering the price difference. As for the FA77 it's a fine lens that punches way above its size, but after being spoiled by the 85's it never impressed me in the way it does for others. I've now sold that one too.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 01:08 AM
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 Quote: A Mint MIJ FA 77 can be found for under $500 that for sure has my vote
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 01:08 AM
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Now I have the new DFA 21, I think I will pair this and my SMC 77 on my K3 III and see how I get on. Also in my bag I'll have the DA*300 and 1.4 convertor. A nice fairly light set to wander around.
Tim
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 01:04 AM
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I have the SMC FA 77/1.8, the FA* 85/1.4 and the DFA* 85/1.4
The only one I'm certain I will always keep is the FA77. It may not be quite as amazing as the weighty eighties, but it's easily good enough for my humble needs - while offering compactness, beauty, and joy
The FA*85 is distinctly soft wide open, but pretty good from f/2.0. It does fringe a fair bit though (as does the FA77). 67mm filters are not a game changer. Its AF and is no better than the FA77, but the MF clutch makes up a little for the lack of quick shift.
The DFA*85 is stupidly good, weather proof, silent focussing and has quick shift, but it's also very large and expensive. Go for it if you are shooting weddings or professional portraits, but that's not me.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-10-2022, 12:23 AM
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I prefer new glass, all FA85 will be old and it will be hard to find one in great shape.
77 is a very nice focal length on FF. My non HD draws wonderful images and fits any bag. AF is loud, it is not weather sealed. Love it.
DFA85 is sharp, has silent AF and draws nicely. The lens is big, so big that I often prefer to carry the 77.
On K3 or apsc all these lenses crop the image. The DFA50 on apsc has parameters similar to the 77 on ff. It makes for a great combo with K3.
The DA55 never cut it for me - af performance with K5/olderK3 was no fun.
If you really want 77/85 focal length on apsc, any 77 will be great. Used 77/fa85 are easy to sell without loss.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
07-09-2022, 11:42 PM
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As an owner of the FA*85mm f/1.4* I wanted a portrait lens that was more compact and less imposing on the subject. I bought my copy of the SMCP-FA77mm f/1.8 Limited in 2008 and I have been using it so long the aperture ring and focus ring are brassing - which is a rather fetching look.
I'll also mention I own the FA*85mm f/1.4 and the DFA*85mm f/1.4.
Historically speaking short telephoto lenses tend to be good performers so the FA*85 and the FA77mm f/1.8 are no exception to this rule. Mechanically I have had only one instance with an AF gear cracking with the FA77, but that was quickly replaced. The built in hood on the FA77 is at times a little too short to keep non-image forming light from affecting image quality, and speaking of image quality: Both the FA77 and FA*85 suffer from softer corners at wide apertures and there can be distinct LoCa as well as purple fringing - but all these issues aside: the FA*85 performs well and in particular the FA77 which is a lovely little lens to work with.
Pentax K-1 SMCP-FA 77mm f/1.8 Limited @ f/1.8
The FA77 operates perfectly fine with manual aperture rings, and due to its optimization at close focusing distances it operates as an excellent close up lens.
Pentax K-1 SMCP-FA 77mm f/1.8 Limited @ f/2.8
Pentax K-1 SMCP-FA 77mm f/1.8 Limited @ f/1.8
* I consider the A*85mm f/1.4 to have better build quality and a slightly more neutral image rendering than the FA*85mm f/1.4 - which tends to be warmer. The DFA*85mm f/1.4 strikes a balance somewhere between the two, optically speaking the DFA*85mm f/1.4 is vastly superior to the older FA*85 and FA77 lenses - but at f/8 (the great equalizer) all three lenses are very similar in their rendering.
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Forum: Monthly Photo Contests
03-25-2021, 05:43 PM
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A friend asked if I could take a few family photos. There's a language barrier, I misunderstood. What I thought was going to be a quick pop over to their place ended up being an all-day shoot at multiple locations.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-01-2021, 08:49 AM
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The link from the 1st message works with no problems.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-01-2021, 07:38 AM
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
03-31-2021, 02:15 PM
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Mine would be too except that I am short of funds until the price drops. Until then, I remain quite happy to see a K-mount camera that is supports the flagship features on my K-3 so that I have a replacement option if that camera dies. In the mean time, I will cheer for those that purchase and hopefully laud their creations!
Steve
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Forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive
07-29-2018, 09:07 PM
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My daughter letting me practice shooting portraits with my 50-135 2.8, Sorry I thought these were all from my 50-135 but the last one is from my 50 1.7 manual lens from the 70's.
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Forum: General Talk
02-20-2021, 01:00 PM
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I have the dock for it just in case, but no issues either.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-18-2021, 05:38 PM
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If you plan on getting an MZ-S in the future (great camera) then the aperture ring will come in handy
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-18-2021, 01:32 PM
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No, you need to get rid immediately! Maybe donate it to an impoverished pentaxian who will give it lots of love, ..... A pentaxian like me 😁😁😁😁😁
Hey, It was worth a try :)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-18-2021, 11:28 AM
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I tend not to get rid of anything that works well.......unless you are desperate for the money.
It usually happens that you miss it once it has gone and what you would get for it would less than it would cost to replace it.
Lenses take up very little room so are not difficult to store.
I have learned the hard way!
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
02-18-2021, 10:07 AM
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The Sigma is all you need, especially since you're shooting with a crop body.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-11-2021, 12:03 PM
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I'm sure it will. Let's see if it works out of the box or if there will be a new SDK.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
10-04-2019, 09:54 AM
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This is a portrait I took of my friend.
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