| Author: | | Junior Member Registered: August, 2019 Posts: 25
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 27, 2019 | Recommended
| Rating: N/A |
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 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2017 Posts: 5 | | Review Date: September 1, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Light weight and small size | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: 645D
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The lens is light in weight and compact. Actually, it's quite ease to handle for a beginner as 645 format. The broken, well, when we always compare with Mamiya 80/1.9, it may not the best however it provide a good focus length and sharp photo performance. The focusing speed is good enough when I compare with Mamiya 645 AF.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: July, 2017 Posts: 51
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 7, 2017 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, light weight, small size | | Cons: | M/A switch is a bit awkward | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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This is the lens which was included with my 645z. It's hard to find much to fault.
Based on only one copy on one body, I find the lens very sharp from wide open.
The size and weight of this lens are hardly noticeable once on the body. In this case no Auto Focus fine tuning was required. Combined with the extremely low cost I could recommend that everyone look into this one.
While the plastic lens body is not as nice as some of the more expensive lenses, it appears to be sufficiently durable and I would not consider it a drawback.
Personally, I dislike the design of the M/A switch, but as I have virtually zero occasion to use it it hardly matters.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2016 Location: Paris Posts: 124
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 30, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $600.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | compact, sharp, built | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: 645D , 645NII
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Had this lens for quite some time on a Pentax 645NII and a Pentax 645D .
Years ago, the duo 645NII + FA 75mm made me forget about my whole Hasselblad system on 120 film.
On digital, the duo 645D + FA 75mm made me forget about the duo 645D+ DFA 55mm.
I tried and tried to get accustomed to the DFA 55, but the FA 75mm still has something more.
The DFA 55 is certainly a great performer, but the FA 75 is simply better for me in any situation.
This lens is such a great performer that i never ever felt the need to have another lens on the 645 system.
As a digital 645 user, this lens provides me everything i need for now.
But as a film user, for portait work, i now prefer using the mamiya sekkor 80mm f1.9. But for the rest, the FA 75mm 2.8 outshines the Mamiya.
On second hand market this FA 75mm is cheap. Grab the 1st one you can see , you won't be dissapointed.
| | | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: March, 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Posts: 4,440
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 1, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Versatile length and sharp. | | Cons: | AF/MF switch a little hard to use without looking. | |
The FA 75, as is true for just about any normal lens, is good for lots of situations but obviously not wide or long enough for everything. As it's my first AF lens on a medium format camera I've been enjoying it's AF speed greatly! My only thought on it is that the switch for AF/MF is hard to locate and use without looking. That's a small gripe but ... that's what I've observed. It's a keeper and I hope will give me many years of service.
Here is one shot from it I really like.
645130402-2 by blackcloudbrew, on Flickr
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,541
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 16, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small size, smooth focus, sharp | | Cons: | Relatively flimsy build | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 9
Camera Used: 645 (original)
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When it comes to standard lenses for a 645 system, there are very few options. I believe there is a Zeiss 75/2.8 out there somewhere that can be used on a P645.
I've used this lens only on a Pentax 645 camera. I may in the future buy an adapter to be able to use it on my DSLR and 35mm film SLRs, but it seems a little pointless to use such a large lens on these smaller formats. As far as DoF is concerned, it is the equivalent of a 50mm f/1.8 lens, but performs better wide open than any 50/1.8.
The lens is nice to use, focusing is very smooth and the aperture clicks nicely. The lens is a flimsy compared to the A version though, in common with 35mm lenses. I have replaced it with the A version as my camera doesn't have AF anyway, and it's sturdier and every bit as pleasant to use.
I should state that my assessment of this lens is limited by the resolving abilities of my Epson V500 film scanner, which is far from being the sharpest scanner around. Still, for my uses it is usually sufficient (at least for medium format). Bearing in mind this limitation, the lens seems sharp, and I often use it wide open without hesitation, to get the shallow DoF I like.
Colour and contrast are very good indeed.
Aside from the build quality, the only downside to this lens is that the bokeh is often not very smooth.
I have been very happy indeed with the results so far from my 645 system, though the weak point (apart from the photographer) is clearly the scanner. This lens, though now replaced with the A version which I expect to work equally well, has been used 95% of the time and has given me some shots that I really love. I have added some below.
If I do get an adapter to try this lens on digital and 35mm, I will update the review.
Sample images:
Fuentesauco 003a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Fuentesauco 001a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Bilbao Portra 400 645 001a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Fuji 160NS 645 025a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Fuji 160NS 645 027a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Portra 160 645 006a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2011 Posts: 22
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 27, 2011 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Small, light, tack sharp, and wonderfully smooth focus. | | Cons: | Nothing significant. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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This is an all-around great piece of glass. You really couldn't do much better for an everyday, walk-around lens. My ONLY complaint would be that it makes 8-pointed sunstars, which aren't the most pleasing...but this is much more of an aesthetic choice than it is an issue with the lens. After shooting with it for the better part of a year, I'm extremely happy.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2010 Location: Hamburg Posts: 267
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 4, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | light, sharp, nice bokeh, fast | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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This is a nice lens I bought instead of the 55mm that could have come with the 645D if I had bought the kit. I use it for street photography when I don't want to carry around too much.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: November, 2009 Posts: 29
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 8, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $225.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp, small, inexpensive | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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This lens is so inexpensive and convenient, it should not be overlooked. I regularly use it on the 645D body, both in manual and auto-focus.
I added a small metal lens hood (with snap on cap) that I leave permanently attached to the lens. This lens can also double as a macro lens if a well designed screw on lens is used (like a Hoya PRO1 multi-element close-up filter or one of the hard to find Pentax versions).
Wide open, it has slightly soft corners, but using it at f5.6 to f8, it is wonderfully sharp across the whole frame.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2007 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 336
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 20, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | light, very good IQ, autofocus | | Cons: | build quality not as serious as 645 A series. other than that, can't think of any | |
I love this lens. Lighter than most other 645 lenses, it makes for a pretty sweet 35mm-like package for walking around with. The AF capability allowed me to get shots I wouldn't otherwise capture. I love this lens.
All of my Shots from This Lens
I've included some of my favorites from this lens below:
Long exposure, f8 . Velvia 100 slide film:
Wide open f2.8. handheld (1/45s) - pretty sharp and sweet. Might not get this one without AF. Also Velvia 100 :
f5.6 handheld. Velvia 100 film :
f11 handheld. Expired NPZ800 film :
f8 handheld. Also NPZ800 :
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2008 Location: Washington DC, USA Posts: 631 | | Review Date: May 15, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small, light, sharp. | | Cons: | Construction does not feel as solid as A series. No rigid lens hood. | |
This is a sharp lens with good build quality, but not as good as some of the shorter focal length A series. Manual focus feels to loose (has been in to Pentax for overhaul). Sharp lens though.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: December, 2007 Location: Norway Posts: 4,369 | | Review Date: March 20, 2008 | Recommended
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Cheap. Lightweight | | Cons: | Plasticky built | | Camera Used: 645N & 645NII
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A cheap lens with good optical performance. Improves from stopping down.
It is made of plastic and feels cheap. The lens is quite solid though.
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: January, 2007 Location: Hawaii Posts: 612 | | Review Date: May 14, 2007 | Recommended | Price: $189.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp and cheap | | Cons: | none really | |
Wonderful lens and very sharp. Works very well with my 645N. Got is from KEH t the EX rating, and as usual, EX is very very clean.
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