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Pentax Lens Review Database » Pentax 645 Medium Format Lenses » 645 Normal Primes
SMC Pentax-FA 645 75mm F2.8 Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax-FA 645 75mm F2.8

Sharpness 
 9.7
Aberrations 
 9.3
Bokeh 
 9.0
Handling 
 9.3
Value 
 9.6
Reviews Views Date of last review
13 87,206 Sun October 27, 2019
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $270.50 9.42
SMC Pentax-FA 645 75mm F2.8
supersize


Description:

Autofocus normal lens, with a field of view in the 645 film format corresponding to a 50mm lens in the 24x36mm format. In the 645 digital format the field of view is like a (very) short telephoto lens.
 


smc Pentax-FA 645 75mm F2.8
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
645 film
Lens Mount
Pentax 645
Aperture Ring
Yes (A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 8 blades
Optics
6 elements, 5 groups
Mount Variant
645 AF
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F2.8
Min. Aperture
F22
Focusing
AF (screwdrive)
Quick-shift
No
Min. Focus
60 cm
Max. Magnification
0.18x
Filter Size
58 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

645 Digital: 40 ° / 33 °
645 Film: 50 ° / 41 °
Hood
RH-A 58mm screw-in
Case
S80-80
Lens Cap
Plastic clip-on
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
AF/MF Switch
Diam x Length
74.5 x 37.5 mm (2.9 x 1.5 in.)
Weight
215 g (w/o attachments) (7.6 oz.)
Production Years
(in production)
Pricing
$699 USD current price
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX-FA 645 1:2.8 75mm
Product Code
26121
Reviews
User reviews

Features:
Screwdrive AutofocusAperture RingAutomatic ApertureMedium-Format SupportAdapter needed for DSLRs
Purchase: Buy the SMC Pentax-FA 645 75mm F2.8
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax-FA 645 75mm F2.8 Buy the SMC Pentax-FA 645 75mm F2.8
Author:
Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-13 of 13
Junior Member

Registered: August, 2019
Posts: 25

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: October 27, 2019 Recommended | Rating: N/A 

 
Pros:
Cons:








































   
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   

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   

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   

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: 4,460

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: 10,852

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)   

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   

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   

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   

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: 632
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: 4,371
Review Date: March 20, 2008 Recommended | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Cheap. Lightweight
Cons: Plasticky built
Camera Used: 645N & 645NII   

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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