Pentax M 85mm F2 prime

I find the Pentax M 85mm prime lens is the best Pentax lens I have come across. The colours and clarity in this image were not achieved post processing, the result of a good camera and a great lens. The photo is slightly (and deliberately) under-exposed, which give the rich tones. Enlarge for the best view, hope you enjoy.

Just shows that Pentax can make excellent lenses when they wish too. A friend also owns a Pentax 85mm lens, though in his case it is the older manual focus 85 f1.8 ed, and it is as good as some Leica lenses I've shot. Of course, it is also very expensive and, anymore, impossible to find, so I'm glad the new 85 f2 seems just as good.

mike earussi said:

Of course, it is also very expensive and, anymore, impossible to find, so I'm glad the new 85 f2 seems just as good.

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The M 85/2 is about a 30 years old lens.

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Mikko

Very nice colours

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Click Here:

Very nice image, especially the color rendition. To my knowledge, the M 85 f2 was intended as a portrait lens and as such it tends to be softer towards the edges. It renders colors exceptionally well including skin color. I have this lens but have not used it much for portrates since going digital as I find the focal length a bit long with the 1.5 multiplier effect. Perhaps I should use it for landscapes.
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JOS
http://www.pbase.com/power3

ha !
this is interesting

recently, i have been considering some lens in the 100mm range. i think i have become settled on trying this 85/2 if i can find one..

i like that it is such a small lens
http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/short-tele/M85f2.html

i have searched through this forum for information even back to a post in a 2003 thread called "the \*ist mount - the sad truth :^(" --whew

here might be a good place to list some things i have found:

other sites, comments indicate it may perform better than this:
http://www.takinami.com/yoshihiko/photo/lens_test/pentax_tele.html

http://www (.)pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/57623-vintage-pentax-short-tele-shootout.html

http://www.arnoldstark.de/pentax/aufloesung85er.htm

http://www.cetussoft.com/pentax/85compar/

click on 85mm f/2.0 M in the left pane for short comments. there is also a link in the main reading frame to longer comments
http://stans-photography.info/

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The M 85 f/2 is my favorite manual-focus lens on two mounts. I think it compares favorably to my 77 Limited, and is superior to my Nikon 85 1.8 AF-D. I use it for everything from landscape to portrait to flora to street candids.

On pentaxforms, there's a 16 year-old kid who goes by the handle Yeatzie who's taken up MF of late, and he's getting incredible results from this lens - check out the M-Club! thread if you haven't already seen it:

---> http://www pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/27739-m-club.html

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moving_comfort said:

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The M 85 f/2 is my favorite manual-focus lens on two mounts. I think it compares favorably to my 77 Limited, and is superior to my Nikon 85 1.8 AF-D. I use it for everything from landscape to portrait to flora to street candids.

On pentaxforms, there's a 16 year-old kid who goes by the handle Yeatzie who's taken up MF of late, and he's getting incredible results from this lens - check out the M-Club! thread if you haven't already seen it:

---> http://www pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/27739-m-club.html

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I thought he was an old timer! I remember Yeatzee's pictures from that Forum. Good stuff.

Yes, I'd recommend using with the digital camera, the 1.5 gives it a different opportunity over a portrait lens for which it was designed.

Nice pic. I am looking for a prime for my K-x and from the looks of this pic, this lens is definately on my short list.
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Jim

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The M 85 f/2 is one lens that emerged from the film era with a so-so rep - I completely disagree with that rep. At least on the digital bodies I've used it on, if you can nail focus at 85mm and f/2 - it's brilliant. Only downside is a blue/purple fringe in high-backlit situations at higher apertures, a CA problem shared by other large-aperture telephotos, like the Canon and Nikon 85's.

Here's the M's central sharpness wide-open:

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Crop
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the OOF transitions and general bokeh is pretty good (f/2)

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I seem to be able to focus it quickly and accurately - good feel to it, precise throw. Seems to work well with My K20D, even without using trap focus.

Here I was able to 'catch' a sneeze at f/2 or f/2.8 (crop)

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This is f/2.8 (crop)



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It renders more like the FA Limited than the DA - more subtle contrast, nice color retained without losing any of the tonal range, a 'film look' to a lot of the images:

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I find it very "3-D", and is a very flattering lens for portraits. Well worth the $200-250 range for such a small, superb 85mm on K-mount.

And of course, with the green button and in-body SR, it's a heck of a lot of fun - and pretty easy - to shoot.

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Super photos, thanks for sharing

Sorry for brining up an old thread but i have the chance to get one of these for about £100, or i could grab a samyang 85mm f1.4 for £250ish... would it be worth getting the 85mm f2 if i already have the 50-135 DA*? or grab the samyang?

I heard the close focus on the 85 f2 is really good.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/31735225@N02/

Wow. The sharpness and transitions wide open on the child's face are great.

Beautiful pictures.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/12029655@N02/

Meuh said:

Sorry for brining up an old thread but i have the chance to get one of these for about £100, or i could grab a samyang 85mm f1.4 for £250ish... would it be worth getting the 85mm f2 if i already have the 50-135 DA*? or grab the samyang?

I heard the close focus on the 85 f2 is really good.

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I'd get the M85 f/2, as long as it's in good shape. It's a stop slower than the Samyang, but it's smaller and I suspect it's built better.

I actually owned the Vivitar 85 1.4 for a couple days (same lens as the Samyang, different label,) but it had a sticky aperture so I sent it back.

But I love M's, I'm biased.

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Cool , also have you used a m 40 pancake? i can pick one of them up too..
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/31735225@N02/

MC:

Ya know it won't be long before the most photographed leetle one online starts showing up with his agent and looking for compensation...you know, an allowance!! hehehehe...as always super shots!

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Real men shoot Pentax because we were born with our own Canons!!
{Ok...ok, some of use just shoot with a PnS but it always makes me happy! }

Beligerent commenters are just afflicted with SFmS (Stud Field Mouse Syndrome)

Meuh said:

Cool , also have you used a m 40 pancake? i can pick one of them up too..
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/31735225@N02/

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No, I've never even seen one in person. An interesting little lens, might be nice to pick up just because of it's rarity.

brecklundin said:

MC:

Ya know it won't be long before the most photographed leetle one online starts showing up with his agent and looking for compensation...you know, an allowance!! hehehehe...as always super shots!

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Real men shoot Pentax because we were born with our own Canons!!
{Ok...ok, some of use just shoot with a PnS but it always makes me happy! }

Beligerent commenters are just afflicted with SFmS (Stud Field Mouse Syndrome)

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He's already getting tired of that Papa -razzi (me)



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vdubreeze said:

Wow. The sharpness and transitions wide open on the child's face are great.

Beautiful pictures.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/12029655@N02/

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Thx - really, it's like the 77, point it at anything and it makes you look good.