DPReview.com is closing April 10th - Find out more

Pentax DA 70mm f/2.4 for portraits-older people

Started Nov 27, 2013 | Questions thread
brecklundin Senior Member • Posts: 1,995
That is because nobody has the HD 70/2.4 yet.

Nick Pisani wrote:

I am interested in the HD Pentax DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited lens for portraits. All the info I can find on this lens says it is good for portaits, Pentax says it has 9 blade diaphragm for "stunning bokeh". I can not find any examples of this "bokeh". And I am especially interesed in photographing older people age 50, 60, & 70, not these smooth faced 20 yr old girls that look good no matter what lens is used! Can anybody give me their input reguiring this lens and maybe some appropiate examples. Thanks!

You are seeing shots from the basically retired DA70/2.4.

http://www.pentaxwebstore.com/product/43755

The new lens is designated HD thanks to new coatings. No clue what is going to happen with that glass just yet. May people love their DA Ltd glass. I'm not a huge fan of the images as rendered by the DA Ltd glass preferring the FA Ltd's rendering. I describe the rendering of the LD Ltd's as clinical/literal rather than creative. And that does not me FA's are better just different. In fact I use the 35ltd all the time. For my money I find shots from the 77ltd and 43ltd far more compelling for portraits when properly executed.

http://www.us.ricoh-imaging.com/camera-lenses/smc_PENTAX_FA_77mm_F1.8_Limited#!product-highlights

Anyway, I can't imagine the HD glass will be worse than the current version but one never knows if there were any design changes affecting rendering/character. If you go ahead and wait for the HD it will leave you with several rather than just two options. Right now you have the DA70ltd vs. the 77ltd (find a used Made in Japan copy or Google to see plenty of comparisons between the various builds of the FA Ltd's.)

Happy hunting!

Post (hide subjects) Posted by
(unknown member)
(unknown member)
Keyboard shortcuts:
FForum PPrevious NNext WNext unread UUpvote SSubscribe RReply QQuote BBookmark MMy threads
Color scheme? Blue / Yellow