77mm limited or 85mm 1.4 ?

Which one would you buy … for wedding documentation … especially the party and dance moment …

I would use it on my K1 II

I was on the edge of getting the latest 85mm. I chose the FA77 because of price and size/weight (not a pro). The rest, 85mm is just so much better at. The DFA85 is incredible lens and I am still thinking about it, and missed a good used buying opportunity a month ago or so. I find the FA77 to be so-so until about F2.8, then at F4 it starts to shine. Plus the screw drive focus is old and would not want that for more serious wedding shots. The DFA85 is just above and beyond the FA77, technically more advanced and optically superior.

PixelGigant wrote:

Which one would you buy … for wedding documentation … especially the party and dance moment …

I would use it on my K1 II

I have both.

If I have to carry the camera for a long time I will take the 77. It's light. and small. I like the rendering and have shot a ton of portraits with it over the last 15 years.

The 85 has a really hard to define quality it's very good with super smooth transitions from in-focus to out-of-focus (not the same as Bokeh - which is also nice). If there is a criticism of it, the rendition is a bit too perfect and lacks a bit of character. And it is big and heavy, and shoving it in someone's face is more of an intrusion than the 77.

Both have more than enough resolution for any camera made to date, CA isn't a factor with either but it needs less pixel peeping to find it on the 77.

The 85 is also silent. The 77 never seemed loud before but after using the 85 I notice it focusing. The 77 can hunt for focus a little - the 85 just goes there and locks. The AF of the K1 can mean the system locks on to something which isn't the optimum point, and shooting tightly framed shots with either wide open needs concentration.

Best lens in my bag is the 85. But for that situation I'd probably bring the 77.

PixelGigant wrote:

Which one would you buy … for wedding documentation … especially the party and dance moment …

I would use it on my K1 II

I take it you would buy whichever lens for more than one wedding?!  And can/would afford either.

The DFA* 85/f.4 is bigger, heavier, more expensive and produces excellent results.  The FA 77/f1.8 Ltd is cheaper, smaller and produces very good results.

As already noted though the AF on the 77 is not the fastest.  It has a long throw (great for manual focus) so when it hunts it can be an issue especially if you are looking at capturing party/dance.

Personally I have a 77 beacuse, well I already have it, I am not a fan of big lenses and I don't do weddings.  But that's just me.

Doug

SMCTakumar wrote:

I was on the edge of getting the latest 85mm. I chose the FA77 because of price and size/weight (not a pro). The rest, 85mm is just so much better at. The DFA85 is incredible lens and I am still thinking about it, and missed a good used buying opportunity a month ago or so. I find the FA77 to be so-so until about F2.8, then at F4 it starts to shine. Plus the screw drive focus is old and would not want that for more serious wedding shots. The DFA85 is just above and beyond the FA77, technically more advanced and optically superior.

See my other post. What you say is true. The Shallow D.o.F. means using either of them wide open needs care. I tend not to give too much weight to "edges aren't that good at wider than f/2 because - unless it is dark and I'm trying to keep ISO down and shutter speed up - that's for selective focus and I'm not bothered about sharpness at the edge. The 77 is very good and 85 is better. "Much" better is arguable.

The 77 has more character the 85 is more clinical. The 85 AF is more sure, and silent (as near as makes no difference). But it's also a monster to shove in someone's face and to carry. Like I said in the other post, the 85 is the best lens I own, but if I have to carry the camera for a long time I'll take the 77.

I have the 77 and the older FA85 1.4, and between those two, I'd still prefer the FA85 for weddings for the slightly better ability to see in dark venue's (since with auto ap you view wide open regardless of F setting) and better low light AF... and also for the solid optical performance and its super bokeh.

Yes, the FA77 has more character, and I'd choose it EVERY time for street photography, family picnics and other informal occasions where you will do impromptu portraits, and where speed is not an issue. It can really make some super memorable pic's, but is not the all-occasion workhorse that the 85 is in my opinion.

That said, if you are looking at the current new HDFA 85, I can't offer much opinion since I don't own it other than what I have observed, and that is: I would be all over it if I could justify it. That looks like one sweet lens! It appears to have everything I love about my old FA85, and then some! One thing I would love to see is a side by side comparison of all 3 of these lenses, doing landscapes at infinity... I could be wrong but I have a feeling the new HDFA will kick both the old FA's back sides in that particular usage.

TBLF wrote:

I have the 77 and the older FA85 1.4, and between those two, I'd still prefer the FA85 for weddings for the slightly better ability to see in dark venue's (since with auto ap you view wide open regardless of F setting) and better low light AF... and also for the solid optical performance and its super bokeh.

Yes, the FA77 has more character, and I'd choose it EVERY time for street photography, family picnics and other informal occasions where you will do impromptu portraits, and where speed is not an issue. It can really make some super memorable pic's, but is not the all-occasion workhorse that the 85 is in my opinion.

That said, if you are looking at the current new HDFA 85, I can't offer much opinion since I don't own it other than what I have observed, and that is: I would be all over it if I could justify it. That looks like one sweet lens! It appears to have everything I love about my old FA85, and then some! One thing I would love to see is a side by side comparison of all 3 of these lenses, doing landscapes at infinity... I could be wrong but I have a feeling the new HDFA will kick both the old FA's back sides in that particular usage.

Ive taken a couple of shots with the HD 85. It's impressive, especially in the corners.

I have had my copy of the FA77 since 2008, I thought it would be a nice lens to have for casual portraits - spectacular mistake, it quickly became my go-to studio lens.

With manual extension rings the lens also can be used as a very effective close up lens.

Short telephotos historically tend to be pretty decent lenses, I have used the FA77 regularly over the years and have found it to be indispensable for portraiture and commercial product photography. It does have issues with aberrations but in time you will learn the scenarios where they are likely to impact an image and be able to stop down enough to reduce their impact f/5.6 is where the difference between the FA77 and DFA*85mm f/1.4 start become difficult to discern.

Clostermann wrote:

Both FA * 85 f1.4 and DFA are dream lens to me. I had once the opportunity to get the Pentax FA *85 f1.4 and chose a Nikon system instead. Had I know that the FA * 85 would be so difficult to find today would I have chosen diffrently.

I recently got myself a 43 mm, the new HD version and simply love it. When I see the price and the weight of the new Pentax 85 mm I think the 77 mm is maybe a better choice. Smaller, not so heavy and for portrait, too sharp a lens is not always the best choice.

I will first get the 77mm and see after for the DFA 85 mm.

If you love the 43, the 77 is a good choice - I have both, and the DFA* 85 and use all 3 with my K1.

The 85 is better on the test bench, and if I'm working in a studio it's the one I will go, but I'm much more aware of shoving a big lens in someone's face. The 77 is less intrusive

The 77 is one to carry, the 85 won't go in a pocket I go out shoot with it and anything else I need to take a bag with me.

For wedding... 70-200/2.8.
77 or 85 monofocals are good for portraits, but 70-200/2.8 is much more versatile beast for dynamic things like...wedding.

cmpman19741 wrote:

If the 85mm F1.4 drops below $500, I'll consider it.

You can try your luck with Sigma EX DG 85/1.4 on 2nd hand market That might come closer to that price.. and it is very good lens available in K mount too.

Interesting comments, but not convincing enough for me to swap my darling FA 77 Limited, even though it is 23 years old, my subjects will never know!

Printscharming wrote:

Interesting comments, but not convincing enough for me to swap my darling FA 77 Limited, even though it is 23 years old, my subjects will never know!

I've had my 77 since 2008  and won't ever give it up. I also own DFA* 85 - it's also brilliant lens . I admire the 85, but I love the 77.