Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

SMC Pentax-A* 1:1.4 85mm first shots
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Oversized Gallery
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 7:30 pm    Post subject: SMC Pentax-A* 1:1.4 85mm first shots Reply with quote
I have this lens on loan for a few weeks, to try it out and to compare it with my own portrait primes. This lens is fairly rare and does not show up every week (unfortunately) but it isn't impossible to find one. It cannot really be compared to its successor, the SMC Pentax-FA* 85mm f/1.4 because that one is optically different. It's said that the A* is more suitable for general shooting, whereas the FA* is optimized for portrait distances.

Obviously, the lens is VERY sharp, even wide open. However, it suffers from some purple fringing (look for instance at the toes of my daughter). I guess that's the cost of designing a *fast* portrait prime. I do now know how it compares to other 85/1.4's in this regard, please post your opinions.

Because this is an A* lens, the f/stop for each shot can be found in the EXIF.

I think I also want one Wink

Enjoy!



1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think you other 85mm lenses has better quality or they are same ? I am unsure , nice portraits as well!


PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
I think you other 85mm lenses has better quality or they are same ? I am unsure , nice portraits as well!


I have yet to see PF in my 80mm f/1.8 Pancolar and 85mm f/1.8 S-M-C Takumar, but the A* is definitely a great lens. I will make some comparison shots, so more on that later...


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Funny looking lens. Looks a bit like the A100/2.8Macro but cut in the middle Laughing


Results are definitly looking what one expects from a A* lens. I don't care too much about the ca's...

The last and 3rd photo have just great natural look.

Cheers
Tobias


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Oh wow! These superfast portrait lenses are just fantastic!


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I also have the feeling that I have seen better using other lenses from you Peter. I might be wrong, maybe because the subjects and light etc were different. Looking forward to seeing a 1:1 comparison that should be more fair ...


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
congrats spot! nice lens
aahh.. it is not yours (for the moment Wink )
great portraits, soft but appropriate


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Unfortunately the lens seems overloaded with purple and green CA
which is a pity because otherwise it renders well.

My Tessar 300 showed the same problem and I returned it. So I'm not of those who don't care and would buy the lens. Just a little CA is one thing, but what I see in pic#2 even at the small size is beyond what would be the threshold of acceptable for me. But of course, everyone has his own view on the subject...


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Beautiful shots!


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Unfortunately the lens seems overloaded with purple and green CA
which is a pity because otherwise it renders well.

My Tessar 300 showed the same problem and I returned it. So I'm not of those who don't care and would buy the lens. Just a little CA is one thing, but what I see in pic#2 even at the small size is beyond what would be the threshold of acceptable for me. But of course, everyone has his own view on the subject...


Absolutely. But the question is this: would other 85/1.4's do better in this situation (direct sunlight shining from behind on the subject)? I do not have first-hand knowledge so I hope that other forum members will chime in...


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Spotmatic wrote:
Orio wrote:
Unfortunately the lens seems overloaded with purple and green CA
which is a pity because otherwise it renders well.

My Tessar 300 showed the same problem and I returned it. So I'm not of those who don't care and would buy the lens. Just a little CA is one thing, but what I see in pic#2 even at the small size is beyond what would be the threshold of acceptable for me. But of course, everyone has his own view on the subject...


Absolutely. But the question is this: would other 85/1.4's do better in this situation (direct sunlight shining from behind on the subject)? I do not have first-hand knowledge so I hope that other forum members will chime in...


I think it is subjective because it depends on how much of CA one think it's acceptable for his pictures.
Only apo lenses like the Voigtlaender 90mm that Chris and Patrick have would produce a near perfect chromatic performance. Normal lenses would all show some CA but the point there is "how much" of CA. You pic #2 shows green/yellow CA in all directions (north east south west) and the purple CA almost so. When this happens it's very difficult to fix in postwork. Another factor is the thickness, the green CA left of the blue glass and above the table's bottom and the purple CA above the knee and right of the fingers are quite thick, to correct them you would have to use a large amount of correction and this almost surely will affect the opposite CA.
The 85-90 mm lenses that I have are not Apo and they all display a little CA in extreme situations, but much less than this.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I must agree with Orio, the CA is very distracting in the backlit pictures especially. I do not recall seeing similar effects from my most desired lens, the Nikkor 85/1.4


patrickh


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks, it would certainly be interesting to see how important the camera is for the CA to show up. I've read that some people got different results for the same lens on different cameras, so it's worth to see if there's some truth in it.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
spot wrote:
Thanks, it would certainly be interesting to see how important the camera is for the CA to show up. I've read that some people got different results for the same lens on different cameras, so it's worth to see if there's some truth in it

I see only CA in #2 and if it is only in extreme light, I consider it a limitation rather than a problem

I can believe that different cameras react differently

My Zeiss 85:1.4 doesn't show CA but sensor bloom in extreme light
It is a problem with digital sensor and not on film

sample wide open at 3200 iso


wide open, a halo appear around light source
normally with the color of the light


but on digital, white halo is transformed to blue; this is what I call sensor bloom
I get the same problem with harsh daylight around white surface
I cannot understand why other lens act normally and show halo in white
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Oversized Gallery
Page 1 of 1