This HD PENTAX-D FA★ 85mm f/1.4 ED SDM AW lens review is a guest post by Stephen Obermeier:
Full Disclosure: First of all many thanks to Pentax, who provided me with this lens exclusively and as Super-Early-Bird, allowing me to do a pre-test – which does not mean that this report is sponsored in any way. I use the Pentax K1 in my daily work as a freelancer, in my advertising agency, mainly commercially for portrait, product, and reportage jobs.
But enough about me – let’s get to the real star of the review, the HD PENTAX-D FA★ 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW. I have to say that I have a preproduction model from Pentax here and that the final model may still differ slightly.
Please don’t expect a scientific treatise here about line pairs, chromatic aberration, bokeh bubbles and the like – I do with lenses and cameras as I do with music – If it doesn’t rock, it doesn’t rock, and if it doesn’t look good, it’s no good.
The first impression after I opened the box was – “OMG – This thing is huge!” – and that’s no exaggeration. I’m a prime-only shooter by nature and I’m used to the FA limited lenses – the big zooms are usually like lead in a cupboard, so an optic with this size takes some getting used to for me.
With a vertical grip and 2 batteries, the combo weighs more than two and a half kilos, which is quite a statement. That, and the size, make inconspicuous working rather difficult – so for Street, a GR3 is more appropriate, which you can easily carry around in the backlight aperture of the 85.
Once you get used to the weight and have gotten rid of the fear of ruining a €2,000 lens that doesn’t belong to you, the camera-lens combination feels really good in your hand. For balance, the vertical grip is a good option. The finish is beyond reproach.
Let’s get to the important things – what comes out in the end! I have been able to test and try a few things in the past few weeks and get used to the handling. Besides the test shots, the lens was also used last week by the North Sea, on the island of Juist. Thanks to Weather Sealing (even in rain and rough coastal winds) this commercial shoot bore very good results.
In fact, the lens did not disappoint, it really impressed.
But from the beginning: I first had to calibrate the 85 – on both K1 it was +3, which led to consistently good results. Shooting with open aperture is a joy, the lens is sharp – from 1.4 on without any limitations. The first thing you notice is the fact that you have to work really accurately. The depth of field is so shallow that you have to be careful where you put your focus, even at a greater subject distance. Here I wish the K1 had an even smaller central focus point – let’s see what the successor brings here. But the moaning takes place on a very high level.
But let’s look at some pictures in detail…
