Pentax SMC FA - telephoto lens - 77 mm F/1.8

The Pentax FA77mm is one of the best lenses around. It combines excellent build quality, and a small size to create a world class lens - up with the likes of Zeiss, and Leica lenses. Its has great resolution throughout its aperture range. I have used the lens on an APS-C camera, but not yet a 35mm SLR, though have heard it performs just as well on both. Although wide open the corner resolution isnt fantastic, once stopped down the resolution is high ...
...is beautifully rendered by the 77Ltd, producing smooth backgrounds and excellent areas of shallow depth of field. Colour is vibrant and strong, and there are no odd blue or orange colour casts. Purple fringing sometimes occurs on APS-C digital SLRs, as with most lenses, but only in high contrast situations (Eg. Shooting trees against the light). The one downfall of the lens is, for most people, the price. The lens costs more than most of Pentax's ... more

The Pentax FA77mm is one of the best lenses around. It combines excellent build quality, and a small size to create a world class lens - up with the likes of Zeiss, and Leica lenses. Its has great resolution throughout its aperture range. I have used the lens on an APS-C camera, but not yet a 35mm SLR, though have heard it performs just as well on both. Although wide open the corner resolution isnt fantastic, once stopped down the resolution is high all over the shot. The bokeh (Out of focus areas) is beautifully rendered by the 77Ltd, producing smooth backgrounds and excellent areas of shallow depth of field. Colour is vibrant and strong, and there are no odd blue or orange colour casts. Purple fringing sometimes occurs on APS-C digital SLRs, as with most lenses, but only in high contrast situations (Eg. Shooting trees against the light). The one downfall of the lens is, for most people, the price. The lens costs more than most of Pentax's lineup, though it is worth every penny for the quality you get. 

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