July 6, 2009

FA 77mm f/1.8

I was rummaging around some equipment drawers at work last week and came across this FA 77 lens which we'd used for media and PR opportunities. The FA 31 is without a doubt my favorite piece of Pentax glass, and a lens I am very familiar with. Since it's been several years since I shot with the FA 77, I decided to borrow this "silver" sample to see how it renders light with the new K-7.


I didn't have much time over the weekend to test this lens, but I brought it along with me when we went to our local farmer's market on Sunday to pick up some vegetables for a family get together.


(Note: All FA 77 images shot at ISO 400 in RAW in AV mode and processed by CS4 into JPEG's for uploading here at Blogger. Click on any thumbnail to view a larger file. All images as shot with no cropping. Photo of the K-7 with FA 77 was shot with a K20D and DA*55)
















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14 comments:

  1. lawson.stone6:45 AM

    This just makes me more eager to hear from the Pentax webstore...so far my card hasn't been charged so I assume no shipment yet…can't wait to try the FA 77mm Ltd on my new K-7...later this week?

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  2. Kevin Halliburton8:52 AM

    The 77 is the current lens at the top of my want list. I'm thinking that's probably not the strap that's currently shipping with the K-7 is it? You've got a bit of a thing for nostalgia and heritage don't you? :-)

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  3. Alexander E.11:34 AM

    Looks very nice :) My favorite lens is the DA* 50-135mm. I don't have any LE lenses or FA*, but the 50-135mm of DA* is amazing :)

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  4. Chainsaw4:08 PM

    Instead of just sticking it back in the drawer when you're done Ned, just send it along to me. I'll never be able to afford one otherwise! :(

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  5. Unknown7:29 PM

    I've noticed current supplies of this and the other fa limited lenses drying up. Sellers who used to restock are saying they won't be getting any and don't know if or when they will. Can you comment on the future of the fa ltds? Is this just a delay waiting for a new production run? Are they being phased out?

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  6. Richard-437:50 PM

    Very interesting notes and lovely colours. The Pentax strength.
    I'm just starting to shoot my pentax dslrs in RAW and still have a lot to learn.
    WB issues seem to be one thing less to worry about at the time of shooting.

    Keep the great ideas going.

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  7. Ned Swan4:37 AM

    Thank you for those excellent photos. I will use this lens more.
    I have the same silver lens, bought six months ago (for £200) from a young man who got it as an unwanted Christmas present. Lucky break for me.

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  8. rye12:24 PM

    Ned-
    What kind of strap is that? I just got my K-7 today and I'd like to dress it up with something like the one in this picture.

    Thanks,
    Rye

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  9. Unknown1:04 PM

    Thank you for those nice photos.
    At ISO 400 K-7 has much less noise rather than my K20D.
    31 and 77mm Limted is my most favorite lenses,too ! super sharp and clear ones.

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  10. Ned Bunnell2:56 PM

    Kevin and Rye,

    The leather strap on my K-7 is an older M Classic strap used by many Leica shooters.

    From my early days as a photojournalist shooting with M4's, I purposely didn't want my camera or strap to be seen.

    I realize straps are now more about free advertising for the brand and less about function. Personally, I'm still a minimalist strap guy and really like the UpStrap, which I raved about a few years ago...
    http://nedbunnell.blogspot.com/2006/12/upstrap-camera-strap.html

    Ned

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  11. nostatic.com11:21 PM

    My 77 was always "magic" on my K20d. Now shooting back to back I was a little disappointed as the 77 shots on the K7d looked a little washed out. Dialing in -0.3ev or more seemed to help but it was just "different." Lo and behold I decided to try Raw Developer instead of Aperture for "developing" the raw files. Viola! The magic was back. Just goes to show that you have to think about more than just the body and lens...

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  12. Ken11:28 AM

    Ned: can you see if you can find a spare 135/1.8 in your drawer as well? I'd love to see that in a DA version. We're missing a long portrait lens (the 77/1.8 is nice, but the 135/1.8 gives a bit of extra background blur that's pleasing :-)

    No comment on Chris' comment about the disappearing FA lenses? ;-)

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  13. Unknown8:28 PM

    Great photos, ive been wondering will there ever be a new shift or tilt-shift lens? Maybe a revamped version of the 28mm shift lens?

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  14. brecklundin9:31 PM

    nice rummage Ned!! I only has to sell a lobe from my liver to get my 77ltd Silver...I am saving my good kidney in order to fund my K7. :D

    Seriously, ya have a new Pentax convert here who is loving the gear and shots I am getting with my K20D 50-135, DA 35mm macro and, of course, my 77ltd Silver. And shhhh, nobody tell Ned but I AM gonna add a coughcoughsigma100-300f4coughcough...and also some more Limited's...silver of course.

    Cannot wait for when I can move to a gripped K7 later this fall...from everything I've read it is delivers the results and has the feature set I wanted from the day, June 5th 2008, I plunked down my cash for a 40D (which I sold BTW along with my other lenses to move over...) :D

    ReplyDelete

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