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Pentax has finally released the new HD PENTAX-D FA★85mm F1.4ED SDM AW lens

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It’s been long-awaited and after a development announcement in March, Pentax has now officially announced the HD PENTAX-D FA★ 85mm F1.4 SDM AW, ahead of its original “late 2020” target. This is the second fixed focal length lens added in Pentax’s newest “Star” lens series, adding to the 50mm f/1.4 released in 2018.

There was some speculation that the Pentax 85mm was simply a rehoused Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art, but now that the optical formula for the new 85mm f/1.4 has been released, I think it’s a pretty safe bet to say that it isn’t.

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Samyang updates its popular MF 14mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.4 DSLR lenses with new Mk2 versions

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Samyang has announced updates to two of its most popular manual focus lenses for DSLRs with the new MF 14mm f/2.8 Mk2 and MF 85mm f/1.4 Mk2 lenses. Although they are designed primarily for DSLRs, coming in Nikon F and Canon EF mounts, they’re also available in some mirrorless mounts, too, including Sony E, Fuji X, Canon EF-M and Micro Four Thirds.

The new Mark II updates come with focus lock and a “de-clicked” aperture to ensure you hit your absolute sweet spot with fine analogue adjustments and once you’re there you can lock it off. They both have 9 aperture blades for better bokeh and they’re both weather-sealed to help prevent dust and moisture from entering the lens.

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Pentax has officially announced development of the HD PENTAX-D FA★85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW lens

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Pentax has today officially announced the development of the new HD PENTAX-D FA★85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW K mount lens for Pentax. At the moment, this is just a development announcement, but some of the lens specs have been released, along with a single photo. And this one doesn’t appear to simply be a rebranded Tokina.

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Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art vs. Canon 85mm f/1.2L II: how does it stack up?

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If you’re in the market for a new lens, it may be hard to decide whether to go for a third-party option, or stick with the same brand as your camera. The Sigma Art series has received a lot of praise, and photographer Julia Trotti put it to a test. She used the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art and compared it to the Canon 85mm f/1.2L II. In the video below, you can see how the lenses compare on Canon and Sony bodies.

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The Canon 85mm f/1.2 vs f/1.4 vs f/1.8 showdown shows there’s no clear winner

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One of the most popular portrait focal lengths out there is 85mm. Most of us have one in our bag, or at least a zoom capable of 85mm. We’ve seen comparisons of 85mm lenses before, although they’re typically from different manufacturers.

But how do Canon’s 85mm f/1.2, 85mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8 lenses stack up against each other? What are each of their strengths and weaknesses? Is there really an advantage to buying a $1,849 lens over a $349 one? That’s what photographer David Flores wanted to find out, so he made a video.

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Sigma announces NINE new native Sony E-Mount Art series lenses

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As if Sigma hadn’t given us enough today. With new 70mm f/2.8 Macro and 105mm f/1.4 Art series lenses, we were already pretty excited. But Sigma also have an extra gift for Sony shooters. Both of the two new lenses today, as well as nine of their popular Art series full frame lenses are being released with a native Sony E-Mount.

A native Sony mount offers advantages over simply using the Canon mount version with the Sigma MC-11 adapter. Such as compatibility with Sony’s continuous (AF-C) and high speed autofocus. And you’ll likely see some Eye-AF improvements, too. Very handy if you’ve been eyeing up that new Sony A7III.

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Four 85mm lenses resolution compared: Sigma, Tamron, Canon and Zeiss

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85mm is a commonly used lens, very much loved by portrait photographers. If you’re thinking of buying one, photographer Dustin Abbott is giving quite a detailed comparison in his two new videos. He compares four top 85mm lenses: Canon 85mm f/1.4L IS, Sigma 85mm f/1.4 ART, Tamron 85mm f/1.8 VC and Zeiss Otus 1.4. So if you still haven’t made the decision which one is right for you, this video might answer some questions.

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Using primes or zooms for portraits? Here are pros and cons of both

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Choosing prime or zoom lenses is mainly a matter of preference. And what to choose when you’re shooting portraits? Many photographers would rather reach for primes, but modern zoom lenses can also give you sharp, high-quality images. In this video, Manny Ortiz discusses his choice when it comes to the lens for portrait photography. He tests an 85mm f/1.4 and a 70-200mm f/1.8. They are both great, but they have both advantages and disadvantages.

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