[f/4.5] I bought mainly for astrophotography imaging but also for some general long distance landscape use. Its heavy to hand hold so a monopod is a minimum in my opinion. Also requires a very sturdy tripod. I get a lot of movement at full zoom, even from a light breeze due to its weight, but it does take wonderful images.

[f/32] Every picture taken with this lens has wowed me. It was a lot of money to spend but the results help make the cost money well spent. I use this lens on my Pentax K1. For samples visit my Instagram at @carlostalbott

[f/4.5] So far the only processing my test shots have required are cropping. The sharpness and bokeh are very good right out of the camera. All pics have been handheld with great results in spite of my unsteady grip. It is large and heavy, but is built like a tank. I think I will be very happy with this lens. Very minimal purple fringing with stark contrasting subjects.

[Autofocus] This is a beautiful lens, and I feel fortunate to own one. It is large and heavy, but still feels good on my K1 body. The weight and size is more than worth it when you see the results, perfectly sharp even when wide open, and saturated colors with gorgeous bokeh. It took me a few days to start seeing the full potential, and to appreciate the quality of this piece of equipment. The ability to control the depth of field so tightly, allowing stunning contrasts between crystal clear focus areas and buttery smooth background opens up a whole new world of creative possibilities. Highly recommended.

[Yes] For 30 years I’ve considered the 85mm 1.4 and always shied away, thinking the 50mm 1.4 or 100mm 2.8 would suffice, or I had little money, or not enuf time to use it, or thought it might be too heavy, or…or…then I ran out of excuses; and…bought it and the very first two informal, natural light portraits of my daughter “in the wild” were the best portraits I have ever taken of anyone in any lighting in my life. Of course a photogenic daughter helped. (mike drop)

[Yes] Very sharp, essential lens to have as part of your gear for wildlife photographers who love to kayak and hike. Water resistance a must. I use a uv filter to protect this lens. In the airport, filter was broken but lens at that time remained intact. I am able to hand hold this lens and capture amazing photographs. This is second time I have purchased this lens. The first one barrel was bent due to a drop. Fortunately insurance covered most of the lost. I love this lens. The only downside, servicing for Pentax is very limited in the US.

[0.21x] I have worked with the highest performance lenses on many different formats, from many different brands: Canon, Fujifilm, Olympus, Pentax, Phase One, Sigma, Sony, Tamron, Zeiss—and this lens is among the best! It was immediately clear to me after reviewing my initial test images that this lens is likely to become my all-time favorite lens. I also own the HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW and, while a fantastic lens itself, this 85mm demonstrates Pentax’s finest work. If Pentax continues to develop D FA* lenses at this caliber, I will be a buyer for almost anything they release. If this lens is anything to go on, the K-mount has a brilliant future!

[Yes] This lens and my 15-30 Pentax are my two favorite lenses.Pricey (even on sale) but warm images and hand held inside available light with no issue(s)

[9] I didn't get this lens for far too long because it wasn't a star lens. However, the gap between my FA* 300mm f/4.5 and my FA* 600mm f/4 really needed to be filled, and good reviews persuaded me to finally take the plunge.

The lens did not disappoint. While bulky, it still makes a good travel lens for when when a 600 prime isn't practical. It's completely handholdable, and it simply feels good to hold--its construction oozes quality.

As far as image quality goes, I have no reservations using it in place of a star lens. A small amount of chromatic aberration appears around the highest contrast edges, but it's not objectionable. Bokeh is generally smooth and definitely does not introduce any distractions. Focus is fast and sure. Most of my work with it so far has been on the 450mm end at f/8, and I've found the sharpness to be exceptional. I've uploaded a small crop with minimal sharpening of a hummingbird taken at a distance of 25 feet, and you can see that the orbital ring around its eye has commendable detail.

Pentax/Ricoh has done itself proud with this lens and I can't recommend it highly enough.

[63° to 89°] First off, this thing is big and heavy. It is as big as a 70-200 f2.8 and not for the weight weenies. Used hand held on a 645z body, it is big and heavy (7lbs) However it balances surprisingly well and with the help of SR delivers sharp images. My primary use for this lens is for landscapes and on a tripod. At f8, it is super sharp all across the frame with no discernible difference between center and edges by f9 - at all focal lengths. At 28mm, it significantly outperforms the 25mm on edge sharpness and at equivalent focal lengths does the same to the 35mm and 45mm prime lenses. There is minor distortion at 28mm that is easily corrected by checking a button in Lightroom. I can mount a regular ring polarizer to the lens and attach a lee filter holder mounted onto a 82mm wide angle adapter with 2 slots without vignetting. The weather sealing when used with a 645z body allows captures in wet/rainy conditions as well as dusty environments - there is a YouTube video showing the capability of the weather sealing of the system. Still can't get over the size of the thing - it is a beast that delivers exceptional quality and in my opinion is top dog in the landscape arena.