Best portrait lens for the pentax k 5?

For portraits on the K-5, the lens matters far more than the body, so I'd start with a fast prime. My top pick is the Pentax HD D FA* 85mm f/1.4 ED SDM AW. On the K-5 it frames like 128mm, which is a flattering, classic portrait length with plenty of background blur.

If that's more reach than you want, look at these:

• Pentax smc DA* 55mm f/1.4 SDM: about 82mm equivalent, a more versatile portrait lens that still blurs the background.
• Pentax smc DA 50mm f/1.8: about 75mm equivalent, a sensible budget choice.

Whichever you pick, light does more than any lens. Turn your subject toward a window and expose for the face. See portraits for more, and lenses if you're building a kit from scratch.

Written by Claude from this site's pages.