The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW and the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW is the longer of the two lenses at 124mm. The Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH with a length of 102mm, is 22mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH's 73mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW and Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH weighs 700g, 44% (555g) lighter than the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW's weight of 1255g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW has a filter size of 82mm whereas the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW has the Pentax KAF4 lens mount whereas the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH has the Leica L lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are , and for the Pentax KAF4 Mount and Leica SL3, Panasonic S5 II and Panasonic S5 II X for the Leica L Mount.
Focal Range
Pentax-D FA 85mm F1.4 ED SDM AW is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
127.5mm.
On the other hand, the Leica APO-SL 90mm F2 ASPH is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 90mm.