Asahi Pentax 77mm f/1.8 · FA Limited

{"overview":"The Asahi Pentax FA 77mm f\/1.8 Limited is a short-telephoto prime for the Pentax K-mount (KAF) 35mm SLR system, part of the FA Limited trio aimed at portrait and available-light shooting. Its 77mm focal length and f\/1.8 maximum aperture were chosen to give a slightly long, fast portrait lens with a compact aluminium-barrelled build.","market_narrative":"UK auction activity on this lens is thin: the only verified hammer result in our records is £325 in March 2022, achieved at saleroom level (wholesale, before commission). With a single data point that price is best read as an indicative value rather than a firm market median, and clean, boxed examples typically sell for more than user-grade copies in today's market.","buying_guide":"Inspect the front and rear elements for haze, fungus and coating scratches, and check the aperture blades for oil — a known issue on stored Pentax FA primes that softens bokeh and slows the iris. Work the focus ring through its full travel to confirm it is smooth and not stiff or gritty, and look for any sign of element separation around cemented groups; on the Limited series also check the aluminium barrel, hood threads and built-in hood for dents that affect both function and resale value.","specs":"Key specifications from the supplied data are limited to the headline figures: a 77mm focal length, f\/1.8 maximum aperture, and Pentax K-mount (FA-series autofocus) fitting.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Pentax FA 77mm f\/1.8 Limited worth at UK auction?","a":"Based on the limited sales history available, one verified UK auction hammer result sits at £325 (March 2022), which is the clearest reference point for what the lens sells for at saleroom level."},{"q":"How much does a Pentax FA 77mm f\/1.8 Limited sell for today?","a":"With only a single recorded hammer price of £325 in our dataset, today's value is best treated as broadly in that region for a usable copy, with clean boxed examples likely to command a premium."},{"q":"Why is the price of the FA 77mm Limited relatively high for a 35mm-era prime?","a":"It is part of Pentax's FA Limited portrait trio, which has retained collector and user demand on the K-mount system; that ongoing demand supports its price relative to more common FA-series lenses."},{"q":"What should I check before buying a used FA 77mm Limited?","a":"Check for haze, fungus, oil on the aperture blades, coating scratches, element separation and stiff focus, and inspect the aluminium barrel and built-in hood for dents or thread damage."}],"confidence":35,"reasoning":"Only one verified sale and no SPECS or variant data were supplied, so market and technical claims are deliberately conservative."}