smc FA 1:1.4 50mm

Just treated myself to a new lens,smc PENTAX-FA 1:1.4 50mm. Thought from various reviews it would be good for portraits. I've got a K10D and another couple of lenses but I can't figure out how this 50mm works.Can't get it to shoot blurred background at f1.4 on either automatic or manual settings.Manual says focusing ring should push out and pull in for autofocus or manual focus but I can't move the lens at all. Any help would be very gratefully received.

Have you got the aperture ring on the "A" setting? It should work in all exposure modes like that.

Thanks for that Jonathan but I've got it locked on the "A" setting. Does the bit about the lens pulling out and pushing in mean anything to you?

I have this lens. the focus ring turns to focus. You cannot pull it in and out.

not sure what yo mean by "Can't get it to shoot blurred background at f1.4 on either automatic or manual settings"

Do you mean you cannot set it to 1.4 ? Or do you mean when you set it to 1.4 the backgrounds aren't out of focus. If it's the former, try cleaning the contacts on both the lens and camera.

Thanks for that.I can set to f1.4 but background isn't blurred. I'll try doing as you say and clean the contacts.

Put the camera in Aperture mode A on the dial.
Put the lens in A on the aperture ring.
Turn the rear dial until you see 1.4 on the LCD
Take pictures.

Push and pull nothing, if you can, just double check you haven't bought a Sigma macro by mistake, or a one touch zoom?

Thanks Doug. Done all that and not working. Definately a Pentax FA 50mm. Beginning to look like I have afaulty lens.

Probably a silly question but do you have sufficient separation between the subject and the background? The nearer the background to the subject the less the out of focus (bokeh)effect. Sorry if this is self- evident, and not applicable.

try looking at the aperture in the lens as you press the DOF preview button.

If the aperture is set to F16 for example you will see the iris stop down as you press the preview. Try with f16 and f4 see if there is a difference.

With F1.4 it is wide open anyway and you'll see no.change but at the other f stops you might gain confidence that it is ok.

Good point. Being relatively new to this not sure what separation distance should be but my attempts are sharp front to back over about 15 yards. It's getting a bit dark now but will experiment tomorrow. Thanks.

Thanks for that Doug I'll try your suggestions in the morning

At 1.4, unless the subject is a long way away, the DOF is tiny. Take a picture of a book/magazine cover at an angle from about 1metre away and you'll see how narrow the DOF is. Or not if there's somethign wrong

Thanks to everyone who responded. I've now managed to get it to work. It was all about distance and separation. Once again many thanks.