| Author: | | Showing Reviews 1-15 of 79 | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2007 Location: Ames, Iowa Posts: 995
1 user found this helpful
| | Lens Review Date: April 11, 2007 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $70.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Image quality, compact | | Cons: | Build quality | |
I bought this lens after reading about its great optical and build quality. What gives??? While it does indeed produce wonderfully sharp images, its build quality is terrible compared to K and M series lenses. The barrel is cheap plastic, and the aperture ring is jerky and imprecise. In fact, the construction is exactly like the A 50/2 which regularly gets disparaged for its cheap build.
Sorry, I don't mean to speak ill of a lens that takes such great pictures, but in the hand it just can't compare to a Takumar, K or M series lens. I'll keep it for the convenience of the "A" setting, but I think I'll pick up an M 50/1.7 for the better construction.
| | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2012 Posts: 7 | | Lens Review Date: March 20, 2012 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $88.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, great image, very compact and solid build | | Cons: | Nothing for me | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-x
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For me, this lens it's absolutly great and I love it very much. With it I found the pleasure I had more than 30 years with my 85mm 1.8 Canon ( an other fantastic lens ) on my old Ftb...)
It has becoming essential for me and I use it everytime.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2012 Posts: 1 | | Lens Review Date: March 19, 2012 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $126.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, Build, compactness, looks | | Cons: | not so easy to focus at night on a dslr, apeture ring is jerky- but i don't use it anyway | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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My example was expensive but is mint, the lens is small, but well built and focuses smoothly, i find it easy to focus on the k-5 in good light, less so at night. Overall a superb lens, sharp, contrasty, with good,if not the very best, bokeh.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: September, 2011 Location: California Posts: 306 | | Lens Review Date: March 14, 2012 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $85.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Bokeh, Build Quality, Sharp | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K100D Super
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Great little lens, but you're going to need to have a good eye to use this, since it's manual. I learned so much from this, but then I decided to upgrade to the AF version since I was impressed by this. Recommended for sure!
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: April, 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... "comme toujours" Posts: 782 | | Lens Review Date: February 20, 2012 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $65.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, sharp, compact | | Cons: | None really for the price ... | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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Bonjour,
Before heading off to the States for the X-mas holidays, I bought this lens in "excellent" condition from KEH via internet and had it sent to my mom's place. What a great present from me ... to me.
I had some trouble finding one in France that was reasonably price and/or from a trustworthy vendor, thus my KEH purchase. First purchase there and would highly recommend ...
Super IQ, sharp, great rendering, etc., as many have written before this review. I like the 50mm on an APS-C sensor ... it's a good range focal length (75-ish) for various portraits of my kids.
The plastic Ap ring is not a big deal for me because I almost always leave the lens in "A" mode ... I mean that is a major reason why I opted for this lens. Plastic does not automatically mean a poorer quality lens ... just look at the reviews of the DA 35mm f2.4 AL! I have it and it's great ... plus the AF is super for those faster type shooting conditions.
The A 50 1.7 is worth having in any collection or as a stand alone 50 ... I'm now awaiting warmer weather (and more real sunshine) so that I can use it extensively outside. Looking forward to that ...
Allez et bonnes photos, J Frog | | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2011 Posts: 2 | | Lens Review Date: December 23, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $70.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Compact, sharp | | Cons: | build aspect (though it seems quite strong) | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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I got the lens because Pentax does not offer a wide opened AF 50mm for a low price (there is the SMC FA 50 1.4 but nothing around f/1.8 for a small price).
I like this lens very much even though manual focusing can be pretty hard in low light conditions (I'm using a split image focusing screen to help). In such light conditions, AF would also not work very well either.
All these come in such a compact lens with a nice focusing ring (no mention for aperture ring that seems to break each time it's moved, luckily, this one sticks to A position).
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: September, 2010 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 243 | | Lens Review Date: October 20, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $50.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Cheapish, compact, sharp | | Cons: | Aperture ring | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 8
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I had the 50mm f2 and have now picked up one of these. The difference in sharpness, especially when wide open is considerable.
Mechanically it is very similar, if not identical, to the f2 - nasty plastic aperture ring with a 'scratchy' feel, but perfectly smooth and wide span focus ring. Since the main reason for buying the A version is to be able to control the aperture from the camera and the aperture ring sits on the auto setting just most of the time this is of little consequence.
Optically it is acceptable at f1.7 and very good above about f2.4. Little, if any, distortion, but seems to be more susceptible to purple fringing than the f2.
On the K-7 with the standard focus screen accurate open aperture focusing is a bit more difficult - the standard focus screen does not work all that well at apertures below f2. Similarly, the angle of view of a 50mm lens is a touch restrictive on a APS sensor camera.
  
   | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: October, 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 362 | | Lens Review Date: October 19, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $55.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Fast, Very Small, Good for Macro | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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I got a great deal on this lens. It's the sharpest lens I've ever used. It's great for portraits wide open. It's so small, it feels like I'm using a different camera when I have it mounted. I bought a cheap teleconverter with 'A' contacts and took the glass out. I use that to turn it into an easy to use macro lens. People complain about the build quality, but if it's lasted 30 years and still works, then what's the problem?
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2010 Location: California Posts: 981 | | Lens Review Date: August 12, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $180.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | This lens is better than the 50mm f1.4, sharp all around | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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This is a great lens that goes always in my bag. THe A setting helps a lot when I need to use flash. It is a good alternative to the 50mm f1.4
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: June, 2011 Location: Scarborough Posts: 331 | | Lens Review Date: August 8, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $30.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Feel weight build looks bokeh sharp | | Cons: | focus is a bit stiff, not as fast as a 1.2 :,( | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
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Picked this up from a charity shop for about £15, and along with the 35/2.4 and 50-135/2.8 it's part of my staple kit. I'd love to upgrade to the 1.2 at some point, but for about 20 times the price, the value doesn't quite seem to be there.
This is a great lens, if you can afford the faster ones, get them, but for a cheap manual focus fast prime, get this. Look out for them on old film bodies on eBay.
EDIT: I recently handed this to my girlfriend who is off to Edinburgh for 7 weeks (I am not a happy chappie =[), and I'm actually missing it quite a bit. I gave her this and a Pentax Super-A, and she thinks they're amazing. But I can't wait to have her and the lens back again, I miss them both.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: May, 2010 Location: Hong Kong / Irvine, CA Posts: 256 | | Lens Review Date: July 24, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 10 |
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I have a bunch of 50mm prime.
I think this is one of the best, along with the takumar 50/1.4
SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4
Tessar Carl Zeiss Jena DDR 50mm/2.8
M 50mm f/2
M 50mm f/1.7
A 50mm f/1.7
FA 50mm f/1.4
One different thing I like this more than the M is the color.
Also, the aperture blade is rounder than M @ about f2.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 60 | | Lens Review Date: July 1, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $110.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | build quality, bokeh, manual focus | | Cons: | focus at big apertures can be tricky | |
I loved this lens while I had it. I thought it produced wonderful images full of character and beautiful colors. Had to sell it to finance the FA50 1.4 and can't tell if the autofocus and extra speed was worth it. Only problem I had was when trying to focus wide-open I'd miss half the shots.
Overall excellent quality.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: June, 2011 Location: Arlington, TN Posts: 83 | | Lens Review Date: June 6, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Crisp, clear, great color, etc... | | Cons: | none | |
Let me first just say that I am as amateur as it gets with photography, especially with these semi manual lenses.
With that said I took the picture below using a K10D and the built in flash.
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Aperture:f/9.5
Exposure time:1/180
Lens F-Number:f/9.5
ISO:200
Whitebalance:Flash
Metering mode:Center-weighted average
Exposure:Aperture-priority AE
Uploaded with ImageShack.us | | | | | Forum Member Registered: February, 2011 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 89 | | Lens Review Date: May 28, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $20.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Sharp, nice rendering, value, contrast etc. | | Cons: | tough focusing without screen, can flare without hood under some conditions | |
I bought this lens as a package deal, paid about 20 bucks for it. I used it while saving for a 43mm ltd. Now that I have the 43mm and I have used the 50mm for long enough it deserves a review from me. What a great lens, when people talk about bang for your buck this is what they are referring to. I have to say the 43mm is a better lens, better feel, better build, more usable DOF indoors. Better contrast, sharper, better OOF highlights. With all these things considered these were all pretty marginal gains over the 50mm. The 50mm is very usable. If you are considering the 43mm and can live without AF and just don't have the budget get this lens and use it as long as you can.
The best thing I can say about this lens is that after getting the 43mm ltd I am keeping this 50mm as well. There are some instances where it just works better. I know that I could easily get about 90 USD for this lens and use that money to fund my next lens purchase but I just can't do it, it's too good and I have taken too many great pictures with it. Basically if you have the chance to buy one and you don't have a 50mm lens you should get it.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2009 Location: Brisbane Posts: 3,012 | | Lens Review Date: May 15, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp,cheap, fast | | Cons: | Only 6 blades | |
I bought this lens last year. It has alot going for it, its sharp, fast and cheap, great bang for your buck.
The build quality is great and feels very solid.
Its nice and smooth to focus. Quite sharp, but it certainly isnt the sharpest pentax lens around.
Bokeh is ok, only downside really is that once start stoping it down past f/2.2 and you will start seeing very pronounced ugly hexagon OOF highlights.
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