| Author: | | Showing Reviews 1-15 of 50 | | Forum Member Registered: February, 2012 Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick Posts: 61 | | Lens Review Date: April 19, 2012 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $30.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Fast, Sharpish, Smooth Focusing, Cheap | | Cons: | Only sharp when stopped down | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
| |
Nice little lens, definitely a decent way to start using a 50mm(Though I find the Helios 44M I got the other day to be a little better)
Worth it if you can land one for 30$, otherwise, just save the shipping and get a 1.8 or 1.7.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: April, 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... "comme toujours" Posts: 782 | | Lens Review Date: March 12, 2012 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $15.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Compact size, construction, inexpensive | | Cons: | Not sharp until stopped down | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: K-5
| |
Bonjour,
I picked up a near mint copy for this lens with an excellent (but needing light seals) K1000 for 25 euros off a French e-bay equivalent ( "leboncoin.fr"). Didn't hesitate a second after contacting the elderly owner who lived about 50 miles from me. A "sleeper" SLR that had been sitting in a drawer for years and years ... I wanted a K1000 because it was what I had back in high school in the states.
Overall, I cannot complain and really didn't expect too much from this lens after reading all of the previous reviews ... checked them out while I was waiting for the SLR and lens to arrive via the post. I also acquired a SMC A 50/f1.7 about the same time, and there's no competition here. I guess that this is why maybe I am a bit disappointed by the M 50/f2 ... not nearly as sharp wide open and at larger apertures, but once stopped down (a lot) all's OK ... also, my Super Tak 55/1.8 will blow the doors off the M 50/f2 ... also kind of disappointed by the low light performance as mentioned in the previous review(s) ... enough said.
A worthwhile lens if you find an inexpensive one and would like to compare it the other 50's ... M's or A's or M42's.
Salut et prenez des bonnes photos! J Frog | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: May, 2011 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 342 | | Lens Review Date: February 14, 2012 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Cheap, Compact, Decent. | | Cons: | Colors are damp, quite dark even at f/2 | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: K20D
| |
I got this lens from an old K1000.
It works, and works well. Sharpness wide open is kinda sorta 'meh', but from f/2.8, it's good. I'm no pixel peeper, so softness doesn't bother me all that much, as long as correct focus is achieved.
A few things worth mentioning, however, is that the images from this lens renders a bit...warmer than other lenses I've owned. It's not a bright warmth either, more like...dampened warmth, if it makes any sense. Of course, I haven't had the chance to see other lens of the same model, but it's there.
And the lens renders the image quite dark. I have shot with 2 other 50mm-ish lenses in a same setting, only to find out that this lens renders darker at f/2
To get the similar results as the photo attached, I had to shoot at 1/200 shutter speed instead of this lens' 1/125.
This only hinders performance in dark settings. I don't think this lens should be used for dark settings.
attached photo is taken @f/2, 1/125 ISO400
IMGP4852 by RickyFromVegas, on Flickr
It's a capable 50mm prime. If you've never shot with a prime nor manual, it's a really good practice lens. Easy to focus (especially with the focus indicator beep)
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: Sài Gòn city, Việt Nam Posts: 67 | | Lens Review Date: February 11, 2012 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $24.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | cheap, build, sharpness | | Cons: | bokeh, a bit heavy, not very fast :) | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: Pentax K-r
| |
I have a very good copy of this lens. It is quite sharp, but the bokeh is not beautiful. It isn't so wide on my Pentax K-r but it would be nice when being used with film camera.
Technically it's hard to diassemble this lens: The main group seems to be locked by the mechanic parts of the aperture ring.
Sample image is below. The first one is taken at f/2.0 (its max. aperture). The second image shows its bad bokeh at f/2.8
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: October, 2011 Location: Belton, SC Posts: 33 | | Lens Review Date: October 30, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $4.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | 50mm, f2, small/light | | Cons: | not great with a DSLR | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 9
| |
I'm a big fan of older, manual lenses. This has been with me for a while now, and it's been a great little lens. Started out using it on my K1000 and Super Program, then decided to shoot with it on my K20D. The results were a little less than I'd hoped for, but the photos do have a sort of ethereal quality, which I can use to my advantage if I want to.
Bottom line, if you're using this lens with older film bodies, its a must. If you want it for use with a DSLR, go for the cheaper, Auto Sears 50mm f1.7
JVC JL-A20 Turntable by carlin.lusk, on Flickr
Tables and Chairs by carlin.lusk, on Flickr
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: May, 2010 Location: Hong Kong / Irvine, CA Posts: 256 | | Lens Review Date: September 27, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: No |
Price: $25.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | light, cheap | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 5
Handling: 8
Value: 8
| |
I recommend get a M50 1.7 instead of this.
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2010 Location: Viseu Posts: 14 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 103 | | Lens Review Date: July 8, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small. made to last. | | Cons: | sometimes hard to focus....bit soft at f/2 | |
This is a great sharp lens, just sometimes I think I got it in focus when I did not, it's not my viewfinder ajustment as I used auto focus lens and adjust it according to it.
Long story short...
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2010 Location: California Posts: 206 | | Lens Review Date: June 17, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | light-weight, well-built, small, sharp, cheap | | Cons: | none | |
This lens came with a Pentax MV, the first SLR I bought new way back when (showing my age here). It's a lovely light-weight, well-proportioned lens on the K-x. Many don't give it the credit it deserves, because the M50/1.7 is readily available on the used market, but if you don't need the aperture to go that little extra bit to 1.7, the 2.0 does the job just as nicely for less money. My copy is sharp even wide open (hard to focus, of course, but that comes with the territory) and it renders the beautifully saturated colors and excellent contrast distinguishing SMC lenses from other lenses of the time. To those who prefer to see hard numbers backing up such claims, check out this link and compare the resolution figures for the M50/1.7 to those of the M50/2. There's not much between them. While the 1.7 has a slight edge in the corners, the 2.0 has it in the center.
I definitely won't part with mine, even though I call a few other excellent fifties my own, amongst them the A50/2.8 macro, which easily sells for 10 times the going-rate of the M50/2 without being 10 times better. There is no doubt in my mind that the M50/2 is presently undervalued and one of the few remaining true bargains still available.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2011 Posts: 1 | | Lens Review Date: June 10, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | light, compact, versatile, sturdy, bright | | Cons: | (if you have issues with) manual focus | |
I've had mine since I was born (literally), it was bought by my father back in 1983 - with a little servicing, its in excellent condition. I've been using this lens for over a decade now.
If you are an avid street-shooter like me, I dont think it has any issues with softness or AF (not being there), as long as you're real fast! and the well-dampened focusing ring is only as quick as you are - I consider using this lens faster than re-aiming for missed AF points etc.
And yes, its sharp. At least on my 35 mm. Here are some examples in various film (100 and 400 speed).
   
I'd highly recommend it to anyone who shoots analog (film) and doesn't mind focusing manually on a pentax DSLR. Its a cheap, Good lens.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2011 Location: Edmonton, Canada Posts: 125 | | Lens Review Date: March 1, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharpness, focussing mechanics, wide-open blur | | Cons: | sharpness, focussing mechanics, wide-open blur | |
There is only one thing I'd like to say that I don't think has been said already, at least explicitly. To wit:
This most standard of all lenses has no standard evaluation!
For some reason (perhaps its Taiwan manufacture? I don't know) it is wildly inconsistent in its qualities.
I have had two such lenses for many years; both came as standard kit lenses with my two MX's, one bought new, the other picked up very slightly used in the 1980s.
One is fuzzy, difficult to focus to infinity, and poorly-metering, which means that wide open the blur is a crapshoot.
The other has no such problems. True, a little soft wide open, but nicely so.
So that's why I give the 9 rating and the recommendation -- that is for the best this lens can be.
As for the worst... Well, you can always pass it on to the next fellow.
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2011 Posts: 4 | | Lens Review Date: February 26, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: No |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | Price, availability | | Cons: | Image quality, speed, and to be honest everything that matters | |
You can find these everywhere. If you know anyone who's into Pentax, chances are you can get one free. These lenses are literally like mushrooms, they pop up everywhere and up to the point where they're a nuisance.
There is only one reason to get this lens, really. If you haven't found the wonders of old manual lenses then this is the lens to get you excited about it, at literally no cost. At some point however, image quality comes to play and that's where this lens fails miserably compared to it's f/1.7 cousin.
No reason to avoid this lens if you want to try this type of lenses for free, but if you are already into this stuff, forget this - there's nothing this lens can do really well except being abundantly available. Think of this lens as a free sample. Good lenses cost actual money for a reason.
All in all, this lens is just pretty much useless. On the bright side you can give it away, make someone happy and win free Karma. Don't get this one, and if you already have one, replace it with the infinitely better 1.7 which one can get for around $50.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: January, 2011 Location: Leipzig Posts: 63 | | Lens Review Date: February 14, 2011 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $15.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | cheap, sharp, well-built | | Cons: | f1.7 and f1.4 versions are better! | |
This lens is well build and allows an easy handling...
+ it is decently sharp
+ bokeh and colors seem OK.
(so far it could be an "8")
Personally, however, I don't really see much sense using it, because there are far TOO MANY BETTER ALTERNATIVES.
All the f1.7 or especially f1.4 lenses (Smc-M, but also Smc-K, -A, -F, -FA) are probably more versatile and some of them are not expensive either.
I would only recommend this lens if you are on a very tight budget or if you would simply have a 50mm lens for very rare occasions.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: November, 2010 Posts: 44 | | Lens Review Date: December 5, 2010 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Fast, cheap | | Cons: | It is manual... | |
[FONT=Verdana]The SMC Pentax-M 50 f2 is a great little lens. Like all old Pentax manual prime lenses the 50 mm f2.0 is of good quality, with what seems like a very solid metal build. It weighs 165 grams. It is, however, probably the least interesting manual 50mm prime with its relative slowness (f.2). If I remember correctly there is also a f1.7 and an f1.4 version as well. Most likely, this makes it a little less interesting on the second hand market and lowers the price of it somewhat. I have seen these on old Pentax MEs on garage sales for just a handful of bucks. Well worth looking into. That said this is of course still quite a fast lens with all the benefits that come with that. On my example the aperture ring seems a bit too stiff to move, but that might the years of wear showing themselves.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]I have used this lens for portrait with very good results. With a DSLR the focal length is the equivalent of a 75 mm lens on an old analogue camera, which means you do not have to stand too close to your object. It delivers sharp pictures and renders good colours. The bokeh is very nice, but in my view not outstanding. That does mean however that you can get an acceptable bokeh in front of the object you are focusing on.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]The lens is working well on digital SLRs as well although I have come across metering problems on small apertures in low light conditions. I guess the metering system on modern DSLRs are designed to always meter at full aperture, so when stopping the lens down to take a meter, the sensor is confused. With my equipment this usually results in too fast shutter speeds. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]All in all, this is a very good lens and I recommend you buy one if you find it at a good price, which, in my experience, you usually do.[/FONT]
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2009 Posts: 2 | | Lens Review Date: November 28, 2010 | I can recommend this lens: No |
Price: $15.00
| Rating: 7 |
|
There's nothing *wrong* with this lens. Nice build quality, small, takes perfectly fine pictures. But it's not as good as the M50/1.4 so as soon as I got that I stopped using it.
I put 'not recommended' because I wouldn't recommend you buy it if you can afford the M50/1.4. However, these things were produced by the million and used as kit lenses for best selling cameras like the K1000. This makes them so cheap today you can probably find someone giving one away, or selling for £10. If you don't have a better 50mm then that's a good option.
| | |
;)
;)
