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SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2 Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2

Sharpness 
 9.5
Aberrations 
 8.6
Bokeh 
 9.7
Handling 
 9.6
Value 
 9.0
Reviews Views Date of last review
60 303,708 Mon February 26, 2024
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
98% of reviewers $339.74 9.31
SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2

SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2
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SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2
supersize

Description:
The SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2 is the original version of Pentax's fastest SLR lens. It was later replaced by an A counterpart. A special gold-plated version was briefly made together with the Gold LX.



SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
Full-frame / 35mm film
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
Yes (no A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 8 blades
Optics
7 elements, 6 groups
Mount Variant
K
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F1.2
Min. Aperture
F22
Focusing
Manual
Min. Focus
45 cm
Max. Magnification
0.15x
Filter Size
52 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 32 ° / 27 °
Full frame: 47 ° / 40 °
Hood
Various types will fit
Case
Hard case HB-90
Lens Cap
Plastic clip-on
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Diam x Length
65 x 48.5 mm
Weight
385 g
Production Years
1975 to 1984
Engraved Name
SMC PENTAX 1:1.2/50 (early version), smc PENTAX 1:1.2 50mm (later version)
Product Code
20947
Reviews
User reviews
Notes
Sold without hood. Several hoods will fit such as PH-S52 (50mm) and PH-R52.
Features:
Manual FocusAperture RingFull-Frame SupportDiscontinued
Price History:



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Junior Member

Registered: January, 2018
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 44

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: February 26, 2024 Recommended | Price: $265.00 | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: Light, compact, sharp
Cons: CA
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 5    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 8    Value: 7    Camera Used: Pentax K1 Mark II   

With quite some delay I eventually managed to do some homework also on this lens (early model) that I acquired around the end of the 2021- early 2022 and have not quite abused so far. Back then I was quite active in purchasing, cleaning, selling doomed lenses on the auction/used market, trying to recover some bucks to survive the recession of the post covid-hoax period. I went for it in desperation after in a moment of unconsciousness I ended up putting on sale even my good copy of XR Rikenon 55mm f1.2, which got hit right on the day I wanted to retract it.

I had quite some expectation, since it is a classic and a half-a-legend; I had been reading quite enthusiastic descriptions of its marvels; also here. Yet, even after a number of sessions, I really couldn’t grow an affection for it, if not as an object. The amount of efforts I have found I need during & after the shooting in order to fit images to my taste, is always disproportionate. Of course the lens is sharp, solid, usually with good colors/contrast, etc. And very attractive as an object as well; my copy in particular is mint. But, ’we’ just did not click, I guess; and I ended up using it seldom. I have been also considering selling it in turn, to hopefully re-acquiring a Rikenon.

Quite a number of ‘impressions’ and subjective descriptions more than objective reviews can be found on-line and also below. Most of them rather subjective (let's say also repetitive...), despite the overall passion & lens-love of their possessors (don’t get me wrong - I understand them). You really have to squeeze the sources to get to something interesting. It has already been said also here (below), for example, that the lens was commercialized in 1975 as the absolute first 50mm lens to boast a F1.2 aperture for SLR cameras, even before Nikon and Canon counterparts (there were of course other focal lengths before… 55mm, 58mm, 60mm, etc.) and that apparently Pentax changed mount system to fit its rear to their cameras.

That there existed two versions is well-known, an earlier (or original) model and a substantially identical later one (A version), but as you will see later on, this fact is not entirely true. Hardly mentioned is that at least FIVE variations of them existed - as far as I know.
1a) SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2: the original, released in 1975 with the brand new PENTAX K2. It has capital ‘SMC’ lettering; no letter after the Pentax name; an extended Ultron type lens design of 7 elements in 6 groups; 8 aperture blades.

1b) smc Pentax 50mm F1.2: probably identical to the previous (197?), but with a lower case ‘smc’ lettering. Other small differences? Who knows, it could be.

1c) smc Pentax 50mm F1.2 (gold): a gold-plated version, released in 1981 in combo with a gold & leather LX camera, in only 300 sets to celebrate the maker’s achievement of ten million sold SLR cameras. General specs are supposedly identical to the previous.

2a) smc Pentax-A 50mm F1.2: a new redesigned version, to match the release of PENTAX SUPER A in 1984, the brand’s first multi-mode AE camera model. Lower case ‘smc’ lettering and A after the name; according to most sources (but see below!!!) the same 7/6 lens design was used; 9 (not 8!) aperture blades.

2b) smc Pentax-A 50mm F1.2 Special: a special Year 2000 limited silver-color edition with a barrel design resembling that of the current silver FA Limited lenses, released in the year 2000 in 1000 combo sets with a silver-color LX camera to celebrate the millennium. Supposedly with similar specs as the first A version.
Now, here comes the interesting part. Upon following the lens overhaul reports (in Japanese) of what I call ’pakira3’ - let's call him a retired lens-manufacturing related guy - I discovered that, despite the lens scheme has not changed between the early and the later version, according to him - who measured with digital caliper to trace each glass of both lenses - each piece of the second version underwent some sort of re-engineering; i.e. they all show differences in size and curvature and a higher refractive index, starting from the front element (the early model displays it only in the second group). Differences were noted also in the refraction and size of the rear cemented group. Therefore making the two models not really identical. How does that translates into the rendering nobody knows, since hardly anybody realized it so far and assumed the glass was the same. Many good reviews are indeed for the second versions.

In general, on a subjective perspective, I have found more difficult getting things into focus on Pentax 50/1.2 than the Rikenon 55/1.2. And while both - as can be expected due to their extreme nature - present issues in color rendering and CA - which probably on film did not show up (sometimes they actually made prints more appealing) - I still think that the latter returned more flattering images for portrait and in generic situation (I did not need to work images from RAW that often and that extensively with it). Blur is cool and peculiar. Yet, together with subjects, it often receives a glowing effect, like when you look through an old glass bottle's bottom; thing that is not always cool. Obviously background and subject distance must have some relation also concerning this rendering, since it is not constant.

I can not really say that this lens gave me bad results: it certainly has its own character, which I also grew to like. When I stumble upon images taken with it, I can relate to them now, and in quite a number of occasions I like the pictures I obtained. But the inconsistent color rendering depending on situations, remains an issue for me to use it. Notwithstanding it, is a very fine piece of machinery; all the best you can expect from top level classic Pentax manual lenses. Everybody points at its large size: I, instead, find it quite compact and stylish, and with lines that make it stand out among all the Pentax 50mm lenses. In general, however, I think it is somehow overrated by their owners. I mentioned the Rikenon 55/1.2, but another one, very reliable, I like very much, and with a different character, is the Zuiko OM 55mm f1.2. You just have to live with a F05 more.

By the way, hood's mandatory for good results!

For those that like the details:

1) SMC Pentax 50 mm f/1.2

Focal length: 50 mm
Aperture: f1.2 ~ f22
Angle of view: 46.8º
Min. focus distance: 0.45 m
Blades: 8
Lens design: 7/6
Filter size: 52mm
Dimensions: 65 mm x 48.5 mm
Weight: 385 g


2) smc Pentax-A 50 mm f/1.2

Focal length: 50 mm
Aperture: f1.2 ~ f22
Angle of view: 46.8º
Min. focus distance: 0.45 m
Blades: 9
Lens design: 7/6
Filter size: 52mm
Dimensions: 64.5 mm x 47.5 mm
Weight: 345 g



















   
New Member

Registered: December, 2023
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 3

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: January 17, 2024 Recommended | Price: $399.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: At 35mm scale, this bad boy gives you the capabilities of much larger format lenses. Everything that happens to color and blur with it has a pleasing and elegant quality, warmth and texture. So much light! Stunning
Cons: Expensive. Punishing to manually focus. Requires practice, a suitable focusing screen that relates well to your eye, and lots of attention to detail
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: LX   

A thrilling, painterly lens to look at the world through.

The way it diffuses from sharp, in-register elements to bokeh is poetry.















Some images to give an idea of the lens and how things look through it
   
New Member

Registered: June, 2020
Posts: 11

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: May 30, 2023 Recommended | Price: $372.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharpness, bokeh
Cons: None
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Pentax MX, Pentax LX   

I would love to give this lens an in-depth review but I just don't use it often enough for fear of something happening to it!
I found an optically excellent copy with a tiny dink of barrel damage and had to have it.

After a few years my biggest observation is the sharpness. I have used plenty of what I would call sharp lenses but this is in another league. And the bokeh is phenomenal - significantly better than any other lens I have used (really). On a more artistic note, the way the plain of focus drifts from in focus to out of focus in the photos is so beautiful and subtle.

It's a little heavier than cheaper 50mm lenses for sure, but it's a reassuring weight. Like you're holding something well made. Focus and handling is very nice.

If there was a downside then I don't think I could say it's the price. It's expensive but you're paying for top quality. I can't complain on that. The biggest issue may be just finding one to start with.

An excellently engineered lens. Makes phenomenal images.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: June, 2008
Location: NJ
Posts: 1,824

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: June 30, 2022 Recommended | Price: $350.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Excellent Build. Absolutely creamy bouquet
Cons: None that I can tell. Autofocus Version will be fantastic
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 8    Camera Used: K5   

After looking for this lens for so many years, I found it. I used it to take pictures of my kids. Now they outgrow the picture posing stage. My eye sight is not what it used to be and now it is harder for me to use manual lenses. That is why I use it with my Pentax-F 1.7 Adapter to create a version of the Pentax 85mm 2.0 with excellent results. It is fast and the bouquet is the best out there.

I can't say anything bad about this lens. The build is superb. It is build like a tank. Protecting the front element it is worth to spend $ for a nice 52 mm UV filter.
It took me some time to get used to the sharp shallow Depth at F 1.2.
Overall, the best lens I owned.
   
Loyal Site Supporter

Registered: June, 2013
Location: Utrecht
Posts: 250

6 users found this helpful
Review Date: September 4, 2020 Recommended | Price: $300.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: K-build quality, bright, sharp, contrasty
Cons: Rare, rather expensive
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K1ii   

Besides the K35 F2.0 this one also got on my way. My very first camera was the black Pentax K2 with the K55 F1.8, I still have that camera and now in 2020 the lens that was made for it is in my cabinet too. This lens feels like a hand grenade, coupled on a K1 this is a 1.5 kg combo. My copy is quite mint with clear and clean glass in it and everything works as intended.

This is a good lens for what it is, it shines in low contrast evening shots. Always use the hood, also in the dark. Be aware you must underexposure in that kind of situations, the standard metering wants to overexpose to daylight but that is not what you want. It is also better to shoot in RAW, wide open the RGB-diagram must be adjusted manually at 16 bits to collect all the sensor has caught without having bandings.

Focusing wide open must be done in live view and the 8x magnify function, this is very accurate. Using just the viewfinder, "in-focus" beeps and focus-peaking are not adequate enough, the DOF is extremely narrow nearby. Wide open nearby objects are rendered nice and sharp, at infinity wide open shots are quit soft and hazy. This lens is made for object isolation nearby, so this is OK.

I compared the K50 with my M50 F1.4 and K55 F1.8. Besides weight, a half stop difference, an even more narrow DOF and smoother bokeh wide open there is very little in between the 1.2 and 1.4. At F2.0 and further on the differences are negligible, both lenses perform superb and shine with contrasty and super sharp images between F2.8 and F8. The K1.8 stays a little behind those two, over the whole range not as crispy. The DFA 28-105 comes in at F4.5 and also is not as crispy as the two primes. I also like the color rendering of the two bright primes better, more vivid.

In case you own a F1.4 this F1.2 adds little functionality. But it is so nice build, feels so sturdy, and looks so great on your camera that am very happy owning and using it now. It is the best and most versatile 50mm I own. Here are some recent shots, all wide open:





K 1.2 shot wide open, flower in the center was my focus point:


M 1.4 shot wide open, same flower in focus:














   
Pentaxian

Registered: January, 2017
Posts: 462

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: February 6, 2020 Recommended | Price: $230.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: bokeh, sharpness, colours, build
Cons: none
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: Pentax K-1   

Regarding built quality which is great, I wish the aperture ring was like in M series lenses, i.e. bigger, easier to hold and rotate. Otherwise no issues regarding built quality. Bokeh is really smooth and colours are great. Great portrait lens. Almost no need for adjustment of colour output of this lens. Very powerful colours. It really shines in darkness at f1.2. No issues with focusing this lens with focus peaking at f1.2. At normal portrait distance it works great without any aberrations at f1.2. You may run into problems with them if you try to use this lens as a macro lens at minimum focusing distance. Then it's not easy to focus because dof is so shallow. They don't make lenses of this quality any more.







   
Pentaxian

Registered: November, 2018
Posts: 574
Review Date: October 3, 2019 Recommended | Rating: N/A 

 
Pros:
Cons:

   
New Member

Registered: August, 2019
Posts: 2
Review Date: October 1, 2019 Recommended | Price: $380.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Takumar build quality. Superb handling. Fast aperture.
Cons: A bit soft at F1.2
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 9    Camera Used: Sony a7iii   

Super creamy bokek at F1.2. Excellent lens.

50mm at F1.2
   
Senior Member

Registered: December, 2012
Posts: 166

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: December 20, 2018 Recommended | Price: $250.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Good image quality
Cons: Sometimes weird bokeh
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-5   

I never really got hooked on it until I shot raw.
Let the pictures speak.





   
Junior Member

Registered: March, 2014
Posts: 27

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: December 17, 2018 Recommended | Rating: 7 

 
Pros:
Cons:
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 5   

Was searching for an affordable copy for years and finally managed to get a combination of a K2 body, the smc 50mm f1.2 and a K 200mm f4 for just 135 euro. All in great condition. I kept the K2 and the K 200mm f4 but was not impressed by the 50mm f1.2.

What I like about the lens is the build quality, the relatively small size and the contrast wide open. For a f1.2 it has very good contrast, probably thanks to the SMC coatings. What I don't care for is the sharpness wide open, the amount of CA and the quality of bokeh. For sure the backgrounds are very much blurred and smooth looking, however I personally find the bokeh to be a bit boring. It does have the thinnest depth of field from all 50mm Pentax lenses, so if you really are longing for that it will do the job. But for some reason I like the bokeh of my smc 55mm f1.8 more. I think the transitions from sharp to out of focus areas are more pleasing with that lens, it feels more natural and gives a better 3D effect. Also the sharpness wide open is just better. There's plenty of bokeh to play with even using a f1.8 lens, and I would certainly not regard the f1.2 to be 'in another leage'. In the seventies, the f1.2's where not especially develloped for their quality of bokeh but in order to get the highest possible shutter speed in low light conditions. Using digital sensors, the necessaty of such an aperture is gone.

It all comes down to personal preference, but I sold the 50mm f1.2 since it is so popular and one can get a good price for it. I am a collector of Pentax K lenses but I just didn't think I would be using it a lot. Imagine that for about the same price you can buy a K 28mm f3.5, K 55mm f1.8 and a K 135mm f2.5 all at the same time. And if you're lucky, even a K 200mm f4

A f1.2 lens with K mount that I do recommend is the Revuenon or Rikenon or Vivitar series 1 55mm f1.2, Tomioka made, 9 aperture blades, great sharpness wide open, very nice bokeh with lots of character. Bit lower contrast wide open then the Pentax 50mm f1.2 but that can be corrected in post.
   
New Member

Registered: September, 2017
Location: Norwich
Posts: 4

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: October 27, 2017 Recommended | Price: $30.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Bokeh, build quality, colour rendering, sharp
Cons: CA in f1.2
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: Panasonic Lumix GX80   

I was lucky enough to get this lens in a giveaway from a person that didn't know (and didn't want to learn) its value with a lot of other Pentax equipment. It is in a pristine condition, both in build and optics, not even a hint of dust, so I guess I've hit a jackpot.

Mine is a late version, and is supplied with a hood. I only changed the Photax UV filter that it had on, as it must have seen a lot of action, and replaced it with a Hoya Pro1 Revo UV(0).

Technically I don't have a lot to say. You get a fully manual lens, which works wonders in photos and shooting 4k videos as well. I could never ask for better bokeh than this. It feels artistic/dreamy and gives a whole new dimension in what you shoot. Additionally, the colour rendition is just amazing. Its weight can be a problem in some cases as the weight balance is not optimal in a m4/3 body which I use it in (Panasonic Lumix GX80/85). However, as a construction, it feels as solid as it gets. Also the focus ring is smooth and a joy to use. The aperture ring feels robust.

High contrast areas should be avoided from what I've seen so far, when A is set to f1.2. I can see CA but nothing that makes the result unusable. The sharpness is more than excellent in f1.4 and jawdropping from f2 onwards (I still cannot believe the details it gets).

Overall this is now my favourite lens, even for walking around, taking the crown from my Pentax-A 50mm f1.7. They're simply in entirely different leagues, and I absolutely LOVED the latter (and still do).




   
Forum Member

Registered: February, 2016
Location: Moab, Utah
Posts: 90

4 users found this helpful
Review Date: July 17, 2017 Recommended | Price: $575.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Bokeh, color rendering, shrpness in that order
Cons: heavy, big, rare
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10   

Best dreamy bokeh from Pentax. I also have the K 50mm f1.4, Takumar SMC 50mm f1.4, M 50mm f2, A 50mm f2. Without a doubt, this one offers the best bokeh. This lens is all about the bokeh and speed. You pay for it and everything else suffers as a result. Fine, fine bokeh. A big difference even just from f1.4. Call it "twice the bokeh" if you will from 1.4 IMO. I see no difference between this and the SMC 50mm f1.4 as far as colors, contrast, overall image "look" when compared at f1.4. It's not razor sharp at f1.2, but then you can't really expect that. "Dreamy" from f1.2-f1.4, where sharpness begins creeping in. When you compare with the Super Tak or SMC Tak 50 1.4, you get further degrading of bokeh quality due to the 6 bladed aperture vs. 8 bladed that you get with K 50 1.4 or K 50 1.2. I've not tested the early variant Takumar 50 1.4 with 8 elements and 8 bladed aperture.
The 50mm f2 lenses don't compare. They're different lenses for different purposes. The 50mm f2 M and A offer slightly better fine contrast and punchier colors, and more 3d pop.

I gave this lens all 10's except for handling, which I gave an 8. It's big and heavy. Actually it's small for an f1.2 50mm, but the aperture ring can be hard to find by sense of feel due to the large diameter and ring not sticking up a bit. A little higher aperture ring would be nice. I could probably give it a 10 for handling since it's smaller than any other 50mm f1.2 lens out there that I know of for 35mm film or sensors.

This lens needs a lens hood. Not so much for contrast or flares (it actually resists quite well), rather to protect it. It's compact & heavy and so seems to want to go nose first into anything and everything it sees.

*For anyone curious and wanting to compare 50mm lenses from Pentax, I did a YouTube review video while comparing them for myself. You don't need to collect them all like I did, just check my video:

https://youtu.be/G22LGiKngp4
   
Junior Member

Registered: December, 2012
Location: Cirebon
Posts: 29

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 17, 2017 Not Recommended | Price: $400.00 | Rating: 4 

 
Pros: Build, Historical, Mechanical
Cons: FLARE, Comma, Ghosting and Little bit distortion for 50mm lens
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 6    Bokeh: 7    Handling: 8    Value: 5   

Terrible flare and ghosting. Just buy this if you are a collector.
   
New Member

Registered: January, 2017
Posts: 4

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 17, 2017 Recommended | Price: $350.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Build quality. Dreamy 1.2. Intimidation factor.
Cons: Tricky to hit focus right
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 9    Camera Used: ME Super   

It almost weighs as much as the ME Super it's mounted on. I love it.

Wide open, it confers a dreamy, swirly look to photos which I love. Closed down it's very sharp and renders colours wonderfully.

The heft and girth of the lens make it a pleasure to use, and I just love how it swamps my SLR.

Absolutely recommended. I had used the Pentax-M 50mm 1.4 previously and can confirm they're in different leagues.







   
Senior Member

Registered: April, 2015
Location: Lower Saxony
Posts: 181

6 users found this helpful
Review Date: November 21, 2016 Recommended | Price: $309.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: creamy bokeh, sharp and contrasty wide open; tolerable vignetting wide open
Cons: starts more soft up to f/2.8 than SMC 1.4/50
Sharpness: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: Pentax K-1   

Wide open and up to f/2.8 it seems to be a little bit more soft than the SMC 1.4/50.
But it is able to produce sharp and contrasty pictures with open f/1.2 apperture at less than 2m subject distances;
depending on light situation and motive.
Bokeh is creamy and you can create nearly impressionistic backgrounds.
Some not post processed jpgs for example;
click into to enlarge original out of camera jpgs.
ISO 100, camera 35mm DSLR Pentax K-1, all open f/1.2 aperture.

harsh noon light




warm afternoon light




hazy noon light




hazy but also harsh noon ligt
(nice f/1.2 spin off: ugly power poles - here are a lot - become nearly invisible - left frame border)




noon light, f/1.2 dof




Edit 2016 12 21:
the shortest days noon.
K-1; K 1:1.2/50; @f/1.2; linked to ooc jpg.

Add Review of SMC Pentax 50mm F1.2



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