[Moe49]

I'm eyeing a FA*28-70mm lens to buy for use with my dSLR and film cameras. In fact, I'm thinking of replacing my 'no aperture ring', 'APSc only' DA lenses with FA* semi-equivalents.

I also have a few K and M manual focus lenses that I really don't use much. Of those, I have these three 'fast-fifties':

SMC Pentax(K)55 f1.8
SMC Pentax-M50 f1.7
SMC Pentax-M50 f1.4

I really should only keep one of these as a walk-about lens for my K2, and sell the other two to help fund the FA* project.

I'm leaning towards keeping the Pentax(K)55/1.8. If you were faced with this agonizing decision which ones would you let go?

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Last edited by Moe49; 04-08-2011 at 08:01 AM.

[yeatzee]

I'm eyeing a FA*28-70mm lens to buy for use with my dSLR and film cameras. In fact, I'm thinking of replacing my 'no aperture ring', 'APSc only' DA lenses with FA* semi-equivalents.

I also have a few K and M manual focus lenses that I really don't use much. Of those, I have these three 'fast-fifties':

SMC Pentax(K)55 f1.8
SMC Pentax-M50 f1.7
SMC Pentax-M50 f1.4

I really should only keep one of these as a walk-around lens for my K2, and sell the other two to help fund the FA* project.

I'm leaning towards keeping the Pentax(K)55/1.8. If you were faced with this agonizing decision, which ones would you let go?

I'd let go of the M 50mm F/1.4 since that will probably get you the most money and I have never been a huge fan of pentax's 1.4 50mm's. The 1.2 on the other hand

I really like my quirky little takumar 55mm (same as ur k 55 right?), so i think thats worth keeping and I'd also keep the M 1.7 since they are so cheap yet good just to have around But thats just me, and most of the above is not logical at all

[northcoastgreg]

If you were faced with this agonizing decision, which ones would you let go?

I'd keep the K 55/1.8. They are all superb lenses, but there's something special about the K series glass.

[paperbag846]

K 55 1.8 without question (only manual focus lens I still have).

[Jonathan Mac]

I have the same three (plus the A 1.7) and my favourite is the M 1.7. Having said that, it´s the one I´ve had the longest & it´s had the most use, so I´ve grown attached to it.

Really they´re all great lenses, but the only one you´ll get any significant money for is the 1.4, so unless you really need that extra half stop I´d sell that one & keep the other two. They are different enough in character to merit keeping both, even disregarding the slightly different focal lengths.

If I really had to only keep one, it might have to be the 1.7, as it has produced too many nice images, and the small size makes it very portable.

[paperbag846]

50 1.7 is sharper than the K55, but the K55 is still sharp and has the unique bokeh.

1.4 is better for that (my current fav). But I would NEVER try to manually focus one without a screen. That seems like an exercise in frustration.

[hoanpham]

Keep the K55f1.8.
Release all M-lenses, get the K50f1.2 or the A50f1.2.
K50f1.2 step down one click to f1.4 will beat the M50f1.4 to the dust.

[paperbag846]

Keep the K55f1.8.
Release all M-lenses, get the K50f1.2 or the A50f1.2.
K50f1.2 step down one click to f1.4 will beat the M50f1.4 to the dust.

So hard to focus. For the most part, your gains in IQ are not going to outweigh your frustrations. Do yourself a favour and just buy the FA 50 1.4... it's a pleasure to use in comparison.

[hoanpham]

So hard to focus. For the most part, your gains in IQ are not going to outweigh your frustrations. Do yourself a favour and just buy the FA 50 1.4... it's a pleasure to use in comparison.

True. ;-)

But depends. I have the FA50 too.

[robbiec]

So hard to focus. For the most part, your gains in IQ are not going to outweigh your frustrations. Do yourself a favour and just buy the FA 50 1.4... it's a pleasure to use in comparison.

Hard to focus at first, after a while you get used to it and it becomes 2nd nature especially with a Katzeye. The FA50 verses a K or A f/1.2, , its like comparing the new DA35 f/2.4 to the 31LTD, thats how much of a class difference we are talking about.

[hoanpham]

Hard to focus at first, after a while you get used to it and it becomes 2nd nature especially with a Katzeye. The FA50 verses a K or A f/1.2, , its like comparing the new DA35 f/2.4 to the 31LTD, thats how much of a class difference we are talking about.

True too ;-)

[Moe49]

Thanks for your comments!

>I really like my quirky little takumar 55mm (same as ur k 55 right?)
Yep, it's nearly identical. I also have the SMC-Tak 55/1.8 M42 which I use with my screw-mount cameras. Nice, highly regarded lens, a keeper.

>If I really had to only keep one, it might have to be the 1.7, as it has produced too many nice images . . .
I agree, it's performance/cost ratio is very high, it's very compact and it spends a great deal of time on my ME-SE.

>Do yourself a favour and just buy the FA 50 1.4...
Actually, I'm after a FA*28-70mm as an auto-focus lens in this range. As a FF lens with aperture ring, it will also work quite well on my film cameras. I will probably put my DA*16-50mm up for sale too, as it will become redundant and is un-usable on my K2, MX, etc.

I will keep the Pentax(K)55/1.8. It is a wonderful lens and is 'period correct' for my K2 and K1000-SE.
Incidentally, it has the highest rating among Pentax Forum lens reviewers:
Pentax(K)55 f1.8 [PF rating: 9.30]
Pentax-M50 f1.7 [PF rating: 9.14]
Pentax-M50 f1.4 [PF rating: 9.12]

The M50 f1.4 is a real jewel, an engineering marvel. But 'razor-thin' DOF is just not my thing. Focusing it is not an issue as all my shooters came with, or I had outfitted with, split-image screens, even the K7. But I just don't shutter-bug about with this lens. I am not a studio shooter either. This is the 50 I will likely let go, albeit with reservations and likely some regret.

[ewig]

if i were you ... i will sell all the M version and keep the K 55/1,8 ... i ever own all the lens above,
the selling value for both M version is high , i mean, "very2 high" especially 1,4 but somehow this K 55/1,8 had a unique bokeh character .....

[Jonathan Mac]

I think you´re doing the right thing. It´s doubtful you´d get as much from the 1.8 & 1.7 as you will for the 1.4. They´re all great lenses but in the end people pay more for speed. I´ve found the 1.4 significantly harder to focus than the other two.

And kudos to you for selling. I´ve no money to spare but recently got both the A50 1.7 & the M50 1.4, so I told myself I´d sell the M50 1.7, as between the two I had made it completely redundant in all aspects (speed, size, build quality, character, auto aperture etc) but after playing with it this week, it´s staying in my collection.