[boriscleto]

the only a 50mm f1.4 lens that has sold on ebay in the last week sold for $145 + $5 shipping. I think the one you are referring to is a super tak (m42 screw mount). There is one a 50mm f1.4 listed at keh for $149 and a f1.7 listed for $99.

Tim

[atupdate]

Attachment 90632

I searched by 50mm and this one had a space between the 50 and mm. It is possible that the space lowered the number of potential bidders. Those search engines will get you every time.

Tim

[boriscleto]

I searched by 50mm and this one had a space between the 50 and mm. It is possible that the space lowered the number of potential bidders. Those search engines will get you every time.

Tim

My search was "pentax a 50mm 1.4". This came up with 7 lenses sold in the last week.

$145.50 (24 bids), $114.49 (28 bids), $150 (1 bid), $219.99 (BiN), $139.99 (BiN), $166 (33 bids), and $263.03 (UK).

[geekette]

I searched by 50mm and this one had a space between the 50 and mm. It is possible that the space lowered the number of potential bidders. Those search engines will get you every time.

Tim

That's why when I search I type 50 without the mm e.g. search: "pentax-a 50 1.4" or "pentax 55 1.8" etc..

[boriscleto]

BTW, I pickup up my A50/1.4 for about $90 in November from Shopgoodwill.com with a beat up Super Program. Cosmetically it's what KEH would call BGN, the white paint has come off the DOF scale, but optically it's fine and it didn't have any fungus. The Super Program is what KEH would call UG. I bought another Super Program with an A50/1.7, A28/2.8 & A135/2.8 plus an AF200T flash, all in EX+ condition, for $168.

You have to be really careful with cameras on Shopgoodwill, because the people who do the listings know nothing about cameras. I've rolled the dice many times but only been burned once.

My last goodwill purchase was a SF1 with a F35-70 and F70-210 for $125.

[m42man]

I find with MF lenses using the green button to stop-down meter prior to shooting is far less intrusive than the actual process of MF. I use my M lenses routinely on the K-x.

I agree 100% here. As has been implied recently on another thread, using the green button is a bit like using a light-meter: you take a reading, and then start shooting - you only need to use the button again if/when the lighting conditions change.

Whereas, in certain (but not all!) situations, manual-focus can be an absolute pain (though if Catch-in-Focus can be shown to work with a given lens, you can probably use this as a work-around).

[paperbag846]

The M and K series all-manual 50's are all very good for the dollar - the 1.4 50mm lenses are all pretty much the same (slightly different coatings), so really you are paying for features (auto-contacts, auto focus etc).

If you can find a FA or F 50 1.4 for 250 or less, you are getting a good deal. I'd (guess) that the A version would be 150, and the M version should be 100 or less.

The best deal with auto-aperture, IMHO, is the 50mm 1.7 A. This lens is SHARP, has good (not great) bokeh, but overall, renders like a much, much more expensive lens.

Overall I would suggest the money for the 50 mm 1.4 is worth it (better bokeh is nice) and I would personally pay for the autofocus, but the A lenses will give you the exact same performance as far as IQ is concerned. The A 50 1.7 is a really good 80 or so dollars spent.

[selar]

Why does it have to be an A lens? Why not a DA lens that will have the best compatibility with dslr?

[RioRico]

Why does it have to be an A lens? Why not a DA lens that will have the best compatibility with dslr?

Because the OP's question was, what's the best FULL FRAME Fifty with auto aperture? DA's are built for half-frame APS-C sensors, not full-frame.

And for all those suggesting K- and M-type lenses -- those don't have auto-aperture. So the only candidates that answer the question are A-, F-, or FA-series lenses.

And the answer is: A50/1.2! So what if it busts the budget?!? The leading runner-ups are the A- and F- and FA-series 50/1.4's, followed by the 50/1.7's.

[geekette]

I agree 100% here. As has been implied recently on another thread, using the green button is a bit like using a light-meter: you take a reading, and then start shooting - you only need to use the button again if/when the lighting conditions change.

Thing is, it don't really properly read the light. It's off by quite a bit at different aperture settings. Why I don't know.. Seems like a bug that needs fixing, perhaps in firmware. It will roughly get me to where I need to, but end up taking about 3 pics to get it just right by looking at the histogram after each snap.

[creampuff]

The DA* 55mm f/1.4 has an image circle that covers 35mm full frame if I remember correctly. It definitely has the edge over the F/FA 50mm f/1.4.
I believe the new Sigma 50mm f/1.4 as covers full frame.

[violini]

Thing is, it doesn't really properly read the light. It's off by quite a bit at different aperture settings. Why I don't know.. Seems like a bug that needs fixing, perhaps in firmware. It will roughly get me to where I need to, but end up taking about 3 pics to get it just right by looking at the histogram after each snap.

I too was so frustrated using M50/1.7 on K-x, one day I got the hacksaw and cut off that redundant aperture lever. Now I focus at 1.7 and turn the aperture ring to whatever DOF I need and shoot in Av mode.

[boriscleto]

I too was so frustrated using M50/1.7 on K-x, one day I got the hacksaw and cut off that redundant aperture lever. Now I focus at 1.7 and turn the aperture ring to whatever DOF I need and shoot in Av mode.

You also made it unusable on a film slr.

[northcoastgreg]

Best 50mm (or so) full frame lens that has auto aperature?

The best auto aperture 50mm lens for Pentax is the A 50/1.2. It's in a league of it's own. The A 50/1.4 and A 50/1.7 are also very fine lenses capable of producing stellar results for a fraction of the cost of the 50/1.2.

[geekette]

How well does the K-X meter with the Pentax-A lenses at all aperture settings? Because it doesn't meter well with the M & K lenses with the green button the more you close up the lens.