Pentax 50mm 1.7 impressive so far - Pixel-peepers welcome!

Edgar_in_Indy · 10-30-2011, 07:49 AM

Do you shoot RAW?

danibasauri · 10-30-2011, 08:34 AM

I really love this lens, here are some pictures made with it:

Cris | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Maya | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Larrain | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Jon | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

bass3587 · 10-30-2011, 08:38 AM

Yes it's the K-x

bass3587 · 10-30-2011, 04:09 PM

Ok here is another try

Attached Images

Edgar_in_Indy · 11-01-2011, 08:27 PM

I took the 50mm 1.7 with me trick-or-treating, and got some nice pictures. The shooting conditions were about as bad as you could imagine, since most of the time it was very dark, and when there was light, it was usually back-lighting the subjects. Believe me, using a manual focus lens on the K-x in those conditions is not easy. Needless to say, my keeper rate was atrocious, but nevertheless I came away with a few keepers, so I was very happy I took that lens.

Even at ISO 1600 and f/1.7, I still had to keep my shutter speed at 1/30 or 1/40 sec. And I discovered that although f/1.7 is very thin at close ranges, it actually works okay for capturing a scene when you're farther away.

wolfiegirl · 11-01-2011, 08:51 PM

wow. you're doing magic with that 1.7!!!

*looks at my 1.7* guess we'd better pull our socks up eh?

Edgar_in_Indy · 11-02-2011, 05:17 AM

Thanks. I always wondered why people make such a fuss about these old lenses, and now I understand. I just hope it doesn't lead to a severe case of LBA. I read a post from you about your struggle with LBA and found it...haunting.

wolfiegirl · 11-02-2011, 05:28 AM

Oh Edgar.. the LBA is bad, bad, baaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

I've got like 30 lists of ebay listings to trawl through each day. And if I don't pay attention I'll do a boo boo. I'm desperately hoping that I'm going to get outbid on a Tamron zoom atm. But it's not looking promising. Listing ends in 15 hours and I have a top bid of $45. I so read the wrong review on the database.

As to haunting.. hrmm, interesting choice of words. Don't worry, you'll get sucked in one way or another

I must admit that I've probably taken more photos in the last month than I have probably since I got the camera and went for a month trip overseas. So at least the camera's getting a work out. And my blog gets regularly updated with wolfie pics. That and I'm already noticing an improvement with my skills.

I do find that I'm getting a bit more demanding about what lenses to try. Personally I have yet to justify why I own both the 1.7 and the 1.4. I seem to use them interchangeably.

I'm hoping that once my m42 adapter arrives I'll be able to test out the remaining 6 lenses

I've got sitting on my desk at work (now moved into a little camera bag) and decide which ones are keepers and which ones aren't.

If I can be good and streamline then hopefully I won't be too out of pocket by the end of it. And for me, who was using the k100d for close to 5 years as a point and shoot with the kit lenses, this is a great way to keep learning. Or as someone noted "about time". LOL

If you do decide to try out more glass my best advice to you is to use a sniping program. I'm finding I've already saved quite a lot of moolah doing it this way. Mainly because it gives me the opportunity to change my mind on something that I want. In ebay if you bid that's it. You're committed. But the sniping programs won't bid for you until the very last second. Which means you have a chance to change your mind, delete it from your sight and pretend that you never even considered bidding on said dud lens at all. This tricky ebay listing that I'm already remorseful about (and desperately hoping I'll get outbid on) was done by not listening to my own advice and bidding via ebay rather than the sniper program.

But this is all neither here nor there.

Don't mean to hijack your thread. Either way I can already tell you're loving your exploration of old glass.

Enjoy!

RioRico · 11-02-2011, 08:10 AM

Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy

Do you shoot RAW?

No, I usually have my pants on.

But I digress. This really is a great lens. And many more great cheap old MF lenses exist, enticing us, taunting us with their quality, maddening us with their prices. "Take me! Take me!" cry the[list of great lenses deleted], sending their tendrils into our brains. Each has its own special high, its unique flavor. A lens is a terrible thing to taste.

mikeSF · 11-02-2011, 11:32 AM

your pics look great!
i still use mine for my stopped down landscapes (f16) because it is so fricken sharp!!
the M50/1.7 was my first manual lens and i got spoiled by the sharpness. i bring it everywhere i go.

Laurentiu Cristofor · 11-02-2011, 08:01 PM

Great job with this lens, Edgar! The bokeh and colors in those preschool shots are reminding me of the Sears 50s.

Edgar_in_Indy · 11-03-2011, 06:05 AM

Originally posted by mikeSF

your pics look great!
i still use mine for my stopped down landscapes (f16) because it is so fricken sharp!!

Thanks! With how sharp it is wide open, I have no doubt that it is very sharp stopped down. But I've had so much fun shooting at f/1.7 that I don't think I would mind if the aperture dial was welded in place. I never imagined that f/1.7 would be so useful on a manual focus lens, but this catch-in-focus feature is really great. Do most cameras have a similar feature?

Colbyt · 11-03-2011, 11:54 AM

I am pretty sure the entire Pentax line has it. Several of the other makers opted for different mounts making their old glass obsolete.

It sure looks like you have enjoyed it. Natural light with no flash was always what I enjoyed the most with 35mm.

And still do with digital. I was at a cooking show a couple of weeks ago with good stage lighting. I was the only person shooting without a flash.

11-03-2011, 06:05 AM	#42
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685 Original Poster	Originally posted by mikeSF your pics look great! i still use mine for my stopped down landscapes (f16) because it is so fricken sharp!! Thanks! With how sharp it is wide open, I have no doubt that it is very sharp stopped down. But I've had so much fun shooting at f/1.7 that I don't think I would mind if the aperture dial was welded in place. I never imagined that f/1.7 would be so useful on a manual focus lens, but this catch-in-focus feature is really great. Do most cameras have a similar feature? Last edited by Edgar_in_Indy; 11-03-2011 at 08:37 AM.

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10-30-2011, 07:49 AM	#31
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685 Original Poster	Do you shoot RAW?

10-30-2011, 08:34 AM	#32
danibasauri New Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Madrid Posts: 3	I really love this lens, here are some pictures made with it: Cris \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! Maya \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! Larrain \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! Jon \| Flickr - Photo Sharing!

10-30-2011, 08:38 AM	#33
bass3587 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 517	Yes it's the K-x

10-30-2011, 04:09 PM	#34
bass3587 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 517	Ok here is another try Attached Images

11-01-2011, 08:27 PM	#35
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685 Original Poster	I took the 50mm 1.7 with me trick-or-treating, and got some nice pictures. The shooting conditions were about as bad as you could imagine, since most of the time it was very dark, and when there was light, it was usually back-lighting the subjects. Believe me, using a manual focus lens on the K-x in those conditions is not easy. Needless to say, my keeper rate was atrocious, but nevertheless I came away with a few keepers, so I was very happy I took that lens. Even at ISO 1600 and f/1.7, I still had to keep my shutter speed at 1/30 or 1/40 sec. And I discovered that although f/1.7 is very thin at close ranges, it actually works okay for capturing a scene when you're farther away.

11-01-2011, 08:51 PM	#36
wolfiegirl Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Mystery Bay, NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,111	wow. you're doing magic with that 1.7!!! looks at my 1.7 guess we'd better pull our socks up eh?

11-02-2011, 05:17 AM	#37
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685 Original Poster	Thanks. I always wondered why people make such a fuss about these old lenses, and now I understand. I just hope it doesn't lead to a severe case of LBA. I read a post from you about your struggle with LBA and found it...haunting.

11-02-2011, 05:28 AM	#38
wolfiegirl Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Mystery Bay, NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,111	Oh Edgar.. the LBA is bad, bad, baaaaaaaaaaaaaad. I've got like 30 lists of ebay listings to trawl through each day. And if I don't pay attention I'll do a boo boo. I'm desperately hoping that I'm going to get outbid on a Tamron zoom atm. But it's not looking promising. Listing ends in 15 hours and I have a top bid of $45. I so read the wrong review on the database. As to haunting.. hrmm, interesting choice of words. Don't worry, you'll get sucked in one way or another I must admit that I've probably taken more photos in the last month than I have probably since I got the camera and went for a month trip overseas. So at least the camera's getting a work out. And my blog gets regularly updated with wolfie pics. That and I'm already noticing an improvement with my skills. I do find that I'm getting a bit more demanding about what lenses to try. Personally I have yet to justify why I own both the 1.7 and the 1.4. I seem to use them interchangeably. I'm hoping that once my m42 adapter arrives I'll be able to test out the remaining 6 lenses I've got sitting on my desk at work (now moved into a little camera bag) and decide which ones are keepers and which ones aren't. If I can be good and streamline then hopefully I won't be too out of pocket by the end of it. And for me, who was using the k100d for close to 5 years as a point and shoot with the kit lenses, this is a great way to keep learning. Or as someone noted "about time". LOL If you do decide to try out more glass my best advice to you is to use a sniping program. I'm finding I've already saved quite a lot of moolah doing it this way. Mainly because it gives me the opportunity to change my mind on something that I want. In ebay if you bid that's it. You're committed. But the sniping programs won't bid for you until the very last second. Which means you have a chance to change your mind, delete it from your sight and pretend that you never even considered bidding on said dud lens at all. This tricky ebay listing that I'm already remorseful about (and desperately hoping I'll get outbid on) was done by not listening to my own advice and bidding via ebay rather than the sniper program. But this is all neither here nor there. Don't mean to hijack your thread. Either way I can already tell you're loving your exploration of old glass. Enjoy!

11-02-2011, 08:10 AM	#39
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy Do you shoot RAW? No, I usually have my pants on. But I digress. This really is a great lens. And many more great cheap old MF lenses exist, enticing us, taunting us with their quality, maddening us with their prices. "Take me! Take me!" cry the[list of great lenses deleted], sending their tendrils into our brains. Each has its own special high, its unique flavor. A lens is a terrible thing to taste.

11-02-2011, 11:32 AM	#40
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	your pics look great! i still use mine for my stopped down landscapes (f16) because it is so fricken sharp!! the M50/1.7 was my first manual lens and i got spoiled by the sharpness. i bring it everywhere i go.

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11-02-2011, 08:01 PM	#41
Laurentiu Cristofor Banned Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: WA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,055	Great job with this lens, Edgar! The bokeh and colors in those preschool shots are reminding me of the Sears 50s.

11-03-2011, 11:54 AM	#43
Colbyt Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Kentucky Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,417	I am pretty sure the entire Pentax line has it. Several of the other makers opted for different mounts making their old glass obsolete. It sure looks like you have enjoyed it. Natural light with no flash was always what I enjoyed the most with 35mm. And still do with digital. I was at a cooking show a couple of weeks ago with good stage lighting. I was the only person shooting without a flash.