Pentax-FA 50mm 1.4 vs Pentax-M 50mm 1.7 Image Quality

**NaClH2O** · 05-09-2009, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by AndrewShirley

Ah yes, the legendary and elusive 1.2. I would love to see shots with it.

- Andrew

Andrew, check here: the Normal Lens Shootout Photo Gallery by Sean Carpenter at pbase.com

Sean Carpenter's wonderful "Normal Lens Shootout".

NaCl(one of the best comparison tests I've seen by ANYBODY)H2O

ps: also check here for a few shots just after I got the Pentax SMC 50mm F1.2. It's not the "A" version but optically it's the same as far as I know.
saltwater : photos : LBA: Pentax K 50mm F1.2

Big G · 05-13-2009, 03:05 PM

I have an M 1.7, it should certainly be a lot better than that.

benjikan · 05-13-2009, 03:26 PM

There is something very wrong with the Pentax f1.7

asdf · 05-13-2009, 03:32 PM

Originally posted by benjikan

There is something very wrong with the Pentax f1.7

Not likely. The photos are either out of order or out of focus. Check out the supposed f/1.7 shot and compare it to the softer f/8.0 shot.

The M 1.7's optical formula had the most "enclosures" out of all Pentax 50's:

Pentax Normal Prime Lenses

Someone would've noticed a problem by the fourth incarnation.

EDIT: Read what the original poster wrote:

"Did a side by side comparison of the FA 1.4 and M 1.7 today and noticed the images from the 1.4 were softer then the 1.7. "

It's likely that the images do not correspond to their labels.

Last edited by asdf; 05-13-2009 at 03:44 PM.

Pentaxoid · 12-10-2009, 04:33 AM

The post is old, but shows up in google.

His lenses are mislabeled and have a real problem. @5.6 the image should be perfectly sharp which is not the case, so either his lens or camera has an adjustment or focus problem.

pschlute · 12-11-2009, 10:44 AM

This is indeed an old post.

Not only is the manual focus suspect, but in a later seperate post the OP admitted to using Av mode for all the tests. The M50 1.7 was thus exposing everything at 1.7.

I, (and 99% of other owners) know the M50 1.7 is one of the sharpest lenses money can (still) buy.

SMeK · 09-16-2010, 03:05 AM

Originally posted by Kentax

i shot them wide open. thanks for the replies, i will do another comparison with the lenses at the same aperture soon.

Edit: continue from original post

C2.0 @ 8.0

Lenses wide open

FA1.4 @ 1.4

M1.7 @ 1.7

A2.0 @ 2.0

C2.0 @ 2.0

Hey, can you update those links? thank you very much.

systemBuilder · 05-15-2012, 10:47 PM

I did a lot of study of lens tests in photography magazines when I bought my ME Super Camera outfit in 1982, and on purpose I selected the Pentax-M 1.7 lens even though I could have afforded a wider aperature lens.

You are not seeing anything out of the ordinary, and your Pentax-A 1.4 lens is working just fine. The reason that most people are seeing more sharpness in the Pentax-M 1.7 is quite simply, this lens was better than all other 50mm lenses for sale in the late 1970's and early 1980's - Canon - not as sharp - Nikon - not as sharp - all other Pentax 50mm lenses - not as sharp.

There is nothing wrong with your 1.4 50mm lens. Instead, there is something very, very right about the Pentax-M 1.7 50mm lens!

sterretje · 05-16-2012, 09:30 PM

@systemBuilder
This thread is 4.5 years old; wonder how relevant your information still is for Kentax

systemBuilder · 05-16-2012, 10:46 PM

Thanks, and yes I realize it's a 4-year old thread. However, I found it while searching the archive for info about these lenses, and I had some new facts to add, so hopefully somebody else searching the archives in the future will benefit (or people who didn't know about the sharpness of the 1.7 lens, will be informed because the thread has been bumped to the front page of the pentax page.)

05-15-2012, 10:47 PM	#23
systemBuilder New Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 6	I did a lot of study of lens tests in photography magazines when I bought my ME Super Camera outfit in 1982, and on purpose I selected the Pentax-M 1.7 lens even though I could have afforded a wider aperature lens. You are not seeing anything out of the ordinary, and your Pentax-A 1.4 lens is working just fine. The reason that most people are seeing more sharpness in the Pentax-M 1.7 is quite simply, this lens was better than all other 50mm lenses for sale in the late 1970's and early 1980's - Canon - not as sharp - Nikon - not as sharp - all other Pentax 50mm lenses - not as sharp. There is nothing wrong with your 1.4 50mm lens. Instead, there is something very, very right about the Pentax-M 1.7 50mm lens! Last edited by systemBuilder; 05-16-2012 at 08:32 AM.

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05-09-2009, 11:49 AM	#16
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	Originally posted by AndrewShirley Ah yes, the legendary and elusive 1.2. I would love to see shots with it. - Andrew Andrew, check here: the Normal Lens Shootout Photo Gallery by Sean Carpenter at pbase.com Sean Carpenter's wonderful "Normal Lens Shootout". NaCl(one of the best comparison tests I've seen by ANYBODY)H2O ps: also check here for a few shots just after I got the Pentax SMC 50mm F1.2. It's not the "A" version but optically it's the same as far as I know. saltwater : photos : LBA: Pentax K 50mm F1.2

05-13-2009, 03:05 PM	#17
Big G Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 581	I have an M 1.7, it should certainly be a lot better than that.

05-13-2009, 03:26 PM	#18
benjikan Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Paris, France Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,308	There is something very wrong with the Pentax f1.7

05-13-2009, 03:32 PM	#19
asdf Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,252	Originally posted by benjikan There is something very wrong with the Pentax f1.7 Not likely. The photos are either out of order or out of focus. Check out the supposed f/1.7 shot and compare it to the softer f/8.0 shot. The M 1.7's optical formula had the most "enclosures" out of all Pentax 50's: Pentax Normal Prime Lenses Someone would've noticed a problem by the fourth incarnation. EDIT: Read what the original poster wrote: "Did a side by side comparison of the FA 1.4 and M 1.7 today and noticed the images from the 1.4 were softer then the 1.7. " It's likely that the images do not correspond to their labels. Last edited by asdf; 05-13-2009 at 03:44 PM.

12-10-2009, 04:33 AM	#20
Pentaxoid Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 48	The post is old, but shows up in google. His lenses are mislabeled and have a real problem. @5.6 the image should be perfectly sharp which is not the case, so either his lens or camera has an adjustment or focus problem.

12-11-2009, 10:44 AM	#21
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,198	This is indeed an old post. Not only is the manual focus suspect, but in a later seperate post the OP admitted to using Av mode for all the tests. The M50 1.7 was thus exposing everything at 1.7. I, (and 99% of other owners) know the M50 1.7 is one of the sharpest lenses money can (still) buy.

09-16-2010, 03:05 AM	#22
SMeK Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 150	Originally posted by Kentax i shot them wide open. thanks for the replies, i will do another comparison with the lenses at the same aperture soon. Edit: continue from original post C2.0 @ 8.0 Lenses wide open FA1.4 @ 1.4 M1.7 @ 1.7 A2.0 @ 2.0 C2.0 @ 2.0 Hey, can you update those links? thank you very much.

05-16-2012, 09:30 PM	#24
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	@systemBuilder This thread is 4.5 years old; wonder how relevant your information still is for Kentax

05-16-2012, 10:46 PM	#25
systemBuilder New Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 6	Thanks, and yes I realize it's a 4-year old thread. However, I found it while searching the archive for info about these lenses, and I had some new facts to add, so hopefully somebody else searching the archives in the future will benefit (or people who didn't know about the sharpness of the 1.7 lens, will be informed because the thread has been bumped to the front page of the pentax page.)