Lenses for K-5 or not??

Atlantic · 01-16-2012, 10:08 AM

I just found two lenses, both used. Does anyone know if they are compatible to K-5, and do you have some experience with them?

I'll use them for portraits, mostly. Thanks.

Pentax 50mm SMC Pentax-A 1.7
Pentax FA 50mm 1.4.

I know that the 1.7 is not autofocus.

Docrwm · 01-16-2012, 10:19 AM

Hi, welcome aboard!

Yes, the nice thing about Pentax K mount is that all the older K lenses are compatible. I own the Pentax FA 50mm 1.4 and just used it last night on my K5.

Mareket · 01-16-2012, 10:36 AM

I own both and they work fine, autofocus is very fast with the FA 50 f/1.4. Just make sure when you use them you set the aperture ring to 'A' so you can control the aperture from the body, otherwise you need to shoot either wide-open for every shot in Av, or by using the green button metering method in M.

Atlantic · 01-16-2012, 10:48 AM

Ok, I think I should go for it then, thanks. Does anyone have some samples of portraits taken with these lenses, maybe?

RickParkhurst · 01-16-2012, 11:00 AM

Here for the 50 1.4 and here for the 1.7.

I have the 1.7 and love it on my K20D!

Atlantic · 01-16-2012, 12:35 PM

Hey Rick

Thanks, but it's two wrong links. The first is of a 35mm, and the next one is not the A-type.

RickParkhurst · 01-16-2012, 01:27 PM

Sorry, I changed the first link. The second one does take me to the lens I have that does work in the aperture priority mode?

Atlantic · 01-16-2012, 01:44 PM

The 50mm 1.4 is FA and not F.

The 50mm 1.7 is A

I think it's some older versions, I can't find much on it.

Philoslothical · 01-16-2012, 03:09 PM

For the 50mm A f./1.7 there are some pics in the reviews thread. This is a highly regarded lens. Some people prefer the A series f./1.4, some prefer the f./1.7. They're both good. There are 5 pages of reviews you can sift through there.

The review thread for the FA 50mm f./1.4 has 7 pages, and some samples. It's another good one, and AF is nice to have.

The one thing I'd say is you probably don't need both, unless you intend to reverse one on the other for macro work. There isn't anything the A can do that the FA can't.

Erik · 01-17-2012, 07:32 AM

Originally posted by Atlantic

The 50mm 1.4 is FA and not F.

The FA 50/1.4 is the latest version of the 50/1.4, but it is optically identical to the A 50/1.4 (same lens without autofocus) and the F 50/1.4 (exactly the same lens but with different plastic casing)

Here are 3000+ examples taken with the FA50:

Flickr: Pentax SMC - Official Tag Required content tagged with smcpfa50mmf14

01-16-2012, 10:08 AM	#1
Atlantic New Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 20	Lenses for K-5 or not?? I just found two lenses, both used. Does anyone know if they are compatible to K-5, and do you have some experience with them? I'll use them for portraits, mostly. Thanks. Pentax 50mm SMC Pentax-A 1.7 Pentax FA 50mm 1.4. I know that the 1.7 is not autofocus.

01-16-2012, 11:00 AM	#5
RickParkhurst Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Ellicott City, Maryland Photos: Albums Posts: 41	Here for the 50 1.4 and here for the 1.7. I have the 1.7 and love it on my K20D! Last edited by RickParkhurst; 01-16-2012 at 01:18 PM.

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01-16-2012, 10:19 AM	#2
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Hi, welcome aboard! Yes, the nice thing about Pentax K mount is that all the older K lenses are compatible. I own the Pentax FA 50mm 1.4 and just used it last night on my K5.

01-16-2012, 10:36 AM	#3
Mareket Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Chester Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 719	I own both and they work fine, autofocus is very fast with the FA 50 f/1.4. Just make sure when you use them you set the aperture ring to 'A' so you can control the aperture from the body, otherwise you need to shoot either wide-open for every shot in Av, or by using the green button metering method in M.

01-16-2012, 10:48 AM	#4
Atlantic New Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 20 Original Poster	Ok, I think I should go for it then, thanks. Does anyone have some samples of portraits taken with these lenses, maybe?

01-16-2012, 12:35 PM	#6
Atlantic New Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 20 Original Poster	Hey Rick Thanks, but it's two wrong links. The first is of a 35mm, and the next one is not the A-type.

01-16-2012, 01:27 PM	#7
RickParkhurst Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Ellicott City, Maryland Photos: Albums Posts: 41	Sorry, I changed the first link. The second one does take me to the lens I have that does work in the aperture priority mode?

01-16-2012, 01:44 PM	#8
Atlantic New Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 20 Original Poster	The 50mm 1.4 is FA and not F. The 50mm 1.7 is A I think it's some older versions, I can't find much on it.

01-16-2012, 03:09 PM	#9
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	For the 50mm A f./1.7 there are some pics in the reviews thread. This is a highly regarded lens. Some people prefer the A series f./1.4, some prefer the f./1.7. They're both good. There are 5 pages of reviews you can sift through there. The review thread for the FA 50mm f./1.4 has 7 pages, and some samples. It's another good one, and AF is nice to have. The one thing I'd say is you probably don't need both, unless you intend to reverse one on the other for macro work. There isn't anything the A can do that the FA can't.

01-17-2012, 07:32 AM	#10
Erik Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Umeå, Sweden Posts: 755	Originally posted by Atlantic The 50mm 1.4 is FA and not F. The FA 50/1.4 is the latest version of the 50/1.4, but it is optically identical to the A 50/1.4 (same lens without autofocus) and the F 50/1.4 (exactly the same lens but with different plastic casing) Here are 3000+ examples taken with the FA50: Flickr: Pentax SMC - Official Tag Required content tagged with smcpfa50mmf14