[m42man]

I'd recommend a Rikenon 50 f2 (preferably not the -P version), as it's simultaneously the sharpest, and also the cheapest out there.

You may find this shootout interesting, though it doesn't include the Rikenon:

Nifty 50 Shootout : ERPhotoReview

[Na Horuk]

I'd recommend a Rikenon 50 f2 (preferably not the -P version), as it's simultaneously the sharpest, and also the cheapest out there.

You may find this shootout interesting, though it doesn't include the Rikenon:

Nifty 50 Shootout : ERPhotoReview

Awesome, that is exactly what I was looking for, thanks!

[m42man]

You're welcome! Here's another shootout:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/121708-50ish-m...ml#post1259148

And here are a couple of links regarding the Rikenon:

Pentax K fit 50mm's Photo Gallery by Steve Flynn at pbase.com
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/65265-xr-riken...ens-claim.html

I own a Pentax M50/1.7, XR-Rikenon 50/2, Rikenon 50/2, Rikenon-P 50/2, two Cosinon-S 50/2 and a Helios 44M. The non-P Rikenons are the sharpest, closely followed by the -P, Pentax and Cosinons, with the Helios markedly the worst (though it has the best wide-open centre sharpness). The Cosinons both suffer from stiff focusing, obviously needing re-lubing.

[Jean Poitiers]

I'd recommend a Rikenon 50 f2 (preferably not the -P version), as it's simultaneously the sharpest, and also the cheapest out there.

You may find this shootout interesting, though it doesn't include the Rikenon:

Nifty 50 Shootout : ERPhotoReview

Bonjour m42man,

Thanks for the tip and the link ...

I know where I can get a Rikenon f2 cheap, but how can you tell if it's a "p" version or not. Sorry, but I know nothing about these diferences ...

Merci et salut - John le Frog

[Docrwm]

Bonjour m42man,

Thanks for the tip and the link ...

I know where I can get a Rikenon f2 cheap, but how can you tell if it's a "p" version or not. Sorry, but I know nothing about these diferences ...

Merci et salut - John le Frog

John,

My recollection is that the "P" versions have the letter "P" in green right after the Rikenon on the front of the lens. Not certain that it is done with all of them but know I have seen it in the past that way.

Si je me souviens, c'est que le "P" versions ont la lettre «P» dans le droit vert après la Rikenon sur le devant de la lentille. Pas certain que cela soit fait avec chacun d'eux mais je sais que je l'ai vu dans le passé de cette façon.

EDIT: J'ai une bonne mémoire quelquefois ...

[Jean Poitiers]

... EDIT: J'ai une bonne mémoire quelquefois ...

Eh oui ... touché, coulé ... All kidding aside, thanks a lot for your info!

Just double checked the website, and unfornately that lens is no longer listed. Someone maybe beat me to the punch ... and even worse I'll never know if it was a "P" version or not.

Don't worry, I am going to remember this one and keep hunting (as always) ... plus there's the annual photo exposition/swap meet in (near) Poitiers in two weeks that I will be doing some serious business at!

Merci encore er salut - John

[Docrwm]

Eh oui ... touché, coulé ... All kidding aside, thanks a lot for your info!

Just double checked the website, and unfornately that lens is no longer listed. Someone maybe beat me to the punch ... and even worse I'll never know if it was a "P" version or not.

Don't worry, I am going to remember this one and keep hunting (as always) ... plus there's the annual photo exposition/swap meet in (near) Poitiers in two weeks that I will be doing some serious business at!

Merci encore er salut - John

Bonne chance dans la chasse!

[stevebrot]

My recollection is that the "P" versions have the letter "P" in green right after the Rikenon on the front of the lens. Not certain that it is done with all of them but know I have seen it in the past that way.

Yes, that is correct. There is also a green "P" on the aperture ring. Remember that the "P" lenses pose a hazard to AF Pentax cameras due to the dreaded "Ricoh Pin".

I would suggest the XR Rikenon 50/2, the "P"s predecessor.


Steve

[Jean Poitiers]

Yes, that is correct. There is also a green "P" on the aperture ring. Remember that the "P" lenses pose a hazard to AF Pentax cameras due to the dreaded "Ricoh Pin". I would suggest the XR Rikenon 50/2, the "P"s predecessor. Steve

Bonjour Steve,

Thanks and I just added this lens to my "shopping list" for the photo fair ... and to my general "hunting" list as well.

Salut ... et à la chasse aux trésors - J

[simbon4o]

Mamiya 55 1.4 is not that expensive these days and it is quite nice
For a cheap lens - go for M 50 1.7 or Auto Chinon 50 1.7 they are the best cheap lenses on K

[Jean Poitiers]

mamiya 55 1.4 is not that expensive these days and it is quite nice

Bonjour simon4o,

OK - many thanks for the tip ... I'll keep my eye out for this, too.

Salut, J

[m42man]

Just to clarify: the Rikenons come in XR, P and just plain Rikenon forms. The XR version is the biggest and heaviest (and probably the earliest), followed by the plain Rikenon, and the P version is the smallest and lightest. The very popular KR-10 camera probably featured both of the former versions, so these should be plentiful and cheap, and as I noted earlier, they seem to perform the best.

The "P" probably stands for "Program", and I seem to remember a slightly downmarket Ricoh SLR called the "Program" (but my memory could easily be playing tricks here!), which featured full Program exposure mode (in which the camera was able to control aperture). So the Rikenon P lenses would be equivalent to Pentax's A-series (but NOT in any way compatible regarding aperture control, so don't view them as a cheap alternative to an A-series!). As Steve pointed out, these have the "Ricoh" pin which must be removed (it's dead easy - just remove the back plate).

But my experience of the P version is that it's inferior to the other two.

[m42man]

I think my memory probably was playing tricks - I was probably confusing the Ricoh with program mode with the Pentax Program A/Plus...

[stevebrot]

The "P" probably stands for "Program", and I seem to remember a slightly downmarket Ricoh SLR called the "Program" (but my memory could easily be playing tricks here!), which featured full Program exposure mode (in which the camera was able to control aperture). So the Rikenon P lenses would be equivalent to Pentax's A-series (but NOT in any way compatible regarding aperture control, so don't view them as a cheap alternative to an A-series!).

This is correct, though I would hardly characterize the Ricoh XRP as downmarket. Its street price back-in-the-day was about the same as a Pentax Super Program and its feature set was more extensive than the Pentax product. Hinman (user on this site) is an XRP owner. He is a real fan of the camera and IIRC sold off all but that body for 35mm film use.


Steve

[m42man]

This is correct, though I would hardly characterize the Ricoh XRP as downmarket. Its street price back-in-the-day was about the same as a Pentax Super Program and its feature set was more extensive than the Pentax product. Hinman (user on this site) is an XRP owner. He is a real fan of the camera and IIRC sold off all but that body for 35mm film use.

Steve

Yes, as you can tell, my memory of these cameras is a bit hazy now. I think what I was trying to say was that I associate the advent of SLRs with Program exposure mode with the introduction of plasticky bodies (and I've always regarded Program mode as somewhat of a gimmick anyway - perhaps wrongly), and I never invested in one as a result. And of course the P version of the Rikenon 50/2 does seem to make more use of plastic than its older siblings.