Estate sale lens, 50mm A 1:1.2, I have never seen this lens before.

WendyB · 01-20-2008, 10:16 PM

While at an estate sale on Saturday I picked up an A3000 body paired with a SMC-Pentax 50mm A 1:1.2 marking on the on the outer bevel on the front of the lens. I have never seen a 50mm A marked like this before. (I am having great difficulty uploading images from my PC and wish I could get some help from someone in the the forum). The only 50mm 1.2 A lenses I have seen over the years have an "A 1.2" marking.

I was a bit tentative about purchasing this lot because it was $65 dollars and the seals on the body look rather weak.

Anyways I mounted this lens on my K10 today and it seems to be quite a bit more special in image quality than my 50mm 1.2. The focus ring is velvet smooth. I really quite like this lens and think It is most definitely a keeper.

Is there a difference between the A 1:1.2 and the A 1.2 or did Pentax just change the die to imprint the lens or did I just happen upon a European/Japanese lens that is marked differently?

Last edited by WendyB; 01-20-2008 at 10:23 PM. Reason: Dyslexic typing fingers

little laker · 01-20-2008, 10:28 PM

I've never heard of the ens before Wendy, although that shouldn't be any surprise.
I am however very interested in seeing the image quality.

If you can't post it feel free to e-mail it to me at stu at bcscenicwonder dot com, and I'll post it for you.

frank · 01-20-2008, 10:36 PM

Hi Wendy,

First of all, congrats on the new purchase. What a great bargain!

As to the markings on the A50/1.2 lens, the one I have is marked like this:

Is that what you were talking about in your first thread above?

betsypdx · 01-20-2008, 10:38 PM

Is this what you got?
Pentax Lens Review Database - 50mm F1.2

You'll note that the average price is almost 10 times what you paid. Congrats!

hecthetech · 01-20-2008, 10:55 PM

It's probably the best 50mm there is.
One sold on ebay the other day for just under $500.00 dollars.
Here's a link to the lens shootout and sample pics.

Match 1: (1) SMC Pentax-A 1:1.2 50mm vs. (16) KMZ Helios 44M-4 1:2 58mm Photo Gallery by Sean Carpenter at pbase.com

WendyB · 01-20-2008, 11:05 PM

Originally posted by frank

Hi Wendy,

First of all, congrats on the new purchase. What a great bargain!

As to the markings on the A50/1.2 lens, the one I have is marked like this:

Is that what you were talking about in your first thread above?

That is the exact same lens. I did not have a clue about this one. This might be a stupid question but why is there such an extreme price difference on 50mm 1.2? I think I already know why after about a hour of using this lens and then looking at raw post process.

Rico · 01-20-2008, 11:14 PM

You are joking right WendyB.

You have never heard of this lens plus never seen markings like that on the outer barrel when all the A lenses are marked this way which you have to many to list.

On top of this you paid $65 for a lens that goes for around $500.

WendyB · 01-20-2008, 11:28 PM

Originally posted by Rico

You are joking right WendyB.

You have never heard of this lens plus never seen markings like that on the outer barrel when all the A lenses are marked this way which you have to many to list.

On top of this you paid $65 for a lens that goes for around $500.

Quite honestly I have not, Rico, I have acquired about 300+ Pentax lenses over the last 30 years most I know a great deal about most of them, some I do not. This one I had never seen before. I still carry about 236 in my lens cabinet.

You are more than welcome to visit and see them if you would like.

I asked an honest question and I expect an apology from you.

WendyB · 01-20-2008, 11:32 PM

Originally posted by Rico

You are joking right WendyB.

You have never heard of this lens plus never seen markings like that on the outer barrel when all the A lenses are marked this way which you have to many to list.

On top of this you paid $65 for a lens that goes for around $500.

"never seen markings like that on the outer barrel"

Let me please clarify, I have seen "for many years" the "A 1.2" marking, This is the first "A 1:1.2" I have ever experienced.

123K10D · 01-20-2008, 11:38 PM

Originally posted by WendyB

Quite honestly I have not, Rico, I have acquired about 300+ Pentax lenses over the last 30 years most I know a great deal about some I do not. This one I had never seen before. I still carry about 236 in my lens cabinet.

You are more than welcome to visit and see them if you would like.

I asked an honest question and I expect an apology from you.

What do you do with the lenses you have? Do you have a lot of copies of the same lens (ie: duplicates). I get the incredulity of the other poster - 1. some people here don't get innocence, and 2. most people who collect such a number of lenses know far more than most - it's their hobby after all.

Thanks for any insight you can throw onto your amazing collection.

Cheers,
G.

Rico · 01-20-2008, 11:44 PM

An apology for what?

Now you say you have hundreds of lenses but never heard of the SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1:1.2.

Frankly this does not add to your credibility.

WendyB · 01-21-2008, 12:14 AM

Originally posted by 123K10D

What do you do with the lenses you have? Do you have a lot of copies of the same lens (ie: duplicates). I get the incredulity of the other poster - 1. some people here don't get innocence, and 2. most people who collect such a number of lenses know far more than most - it's their hobby after all.

Thanks for any insight you can throw onto your amazing collection.

Cheers,
G.

I do have the day off tomorrow for the holiday and tiring quickly but will answer briefly.

"What do you do with the lenses you have?"

I photograph with them and I do resell at times. (selling is not my purpose of being a member of this forum) Mostly members of our local Pentax camera club make use of them.

"Do you have a lot of copies of the same lens (ie: duplicates)"

Yes I do mostly it started as a paranoia thing on my part, In case I have a particular lens that gets damaged so I have a backup. I try to keep a minimum of three of each lens. In some cases on a popular lens series I store 6 to 7 .

Of course it is obvious I can not afford to keep a store of the very high end lenses. My husband would ship me off to a Tasmanian tribe and sell the whole lot off and is considering doing so with what I have on hand right now.

"2. most people who collect such a number of lenses know far more than most - it's their hobby after all."

A few lenses are just not in my knowledge base. If one considers the amount of Screw, M, A, F, D, and DA K mount lenses that have been produced please forgive me for not knowing about all of them.

When I see or find one I do not recognize. I ask. The answers enhance my personal knowledge base.

FotoPete · 01-21-2008, 12:15 AM

Originally posted by WendyB

Quite honestly I have not, Rico, I have acquired about 300+ Pentax lenses over the last 30 years most I know a great deal about some I do not. This one I had never seen before. I still carry about 236 in my lens cabinet.

Thats quite the collection...say how many lenses did Jim King have again? haha

WendyB · 01-21-2008, 12:17 AM

Originally posted by Rico

An apology for what?

Now you say you have hundreds of lenses but never heard of the SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1:1.2.

Frankly this does not add to your credibility.

Not worth the argument good night.

Quite frankly what does your reply say about your credibility?

countzero · 01-21-2008, 12:24 AM

Wendy, to answer your original question, the lens is 500 dollars because it's a "f = 1/1.2" (alternatively spelled "1:1.2") as opposed to the A 1:2 ( f=1/2). That means the aperture opens up a half stop more (i think, I may be wrong in the calculus) than the 50mm f=1/1.4, making it the "fastest" (biggest aperture) lens in the Pentax lineup.

That said, I have a K 1/1.2 and it's one of my favourite lenses. I'd say don't sell it yet - if the K20D has good High ISO quality, the prices are going to rise pretty quick, as the 1/1.2 gives you more light that the human eye at ISO 1600 and onwards, making for very special photography.

Plus the bokeh is special.

Attached are a few photos taken with it.

01-20-2008, 10:16 PM	#1
WendyB Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Posts: 189	Estate sale lens, 50mm A 1:1.2, I have never seen this lens before. While at an estate sale on Saturday I picked up an A3000 body paired with a SMC-Pentax 50mm A 1:1.2 marking on the on the outer bevel on the front of the lens. I have never seen a 50mm A marked like this before. (I am having great difficulty uploading images from my PC and wish I could get some help from someone in the the forum). The only 50mm 1.2 A lenses I have seen over the years have an "A 1.2" marking. I was a bit tentative about purchasing this lot because it was $65 dollars and the seals on the body look rather weak. Anyways I mounted this lens on my K10 today and it seems to be quite a bit more special in image quality than my 50mm 1.2. The focus ring is velvet smooth. I really quite like this lens and think It is most definitely a keeper. Is there a difference between the A 1:1.2 and the A 1.2 or did Pentax just change the die to imprint the lens or did I just happen upon a European/Japanese lens that is marked differently? Last edited by WendyB; 01-20-2008 at 10:23 PM. Reason: Dyslexic typing fingers

01-20-2008, 11:05 PM	#6
WendyB Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Posts: 189 Original Poster	Originally posted by frank Hi Wendy, First of all, congrats on the new purchase. What a great bargain! As to the markings on the A50/1.2 lens, the one I have is marked like this: Is that what you were talking about in your first thread above? That is the exact same lens. I did not have a clue about this one. This might be a stupid question but why is there such an extreme price difference on 50mm 1.2? I think I already know why after about a hour of using this lens and then looking at raw post process. Last edited by WendyB; 01-20-2008 at 11:16 PM.

01-20-2008, 11:28 PM	#8
WendyB Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Posts: 189 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rico You are joking right WendyB. You have never heard of this lens plus never seen markings like that on the outer barrel when all the A lenses are marked this way which you have to many to list. On top of this you paid $65 for a lens that goes for around $500. Quite honestly I have not, Rico, I have acquired about 300+ Pentax lenses over the last 30 years most I know a great deal about most of them, some I do not. This one I had never seen before. I still carry about 236 in my lens cabinet. You are more than welcome to visit and see them if you would like. I asked an honest question and I expect an apology from you. Last edited by WendyB; 01-21-2008 at 12:54 AM.

01-21-2008, 12:17 AM	#14
WendyB Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Posts: 189 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rico An apology for what? Now you say you have hundreds of lenses but never heard of the SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1:1.2. Frankly this does not add to your credibility. Not worth the argument good night. Quite frankly what does your reply say about your credibility? Last edited by WendyB; 01-21-2008 at 12:59 AM.

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01-20-2008, 10:28 PM	#2
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	I've never heard of the ens before Wendy, although that shouldn't be any surprise. I am however very interested in seeing the image quality. If you can't post it feel free to e-mail it to me at stu at bcscenicwonder dot com, and I'll post it for you.

01-20-2008, 10:36 PM	#3
frank Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,202	Hi Wendy, First of all, congrats on the new purchase. What a great bargain! As to the markings on the A50/1.2 lens, the one I have is marked like this: Is that what you were talking about in your first thread above?

01-20-2008, 10:38 PM	#4
betsypdx Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 475	Is this what you got? Pentax Lens Review Database - 50mm F1.2 You'll note that the average price is almost 10 times what you paid. Congrats!

01-20-2008, 10:55 PM	#5
hecthetech New Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 8	It's probably the best 50mm there is. One sold on ebay the other day for just under $500.00 dollars. Here's a link to the lens shootout and sample pics. Match 1: (1) SMC Pentax-A 1:1.2 50mm vs. (16) KMZ Helios 44M-4 1:2 58mm Photo Gallery by Sean Carpenter at pbase.com

01-20-2008, 11:14 PM	#7
Rico Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,204	You are joking right WendyB. You have never heard of this lens plus never seen markings like that on the outer barrel when all the A lenses are marked this way which you have to many to list. On top of this you paid $65 for a lens that goes for around $500.

01-20-2008, 11:32 PM	#9
WendyB Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Posts: 189 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rico You are joking right WendyB. You have never heard of this lens plus never seen markings like that on the outer barrel when all the A lenses are marked this way which you have to many to list. On top of this you paid $65 for a lens that goes for around $500. "never seen markings like that on the outer barrel" Let me please clarify, I have seen "for many years" the "A 1.2" marking, This is the first "A 1:1.2" I have ever experienced.

01-20-2008, 11:38 PM	#10
123K10D Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toowoomba - Australia Posts: 110	Originally posted by WendyB Quite honestly I have not, Rico, I have acquired about 300+ Pentax lenses over the last 30 years most I know a great deal about some I do not. This one I had never seen before. I still carry about 236 in my lens cabinet. You are more than welcome to visit and see them if you would like. I asked an honest question and I expect an apology from you. What do you do with the lenses you have? Do you have a lot of copies of the same lens (ie: duplicates). I get the incredulity of the other poster - 1. some people here don't get innocence, and 2. most people who collect such a number of lenses know far more than most - it's their hobby after all. Thanks for any insight you can throw onto your amazing collection. Cheers, G.

01-20-2008, 11:44 PM	#11
Rico Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,204	An apology for what? Now you say you have hundreds of lenses but never heard of the SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1:1.2. Frankly this does not add to your credibility.

01-21-2008, 12:14 AM	#12
WendyB Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Posts: 189 Original Poster	Originally posted by 123K10D What do you do with the lenses you have? Do you have a lot of copies of the same lens (ie: duplicates). I get the incredulity of the other poster - 1. some people here don't get innocence, and 2. most people who collect such a number of lenses know far more than most - it's their hobby after all. Thanks for any insight you can throw onto your amazing collection. Cheers, G. I do have the day off tomorrow for the holiday and tiring quickly but will answer briefly. "What do you do with the lenses you have?" I photograph with them and I do resell at times. (selling is not my purpose of being a member of this forum) Mostly members of our local Pentax camera club make use of them. "Do you have a lot of copies of the same lens (ie: duplicates)" Yes I do mostly it started as a paranoia thing on my part, In case I have a particular lens that gets damaged so I have a backup. I try to keep a minimum of three of each lens. In some cases on a popular lens series I store 6 to 7 . Of course it is obvious I can not afford to keep a store of the very high end lenses. My husband would ship me off to a Tasmanian tribe and sell the whole lot off and is considering doing so with what I have on hand right now. "2. most people who collect such a number of lenses know far more than most - it's their hobby after all." A few lenses are just not in my knowledge base. If one considers the amount of Screw, M, A, F, D, and DA K mount lenses that have been produced please forgive me for not knowing about all of them. When I see or find one I do not recognize. I ask. The answers enhance my personal knowledge base.

01-21-2008, 12:15 AM	#13
FotoPete Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,774	Originally posted by WendyB Quite honestly I have not, Rico, I have acquired about 300+ Pentax lenses over the last 30 years most I know a great deal about some I do not. This one I had never seen before. I still carry about 236 in my lens cabinet. Thats quite the collection...say how many lenses did Jim King have again? haha

01-21-2008, 12:24 AM	#15
countzero Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bucharest, Romania Photos: Albums Posts: 41	Wendy, to answer your original question, the lens is 500 dollars because it's a "f = 1/1.2" (alternatively spelled "1:1.2") as opposed to the A 1:2 ( f=1/2). That means the aperture opens up a half stop more (i think, I may be wrong in the calculus) than the 50mm f=1/1.4, making it the "fastest" (biggest aperture) lens in the Pentax lineup. That said, I have a K 1/1.2 and it's one of my favourite lenses. I'd say don't sell it yet - if the K20D has good High ISO quality, the prices are going to rise pretty quick, as the 1/1.2 gives you more light that the human eye at ISO 1600 and onwards, making for very special photography. Plus the bokeh is special. Attached are a few photos taken with it.