[simbon4o]

I can see that it is better wide open than FA 50 1.4, but it will be very interesting to compare it head to head. The M 50 1.7 too . The DA50 looks like it has new optical design(the bokeh in corners is swirly), but still not good enough for wide open use. I can think of at least 3 old 50 1.7 lenses which can do better wide open(I have two of them). Another bad thing is the CAs, the DA 50 1.8 suffers badly from CAs! And I saw a strange bokeh effect with light dot in the circles - no idea how it happens.

Still the DA 50 1.8 looks like a good alternative to the old FA 50 1.4! And personally me - I like this new plastic 50 more than the so expensive DA* 55 1.4 in terms of bokeh! I only hope that the softness wide open doesn't affect the AF accuracy!

[yygomez]

Wow! great! I like it, thanks for the pictures!

[jiimaa]

I put a couple more of those to flickr.

LR seems to get rid of the PF entirely - however, it wants to defringe the flowers too. I should probably use the brush or something, but I don't want to spend time with these pictures, so I give up on doing anything to them. Note that some settings are messed up in the LR with all of these images except one or two so these are nowhere near original. All still at f/1.8 except the one flower to compare at f/2.8.

Pentax-DA 50mm f/1.8 - a set on Flickr

Edit: added some more pictures to the set.

[ogl]

Thank a lot...As for me - FA50/1.4 is old school prime with more tender and smooth picture and bokeh.

---

Last edited by ogl; 09-12-2014 at 10:17 AM.

[kent]

Tested new 1.8 fifty today. Not impressed.
1. Focus ring is ugly to turn, no ''dampening'' whatsoever.
2. Focusing speed is not impressive either.
3. Optically it is not bad lens at all, fully usable @1.8, quite sharp must say.
4. Save for FA fifty. faster focusing, better build, althought count on more CA's but also count on 1.4.
Bokeh thing:


straight from camera
Also, a short video of AF speed and sound:

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

[florinlib]

hello everybody, today I receive this little lens, I've done some shots and even I compared it with M 50 wide open,
Pro - light, good contrast and colours, good centre sharpness @1.8
Cons - no hood supplied, some PF @ 1.8 - 2.2, price

https://picasaweb.google.com/116520713575383586197/DA5018VsM5017?authuser=0&feat=directlink

[Transit]

Doesn't it ship with one? How cheap of them. What do they save - 50c?

Yes...like selling a printer without enough ink...

[treebeard]

f/2.8 looks fantastic on the flower shots.

[QCdude]

Got it yesterday from Henry's Canada for $188 in total.

First of all there is NO "Quick Shift" like some reviews saying, i.e. Pentax SMC DA 50mm f/1.8 Lens Review
If you try to turn the focusing ring manually it simply transfers your effort down to camera's focus motor shaft - this is the way to break the lens or camera or both. Be careful and switch your camera to MF mode before doing manual focus.

There is no moving parts outside except the focusing ring, it doesn't extends, so it is good design since there are less chances to pump dust inside the lens.

It is surprisingly small, maybe because of absence of motor. My K-30 scared the hell out of me when it did the AF for first time since my other lens has Ultrasonic motor which is silent and fast. Especially when this lens does long AF turn making loud "vzzzeeeep!!!" yeah, it is very loud. I don't know, this is my camera's AF motor or the lens mechanism making so much noise. I can not tell that AF is slow, for me it is not too slow nor very fast, just OK. It is all plastic fantastic, but the build quality is pretty good, no complains here. I have also feeling like AF is not always 100% precise when wide open, but it is not a disaster either. I need to test it more yet.

Optically it is pretty good, there is enough information on the net so I doubt I can tell something new here.
You can check my test photos which I did today during lunch time.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0m5rqftsq7kt057/RjHokUJ76o
- all are cam jpeg 'as is' of minimal size and crop.

There is no lens hood and the body design won't let you use the "snap-on" etc 3rd party solutions. The only way is to use 'screw in' hood of 52mm diameter which is existing (there is part number mentioned in the user manual ) and being sold separately . Looking at the competition it is hard to understand or explain such approach, i.e. Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G Lens 2199 B&H Photo Video - wave motor, metal mount and perfect design, both caps, hood and lens bag -- all included and $217 only !!

My opinion: if you see it priced under $180 - get it if you need one. I don't feel like it is worth to pay more.

[snake]

I think I would recommend the F50/FA50 1.7 over this lens. A few reasons, but a major one is that the lens requires no hood. It's external focus, however, so that is a tradeoff, I guess.

[ogl]

I like this lens.

---------- Post added 09-12-2014 at 10:18 AM ----------

It's high class optically.