[drawbar]

This older normal lens can be bought quite cheaply as there are so many around. I already had a good Rikenon F2 50mm, but decided to try this native Pentax also. There is not much to lose with its price.

Here's an example picture today, as the sun came up after some very rainy and bleak weeks.

After some experimenting I think that Pentax M 1,7 50mm performs about equally with Rikenon in short ranges, while the latter would seem to offer some more resolution at long ranges. The Pentax feels certainly as better built precision instrument, as it is metal, and is good looking. The plastic Rikenon functions not so smoothly any more.

The next lens I'll probably be after may be the Sigma 70mm Macro, which has got many good reviews. I long the sharpness that I got with Tamron 90mm Macro (for Canon), that i sold lately. Maybe Sigma matches it and gives also some more angle.

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[stevebrot]

...Here's an example picture today, as the sun came up after some very rainy and bleak weeks...

And that is why so many of us here on PF recommend the Pentax-M 50/1.7. It is relatively inexpensive, is quite compact, has excellent build, and truly shines optically. I have a XR Rikenon 50/2 (two actually) and have found that it is about as sharp as the M 50/1.7 and a decent lens all around, but not the same league as the M 50/1.7. The XR has all metal build and a nicer feel than the plastic Rikenons, but is still a notch below the Pentax. There is also the matter of "interesting" bokeh with the Rikenon.


Steve

[kaiserz]

The 50 1.7 dubbed as the "Gateway to LBA lens" haha true! Ask me how I know lol.

[bassek]

The 50 1.7 dubbed as the "Gateway to LBA lens" haha true! Ask me how I know lol.

A highly addictive lens. It was my first buy too.

Seb

[drawbar]

The 50 1.7 dubbed as the "Gateway to LBA lens" haha true! Ask me how I know lol.

All right. How do you know?

[52mm]

That one was rhetoric...

Anyway, I'd say most any decent (preferably multicoated) 50 would be suitable to cause LBA. For me, it was the Rikenon P 50/1.7. Cheap, compact, lightweight, still perfectly OK in terms of build (if unexciting by the standards of the time), great images. Just a great fit for the K-x if weightlifting isn't your thing.

Too bad that much shorter or longer focal lengths tend to be a lot less exciting performance-wise, which you obviously only find out once LBA already has a firm grasp on you.

Oh, and I've got an M 50/1.7 in the mail, too... (Mainly as a reference.) Plus an older single-coated Porst 50/1.7 in M42 for cheap, which will still net me a decent screw-on lens hood even if the lens should turn out not to be worth buying an M42 adapter for... though I bet even that one will be decent. Those 50s are depressing.

[kaiserz]

A highly addictive lens. It was my first buy too.

Seb

Very addictive indeed. Also my first buy. But it should have came with a warning of some sort like "Warning, Super awesome lens, can cause L.B.A. purchase at your won risk! ".

All right. How do you know?

because it was my "first buy". and this lens was the gateway for me to acquire more and more lenses... and more... and more...

[drawbar]

Very addictive indeed. Also my first buy. But it should have came with a warning of some sort like "Warning, Super awesome lens, can cause L.B.A. purchase at your won risk! ".

because it was my "first buy". and this lens was the gateway for me to acquire more and more lenses... and more... and more...

I see Well It isn't so serious, just general GAS -gear acquisition syndrome. It has been around since the beginnings of gathering economy. Especially dominant feature among men of course.

[JimJohnson]

Pop a SMC Pentax-A 50mm f1.7 on a Pentax dSLR and get the same wonderful glass plus all your camera body's advanced features - other than auto-focus of course.

[kaiserz]

Here's a sample of the M50 1.7 that I shot earlier.

[drawbar]

..

Too bad that much shorter or longer focal lengths tend to be a lot less exciting performance-wise, which you obviously only find out once LBA already has a firm grasp on you.

Oh, and I've got an M 50/1.7 in the mail, too... (Mainly as a reference.) Plus an older single-coated Porst 50/1.7 in M42 for cheap, which will still net me a decent screw-on lens hood even if the lens should turn out not to be worth buying an M42 adapter for... though I bet even that one will be decent. Those 50s are depressing.

Now I begin to understand. With old 50's you get addiction that cannot be satisfied any more, exept by moving to *very* expensive gear. No more cheap gems to be found..

[drawbar]

We had the first snow here last night.. time to take my precious Pentax M 50mm 1.7 out.

[suzzypoo]

Hi im new here, came across this site from googling this very lens that I bought yesterday, here are the results

[drawbar]

Hi Suzzy,

Welcome to M 50mm 1.7 club! Nice pictures and cute doggie (husky?).

[suzzypoo]

Hi, yes he is a husky, although not your typical husky! What you see him doing there is what he spends most of his time doing lol