[Matthew Allen]

From my experience using several samples of both variants I believe that the A version offers greater contrast and is a little less flare prone.

Interesting, I guess it's no surprise that they made improvements. I suppose it's probably a coating thing.

Maybe I should retract my previous statement. I was making an passing observation but it got a little convoluted. Suffice to say that in response to the OP: it's a lens worth owning - but then most Pentax primes are worth owning!

Matthew

[k100d]

It's not worse since you can use the A lens in any manner you please and so the A lens is more versatile. To me though it's not worth paying for the extra A functionality in this case which is why I mentioned this. Bear in mind that the A lens sells for A LOT more money.

In any case, people buy these lenses for their maximum aperture and if you're at f1.2 you can use Av with the K lens if it suits you. My DSLR isn't handy at this moment but doesn't AE-L only stay locked until you take the shot?

Regarding metering, I use an *ist DL which meters perfectly with pre-A lenses. I realize though that if you have a K10D then pre-A glass could be quite frustrating. Btw, does anyone know if the K20D has the same issue with older lenses?

Thanks for the compliment. I wish there were a full frame K mount DSLR so I could use my 50/1.2 to its full potential - a normal FOV is so much more useful than a 75mm equivalent. I do use the lens on a film body as well but given the lower hit rate when you're working in near darkness I do prefer to use digital for this kind of photography.

i have a K100D (like my name) and i find the stop down exposure isn't that great. K10 users seem to have luck by changing the focusing screen to the *ist DS one, otherwise they have even worse problems... i assume that the K10D and K20D have the same focusing screen, so the same problems with metering.

the A is a lot more. but missing exposure is extremely frustrating.
you're right, AE-L is gone after you take the shot, but stays if you use Manual mode.

personally for me i'm a new photographer, so i've never had to look through a 50mm lenses on film, so i don't have any attachment to it, i prefer a slightly wider and slightly longer focal length ... more like 30 and 70

[Matthew Allen]

personally for me i'm a new photographer, so i've never had to look through a 50mm lenses on film, so i don't have any attachment to it, i prefer a slightly wider and slightly longer focal length ... more like 30 and 70

I'm new too in the sense that I started doing photography seriously with digital but I now shoot film as well. I like 50mm on full frame because it's wide enough to shoot a whole scene from a sensible distance but narrow enough to isolate a single object or person. I also really like the endless variety available in the 50mm focal length. I have 3 Pentax 50s and 2 Leica screw mount ones.

Matthew

[vizjerei]

K100D & BBear: from EvilBay ~$350
Matthew: Thanks for the info, I agree with you that A1.2 is kinda too deep for me ( $ wise)
lithos: Hey, if I see your in the shop I will buy it in a heartbeat, $25 for 1.2 that still works great is a great deal No matter what.

Ok, some quick dirty wide open shots in the backyard with K10D. I put it in my K2 and meter work great, but I have no idea how to do it in K10D :P ( and please teach me how to Stop Down Metering... )

anyways, no PP, just resize in silkpix

---

Last edited by vizjerei; 04-28-2008 at 07:08 AM.

[k100d]

Ok, some quick dirty wide open shots in the backyard with K10D. I put it in my K2 and meter work great, but I have no idea how to do it in K10D :P ( and please teach me how to Stop Down Metering... )

this is THE guide for the K100D, but K10D is the same except you press the Green Button instead of AE-L
K100D (Super) Pictorial guide to using manual lenses [imgs] [Page 1]: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

i think your photo there keeps on bringing up a security warning, something about 3dfs.ca :S

[BBear]

The single-flower photo is impressive! you should try the same flower but from the bottom up, against some strong light, it will give you a very nice bookeh.


Regarding manual lenses without "A" setting, i've found out that all you had to do is hit the GREEN button in M mode and it will calculate the shutter speed for you, and as always you can override it if u want to.


BB

[roentarre]

The single-flower photo is impressive! you should try the same flower but from the bottom up, against some strong light, it will give you a very nice bookeh.

BB

The bokeh will turn out like some amorphous white worm with harsh edge. Maybe a little tinge of CA at high light edges.

It might work much better on films (difficult to meter though)

[vizjerei]

K100D: oh I have fixed the link.. hehe 3dfs.ca is my domain. However, the pic link in your quote is still using the old link which will keep asking about it, if you remove that part then it won't ask for it anymore.

Thanks for the info. The Green button works wonder I also found out by accident that using the optical preview, the meter bar will appear too, you can change the shutter speed and have a visual meter value show to you.

BBear & roentarre: haha I should try it out thanks

Anyways, hell I am having a great time with it, everything is so dreamy with 1.2