[kiwi_jono]

Yeah I'm due for a clean out....
FA 50 f1.4
A 50 f1.4
M 50 f1.4
A 50 f1.7
M 50 f1.7
Super Takumar 50 f1.4
SMC Takumar 55 f1.8
Helios 44-2 (58mm f2)
Chinon 45 f2.8 pancake

The FA 50 is my favourite (advantage of AF / AE and optics as good as the A50 f1.4 which is slightly better than my M50 f1.4).
Apart from the M 50 f1.7 I seemed to have formed an emotional attachment - the FA and Takumars will probably be the last to go anyway.

[Odinz]

Whoa now that is funky! How is the sharpness/diffraction? Is the lens any better than a pinhole?

The lens is sharper than a pinhole, but due to diffraction the images are never really "sharp", at least on digital. Years ago when I got it I only shot film and I seem to remember it being some what respectable then. On digital the images have a softness to them that might actually be good for portraits with a flash. But in normal light you have to kick up the iso and the last time I shot with it was several years ago on a K10D which didn't like being pushed to 1600 in the first place. Maybe I'll dig it out and put it on the K3 to see how it looks.

[Sandy Hancock]

Like Kerrowdown, I only have the A50/1.2 (I assume the FA43, DA*55 and Helios 44-2 58/2.0 don't quite count)

I used to have an FA50/1.4 but that was sold soon after experiencing the DA*55.

---------- Post added 23-11-14 at 03:52 PM ----------

Wait for Digitalis to chip in. He probably wins....

[gofour3]

Wait for Digitalis to chip in. He probably wins....

+1 He gets my vote too, over 100 I bet!

Phil.

[magkelly]

I have a few MF ones, but my favorite are the 50/55 mm M42 Taks and the A 50mm 1.7, I think. I totally covet this one. Not a 50mm, a 40mm actually but used basically in lieu of one. If I could choose one lens in that range, a prime, I'd go for this.

Amazon.com : Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 Ultra Compact Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras : Camera Lenses : Camera & Photo

Probably I'll end up with this though. It's more affordable, though it's not WR. I'd practically kill for one that was, sigh...

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-Compact-Samsung-Digital-Cameras/dp/B00077KMXG/r...pentax+limited

[Rimfiredude]

Just the one, she's all the "Special Lady" I need (SMC Pentax-A 50mm F1.2).

Edit: I don't count the "Femme Fatale" (SMC Pentax-A 50mm F2.8 Macro) as a real fifty even though she is, because she real up close and personal "Lady".

Owning a 1.2 you don't have to keep looking for the perfect 50, you already have it.

[tr1ckyn1ck]

Keepers:

Takumar 50mm 1.4
A Macro 50mm 2.8

Relinquished/Plan to Relinquish

A 50 mm 1.7
M 50 mm 1.7
K 50 mm 1.4
DFA 50 mm 2.8
FA 50 mm 1.4

I like the artistic rendering of the Tak and the accuracy of the A Macro. And they both feel great for MF.

The other lens are all great too (although I don't like where the green button is on the K5, but that isn't the K/M lenses' fault) and any one of them would probably serve me equally. However, maybe the A 1.2 would serve me more equally (and this thread has tempted me to look into it).

[Doundounba]

Pentax:

• A 50mm F/1.7 - First used lens I bought! Keeper for reversed lens macro, either on tubes or on top of a longer prime. Great 3:1 results in combo with Pentax-M 150mm F/3.5!
• F 50mm F/1.7 - Mostly for AF portrait use, but also low-light events.
• M 50mm F/4 Macro - First macro lens I bought. Now superseded, but only in convenience, not in sharpness. Might go up for sale, but hard to let go of.
• K 55mm F/2 - Lucky Ebay win, doesn't see much use because the Helios gets the nod first. Will go up for sale.

Non-Pentax:

• Sigma EX 50mm F/2.8 - Keeping it as my wider macro (opposite the Tamron 90). Love the results & it's simply more convenient than the M 50mm F/4. A tad bulky though.
• Helios 44K-4 (58mm F/2) - Keeper! Love this one even though it only gets occasional use.
• AM Topcor MC 55mm F/1.7 - Ebay win, but lazy aperture spring so this one doesn't see any use. Might sell cheap or use it to see if I'm interested in lens tinkering.

I'm still tempted by the DA* 55mm F/1.4 (but it's expensive) and the Sigma EX DG 50mm F/1.4 (but it's huge), either of which could possibly supersede the F 50mm F/1.7...

[Na Horuk]

A Macro 50mm 2.8 Relinquished/Plan to Relinquish DFA 50 mm 2.8

May I ask why the A wins over the DFA? Just curious, as DFA has newer coatings and AF

[tr1ckyn1ck]

May I ask why the A wins over the DFA? Just curious, as DFA has newer coatings and AF

I just like the way the A feels. If I needed AF, I would definitely choose the DFA.

[AquaDome]

I have a bunch of 50s, but it works out to only one per camera body.
M50/1.4, /1.7, /2.0 - These mostly stay on the mechanical K-body film cameras
A50/1.4, /1.7, /2.0 - These mostly stay on the K2 and Program bodies
K55/1.8 - My favorite portrait lens for APSC, my "normal" on the KX.
F50/1.7 - Lives on the SF1
M50/4 Macro - Gets used all the time for product shots
DA50/1.8 - The best night time driving lens (when I'm not the one driving)

[Driline]

0

[lytrytyr]

0

Well, that old film-era 43 design has got to be pushing fifty by now!

[c.a.m]

I can reach 50mm with six primes and five zooms. If I extend to 55mm, there are three more primes. (Yikes?).

I seem to get the most enjoyment out of the SMC Takumar 50/1.4 - always a treat to go shooting with only this one. The most surprising lens is the Auto-Takumar 55/2 - it produces a sharp image with excellent bokeh, which I wasn't expecting for a $20 purchase of a 55-year old lens.

One of my workhorses is the DA* 50-135. The Pentax-F 35-70 also gets used frequently at ~50mm.

- Craig

[aleonx3]

I have too many 50mm lenses to list here.... some lenses I use it for while, and take note of its characteristics and then move on to the next.