[Wasp]

At present I have an A 50mm f/2.8 Macro and an M 50mm f/1.4. Very happy with them.

I now have the opportunity to get an A 50mm f/1.7 for a really good price.

There are not many compelling reasons either way that I can think of.

Reasons to get it:

• I don't have one yet.
• The A contacts would make life a little easier.
• It is a good/great lens to have.
• Some say that it is better than the f/1.4
• It might be a while before another one comes along at this price.
• I am a gear slut and I like indulging...

Reasons not to get it:

• The bag is pretty full already.
• On the face of it, two 50mm lenses is enough.
• Plasticky construction, said to be inferior to the M
• This would be my thirteenth lens and that is an unlucky number for some. Hang on, there is a broken Pentax F 100mm-300mm sitting in a cupboard so I already have thirteen. Nah.
• The money could go towards something that I don't have yet, like an 85mm.

Please talk me into it. Or out of it.

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Last edited by Wasp; 03-24-2017 at 12:32 PM.

[pres589]

Let's say you have all three of them. How often do you think you'll go for the f1.7? If the 1.4 is on the camera already, are you going to change away from it?

I really don't see the reason to get the f1.7 if you have the 2.8 Macro and 1.4 already. I'd put the money towards something else.

My 2 cents.

[awscreo]

DA 50 f1.8 - First fifty I bought for the Pentax system. Whenever the new 50 1.4 comes out, I'm hoping to upgrade this one right away. It's a decent lens for the money, but isn't great on ff imo.
Helios 44-2 f2 - Bought it for my previous system (oly mirrorless), very nice for the price, but because I have th 44k-4 it sees no use, and I might sell it.
Helios 44k-4 f2 - found it attached to my old Zenit SLR, very pleasant surprise! Sharper than 44-2, virtually identical swirly bokeh, and it's a native K-mount, so it will stay in my bag for years to come
Pentax-A 50 f1.4 - most recent purchase. Haven't had the chance to properly test it, but it seems to be a nice and very compact lens. Seems sharp enough wide open in the short amount of time I had with it, will stay in my bag.

[savoche]

I don't have one yet.

What are you waiting for?

On the face of it, two 50mm lenses is enough.

I don't quite follow...?

Plasticky construction, said to be inferior to the M

True. But the image quality is still excellent, I'd say. And it's also lighter - might be a good thing or a bad, depending on your preferences.

[ZombieArmy]

At present I have an A 50mm f/2.8 Macro and an M 50mm f/1.4. Very happy with them.

I now have the opportunity to get an A 50mm f/1.7 for a really good price.

There are not many compelling reasons either way that I can think of.

Reasons to get it:

• I don't have one yet.
• The A contacts would make life a little easier.
• It is a good/great lens to have.
• Some say that it is better than the f/1.4
• It might be a while before another one comes along at this price.
• I am a gear slut and I like indulging...

Reasons not to get it:

• The bag is pretty full already.
• On the face of it, two 50mm lenses is enough.
• Plasticky construction, said to be inferior to the M
• This would be my thirteenth lens and that is an unlucky number for some. Hang on, there is a broken Pentax F 100mm-300mm sitting in a cupboard so I already have thirteen. Nah.
• The money could go towards something that I don't have yet, like an 85mm.

Please talk me into it. Or out of it.

You have the 1.4 for low light and the 2.8 macro for ultra sharp. I think you're already pretty set on 50s. You'd probably want to move towards something with AF if you wanted another one.


Anyways for this thread, the 50mm focal length isn't my "favorite" but I do own a few lenses around it:


At 50mm:
Ricoh XR 50mm f2

Yup I only own 1 true 50mm.

Around 50mm:
DA 40mm XS f2.8
Fujicon 55mm f1.8
Helios 44-2 58mm f2


I eventually want to get a fast 50, either an F/FA1.4 or a K 1.2, I don't see myself getting anything slower since I really just want something ultra fast for low light performance.

[Cabessius]

... two 50mm lenses is enough ...

That´s wrong, you can never have enough fifties

If you can get the A 1.7 at a good price, go for it. You can make a comparison and tell us which one you like most.

[boriscleto]

I was just looking at a Ricoh Riconar 55mm F2.2 on shopgoodwill. But $9.95 + shipping is just too much...

[ivanvernon]

I posted on this thread couple years ago, but this is a good chance to update the inventory list!

Pentax-A 50mm f 1.4*
Pentax-A 50mm f 1.7
Pentax-M 50mm f1.7* Among the best!
Pentax-D FA 50mm f 2.8 -- the sharpness queen*
Pentax-FA 43mm f 1.9*
Pentax-DA 50mm f 1.8 and works on K-1
Takumar 50mm f 1.4
Takumar 55mm f 1.8*
Auto Revuenon 50mm f 1.4
Auto Chinon 50mm f 1.7
Auto Chinon 50mm f 1.9
Auto Sears 50mm f 1.7
Auto Sears 50mm f 1.4
Auto Sears 50mm f 2.0
Helios 58mm 44K-4 f 2.0
Canon-FD 55mm f 1.2 for nice blurred backgrounds (converted to K mount)*

*These are the ones I like best, never want give them up!

[pres589]

I kind of want to find out what the M 50 1.7 is like shooting at night with lights in the frame. My 1.4 kind of blows streetlights up into fringy halos shooting at f1.4 or f2.0 and that gets annoying... Maybe there's some full manual 50ish that does better?

[jwc77]

The 50's that I currently have are

SMC Takumar 50 F1.4
M 50 f4 macro
M 50 f2
Auto Tak 55 F1.8
Vivitar 55 f2.8 macro
Helios 58mm f2
DA limited 40 f2.8 (close enough)

And finally DA*55 F1.4 (which I believe has ended my chasing after 50's...it is so good!)

[Wasp]

In the unlikely event that anybody reading this thread wonders why they need a 50mm when they have a perfectly good 18-55mm, check this out. I know I am preaching to the converted but indulge me.

I have found these images on the local Ricoh website, showing the difference between the two. You can probably guess which lens was used for each image.





PENTAX Lenses - RICOH IMAGING

[simple1]

Time for a necro-post.

I have a thing for Taks...and for M42...and 50s (50ish)

From memory and maybe missing a few:
Pentax
DA 50/1.8
A 50/2
A 50/1.7
M 50/1.7
M 50/2
M 50/1.4
M 50/4 Macro
K 55/2
Macro Tak 50/4 (preset)
Super Tak 50/1.4
Super Tak 50/1.4 (8 element)
Super Tak 55/1.8
SMC Tak 55/1.8
SMC Tak 55/2
SMC Tak 50/1.4
S-M-C Takumar 50/1.4

Mamiya/Sekor
58/1.7
55/1.8
55/1.8 chrome nose

Fujinon 55/1.8

Yashinon
DX 55/1.7
DS 50/1.9

Meyer-Optik
Oreston 50/1.8

Right now my favorite would be a toss up between the M/S 58/1.7 and MT 50/4. But I haven’t had a chance to use any of them lately.

[TaoMaas]

I didn't realize how many I had until this thread caused me to count them, but I have eight 50mm lenses...I think. There might be another one or two lurking in a drawer somewhere. The weird thing is that I don't even shoot with a 50 all that much these days. I used to use it a lot more with film.

2 - M 50mm f1.7
A 50mm f1.7
FA 50mm f2.8 macro
K 50mm f4 macro
Pentax 110 50mm f2.8
Yashinon 50mm f1.8
Some off-brand 50mm f1,8

[simple1]

I didn't realize how many I had until this thread caused me to count them, but I have eight 50mm lenses...I think. There might be another one or two lurking in a drawer somewhere. The weird thing is that I don't even shoot with a 50 all that much these days. I used to use it a lot more with film.

2 - M 50mm f1.7
A 50mm f1.7
FA 50mm f2.8 macro
K 50mm f4 macro
Pentax 110 50mm f2.8
Yashinon 50mm f1.8
Some off-brand 50mm f1,8

You need some Taks. Trust me

[Sandy Hancock]

There have been some changes in the the years since my last post:

A 50/1.2 (keeper, if mainly for sentimental reasons)
FA 50/1.4 (re-acquired on a whim, and living on borrowed time)
DFA* 50/1.4 (easily the best lens I have ever used)

And near enough:

FA 43/1.9 (another sentimental keeper)
DA* 55/1.4 (my second favourite)
DFA645 55/2.8 (will go soon, along with the rest of my MF kit)
Helios 44-2 58/2.0 (like the FA50, a re-acquisition which might not stand the test of time)