[tingeltangelben]

My dad gave me this lens (along with an Super ME) a few years ago and I've just started using it on my new K50. Maybe it's because I'm an absolute beginner, but it seems to be a nice lens. It goes down to f 1.7 and picture quality is far superior to my other lenses. Am I wrong and all my other lenses just a bit rubbish?

[jatrax]

No, it is quite a nice lens. Some will argue that another of the Pentax 50mm is better, there are a good number, but really they are all going to show up nice images. You don't say what other lens you have but a 50mm prime is always going to deliver good results.

[tingeltangelben]

I also have a HOYA hmc 135 which I quite like. The others are Vivitar 28mm, Mirage 70-210mm and a Super Albinar SC 85-200mm. When I bought the K-50 it came with a Pentax 18-55 AL, but I'll probably sell that one.

---------- Post added 04-16-15 at 12:06 AM ----------

Thanks for your comment though. It's a bit strange when you have no idea what's considered good and what's not.

[Na Horuk]

Maybe it's because I'm an absolute beginner, but it seems to be a nice lens. It goes down to f 1.7 and picture quality is far superior to my other lenses. Am I wrong and all my other lenses just a bit rubbish?

It actually is a great lens. Most primes (fixed focal length) lenses from that era are quite good. A lot of people on this forum use a wide variety of older lenses, even third party and adapted lenses.
Im glad you are using it right and getting good results! I assume you already enabled aperture ring in the Menu and are happily using M mode with green button to meter. ISO has to be constant, as auto-ISO or any mode other than M will default to Av, which has constant automatic metering, but it only shoots wide open f(f1.7).
One other tip is to use the feature Catch in Focus, which gives you a type of AF even with manual lenses. You enable it, turn on AF, and then hold the shutter button. The shutter won't actually go off until something comes in focus. This is meant to be used to wait for people or animals to enter the frame, but it can be used as a focus aid, because you can simply twist the focus ring while holding the shutter, and the exposure will be taken once something comes in focus. Only works with centre point.

Regarding which affordable modern lenses can compete with that M 50mm.. well, most of the primes. DA 35mm f2.4 is a nice one and slightly wider angle, and with full automation. The DA 50mm f1.8 is the same basic optical design as your lens, but with modern lens coatings, rounded aperture blades, but mostly made of plastic and with no DoF markers or aperture ring. But the kit lenses, DA L lenses, or ultra zooms and budget zooms will not be able to compete with that M 50mm.
Im surprised that Vivitar 28mm doesn't work out well for you. Adding a lens hood might help it a lot (lens hoods help older lenses because those have older, simpler lens coatings). Of course, keep in mind that wide angle won't catch as much detail as telephoto, because it is.. well, wide. You have to focus near the minimum distance, get really close to the subject, if you want the wide angle to show its sharpness.

[fuent104]

I also have a HOYA hmc 135 which I quite like. The others are Vivitar 28mm, Mirage 70-210mm and a Super Albinar SC 85-200mm. When I bought the K-50 it came with a Pentax 18-55 AL, but I'll probably sell that one.

---------- Post added 04-16-15 at 12:06 AM ----------

Thanks for your comment though. It's a bit strange when you have no idea what's considered good and what's not.

Don't worry about what's considered good, it's more about what makes you happy.

[tingeltangelben]

Yeah, I found a site that showed how to set it up for the old lenses. I much prefer using the older lenses than the digital ones, it seems a bit more interesting and certainly allows me to learn a lot more. I haven't tried the Catch in Focus feature yet though, that sounds interesting. I'll give that a try tomorrow. Thank you for the tip.

[GeneV]

For years an M50 was my most used lens. I still use the M50/1.4. Enjoy!

[stevebrot]

Am I wrong and all my other lenses just a bit rubbish?

The M 50/1.7 was one of the best 50mm lenses you could buy when it was new and remains a quite excellent choice to this day.


Steve

[sterretje]

Thanks for your comment though. It's a bit strange when you have no idea what's considered good and what's not.

To get an idea of what others think about certain lenses, have a look at
Pentax Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database
Pentax Lenses by Sigma, Tamron, Zeiss, and more - Reviews and Specification Database - Pentax Lens Review Database

Don't worry about what's considered good, it's more about what makes you happy.

Oh so true

[Paul Pheiffer]

My first "proper" camera was a Pentax ME Super that came with a M 50mm f1.7 lens. I used it for many years to come until I bought my first digital camera (a Pentax K7) and have many fond memories of this film camera and lens. I love this lens and just imagine my delight when I later found out that I could still use the M 50mm on the K7. It is one of the better 50mm lenses around - not the only good one, but definitely one of them. You are in good company.

Whilst searching for information on New Zealand, I came across a guy who put together a short video clip with some very nice New Zealand landscape scenery. One of the lenses that he used was a M 50mm f1.7.

You can find the video and his comments here:
Wild New Zealand | NO pixels

Here is his comments on the M 50mm f1.7 lens itself:
pentax SMC 50mm 1.7 | NO pixels

It is actually quite a nice website.