[Wheatfield]

Yes. I’ve held on to the A50/1.4 as well (but not the M, dupe Taks, dupe K’s, the F and FA50/1.4) since the DFA appeared on my desk last summer.

I can't believe I am typing this, but I really should sell a bunch of unused equipment.

[Just1MoreDave]

It is easy to have several 50s with a reason/excuse for owning. You can list those reasons all you want - this one has 8 blades, this one has a flatter field, this one weighs 83 grams less. But which one do you pick up and use? If you don't know, you should use them all more. Eventually you should naturally pick one as a go-to. Or at least think of them in terms of photos they've taken, not isolated specs.

[monochrome]

I can't believe I am typing this, but I really should sell a bunch of unused equipment.

Heh. I’ve barely made a dent in mine. I just found out I need $5,000 worth of dental work. I guess teeth are more important than disused manual lenses.

[mikesbike]

I can't believe I am typing this, but I really should sell a bunch of unused equipment.

Me too. I have both the M and the FA 50mm f/1.4 lenses, as well as the F 50mm f/1.7 all bought new. The only time I use the M lens is if I need such a fast lens on a manual-focus 35mm film body, due to the superior MF action. But I very seldom use my old MF Super Program.

As to which of the lenses in question, if the M version is optically the same as the F and FA f/1.7, very good results can be had even wide open, while the f/1.4 lens isn't quite as sharp until a least f/2, and maybe not even then. As others have said, at smaller apertures any differences are very small.

[simple1]

I've never understood the entire "I can't keep them all" thing - why not?

you've already paid for them, they don't require feeding or veterinary care...

keep all three and look for more!

Which reminds me, I need to update my "How many 50mm lenses do you own?" post. I've added a few in the last month.

I should really seek counseling

[Wheatfield]

Me too. I have both the M and the FA 50mm f/1.4 lenses, as well as the F 50mm f/1.7 all bought new. The only time I use the M lens is if I need such a fast lens on a manual-focus 35mm film body, due to the superior MF action. But I very seldom use my old MF Super Program.

As to which of the lenses in question, if the M version is optically the same as the F and FA f/1.7, very good results can be had even wide open, while the f/1.4 lens isn't quite as sharp until a least f/2, and maybe not even then. As others have said, at smaller apertures any differences are very small.

Lenses I will never use again include at least 2 K 50/1.4, an M 50/1.4, or possibly 2, I'm pretty sure I still have an M 50/2, I have a couple of 28s, both an M and an A, an M85/2 that will never see use since I have an A* 85/1.4, the list goes on.
I still have 3 LX bodies (all 3200 ISO), one with the new collar style shutter lock (my favourite film camera EVER), that were fully serviced by Pentax Canada and then put in storage, they are all in beautiful working condition, as well as a winder LX and most of the prisms and accessories, as well a rather rare black ME SUper, as well as a chrome ME, I'm pretty sure I have a Program Plus sitting around, and an MZ5 body. I had a Super program and motor drive for it, I'm not sure if I still do.
I know I've missed a bunch.
I also have (if stacked together) several feet of various filters, and boxes of various accessories and other dreck from the film camera era.

[ramseybuckeye]

Hi guys

If you had to keep only one 50mm lens which one would it be.

I have the:
smc pentax-m 1.4 50mm, smc pentax-m 1.7 50mm and the smc Takumar f2 55mm.

I can't keep them all and don't see any reason to.

Which one would you keep?

Thanks for the help.

Dirk

I'm for using them and seeing which you like the best. We don't know that one of your lenses could be a particularly good copy or a bad copy.

[thisisforlife]

Thanks everyone for this overwhelming and useful feedback. I can't keep them all. Just as Monochrome I need dental work and don't want to keep lenses I don't use.
So I've decided to keep the 50 1:7 and sell the other two. I have a similar question about 135mm once. Will make a new topic about that.

[Cuthbert]

I have all of them, the Tak 55mm f2 in its K form, namely the K55 f2.0 that was the kit lens for the first series K1000 (that I also own, today they are relatively rare).

My choice is the same as many: the M50 f1.4, and the reason is again simple, more light. Also I like bokeh and a 1.4 it gives a bokeh effect the 50mm f1.7 cannot emulate, also for portrait a 1.4 or a 1.2 lens open wide have some aberrations that greatly flatters the subject.

For bokeh use there are lot of other 1.7 lenses that are better than the M50 f1.7, the Zenitar 50mm f1.7 being one of them.

The other advantage of the M50mm f1.4 is that unlike 1.4 lenses it's reasonably compact. The Takumar/K55 f2.0 is better built than a M lens, sharper than the 50mm f1.7 and with slightly more saturated colors therefore it would be in the 2nd place.

[ZombieArmy]

Other than my Tak 1.4 I have not used a legacy pentax 50mm 1.4 that I've liked. M 50 1.4, A 50 1.4, didn't matter, they all were extremely underwhelming in a direct comparison to the Tak so I don't use them. My 50 1.7 is however much better in my opinion, one of my favorite M lenses I've ever used. But to be fair the M line had a lot of stinkers.

Never used the f2 tak so I can't comment on that, but I've heard nothing but good things about it. Also keep in mind my lenses may have just been bad versions or my Tak is some golden copy but just giving my experience.