[zoltan1983snapper]

Can anyone comment on this lens? It's a bit obscure. Is it the same design as the old SMC Takumar 55/1.8?

[Jimfear]

I have had this lens for some years and I like it a lot, long focus throw is helpful when focusing manually. Hasn't seen much use since I got the 50mm 1.4 though.

Don't know if it is the same design as the takumar versions.

[georgweb]

Heja Jim I think you mixed it up with the 85mm lens (edit: no more, edit the edit :-),
but using the same source and Dimitrov's the result is the same.

Been fishing both lens schemes and put them side by side,

No pic? Click here

Best, Georg (the other)

[drerka]

Hi,

I had the K 55 1.8 as the standard lens on my K2 (way back...) Very nice lens imho. I loved the close focus distance (45 cm I belive) and it has a nice bokeh. Nowadays I use the FA 50 1.4, so I don't use the K55 not anymore. But it's a nice prime if you live with it's limitations on a digital body.
Don't know whether it's the same designs the Takumar.

[axl]

I have never even seen that lens, but as far as I know K series lenses are the same optical designs as Takumars.

[winglik]

I got this lens, love it, i like it more than the Pentax M 50mm 1.4, very sharp at f1.8. No Macro, Similar to Pentax M 50mm 1.7, but for some reason i like this more. It has a little FA 77mm taste to it, so it's my poorman's 77mm.

[gofour3]

I have been using a K55/1.8 since I bought my KX in 1975. I love this lens; it's still one of my favorites.

My Pentax book lists the SMC Takumar 55/1.8 as having a 49mm filter thread; the K55 has a 52mm. The K55 is also larger is size and weight, so my guess would be it's a new lens design.

[monochrome]

Can anyone comment on this lens? It's a bit obscure. Is it the same design as the old SMC Takumar 55/1.8?

I have had this lens in the past. It came attached to a K2 I bought but, regrettably, I sold it, not knowing what it was. As I recall it was, as all K lenses, beautifully built and over-engineered. It is quite sharp across the range of apertures - sharper than the 50/1.4 - and has nice color rendering, but a bit edgy in bokeh, where the 50 shines. 55mm give s much closer to life-size view in the VF than the 50, if that interests you.

Currently I have the SMC Tak 55/1.8 I use with a Spotmatic F and I believe it is the same design as the K version.

[Light_Horseman]

I've got it on my K200 at the moment. A nice little lens and has that great old lens character.

[fwcetus]

A couple of people have said that the 55/1.8 is very sharp wide open, or sharper than the 50/1.4. I would disagree. I have found the 55/1.8 (and the identical, if the added baffle were removed, 55/2) is not very sharp until f/8 or so (unlike the 50/1.4), but then is very sharp above. SMC Pentax Resolution Test Results

[jsherman999]

I had several copies of that lens and sold them, wish I hadn't - a very fine performer, one my favorite 50's.

Bokeh can get funky, but I love it. Very pleasing rendering at all apertures, and a joy to focus.

[winglik]

Here is a comparison shot i put between the SMC 55mm f1.8(1st pic) and the Pentax-M 50mm f1.4(2nd pic) at wide open. Both have the pretty much the same bokeh, 50mm is a little faster. (1/15 & 1/10, shot at ISO1600). So for similar performance as the 50mm, but at half the price. not bad. And I like the color of the SMC 55mm alot.

[vanchaz2002]

Nice comparison.

Here is a comparison shot i put between the SMC 55mm f1.8(1st pic) and the Pentax-M 50mm f1.4(2nd pic) at wide open. Both have the pretty much the same bokeh, 50mm is a little faster. (1/15 & 1/10, shot at ISO1600). So for similar performance as the 50mm, but at half the price. not bad. And I like the color of the SMC 55mm alot.