[Jonathan Mac]

DAL 50mm f/1.8


Blossom II by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

[edom31]

50mm Macro comparison between Minolta AF 50/2.8 (MIN) and Macro-Takumar 50mm 4 (TAK). Both shot at f4, manual focus, same camera and time, same post.

(MIN)



(TAK)



(MIN)



(TAK)

[ChristianRock]

So I bought what PentaxForums called "The Niftiest Nifty Fifty" in an article comparing some 50mm lenses - the DA 50mm f/1.8 lens.

I thought I'd make some comparisons to see if it's worth keeping - I have the F 50 1.7 as my AF 50mm lens and a few others. And my F 50 1.7 isn't really worth selling - I bought it in V condition from Adorama, which is like their bargain rating, and since then the pastic filter ring has already partially broken off - on its own. I glued most of it back on and use a petal hood with it, so it doesn't look horrible - I mean, more horrible than the F series already does!

So I did two totally informal and unscientific tests with my K-3 first, and then with the K200D... my K-3 test included AF lenses as well (the DA*16-50 and HD DA 18-50, both at 50mm).

So my informal, unscientific conclusions... which I'm posting here instead of creating a new thread, because I don't think they are a definite conclusion - it's just how these lenses work out in my own use...

* At f5.6 and f8 they are all very good, even the zooms, but there are differences. The primes tend to have a bit better microcontrast and clarity - I guess that is not a surprise. But both zooms were really, really close.

* Between the DA 50 1.8 and the F 50 1.7, they were a bit more different than I expected. Which makes sense since they are different optical formulas (looking at the curvature of the front element one can already tell they are different). Main differences:
- The DA has nicer colors, and better microcontrast from wide open.
- The DA is also a bit sharper wide open.
- The DA has slightly better bokeh but the difference is not as big as I thought it would be, even stopped down (I did not test specular highlights though... where I know the DA will come out on top)
- The DA also has a bit better transmission. Consistently, both on the K-3 and K200D, when using the exact same exposure, the DA picture were always a tad brighter. Not much, but it was noticeable in both tests, so I think it wasn't just the light changing.
- Very surprising to me, the F 50 1.7 has absolutely zero purple fringing in the center wide, while the DA has a little bit in tough scenes, which is then gone by f2.8. My test was white flowers with light directly on them, against a darker background.
- Focusing might be a bit more precise with the F. Both are LOUD, the DA probably a bit more so.

* I also added other lenses to this comparison, including two all-time greats - the SMC "K" 50mm f/1.2, and the Rikenon P 50mm f/1.4.
- Both lenses trumped the slower lenses in terms of bokeh
- Clarity was also noticeably a bit better
- To my surprise, the RIkenon P 50 1.4 actually came out on top. The rendering of that lens is - to my amateur eyes - astonishing. I liked it better even than the mighty "K".

So here are some shots... straight bulk RAW to JPEG conversion via RawTherapee with no settings changed, and then reduced in size by the image host provider. I might upload some high resolution pictures later... but the service I have to upload test photos is not very good at providing a forum size image with a link to the full size image, their forum sized images are a bit small. I hope this is more useful for now.

Comparing them all at f2

DA 50 1.8 @f2


F 50 1.7 @f2


K 50 1.2 @f2


RIkenon P 50 1.4 @f2


Perhaps even more telling, here they are at f5.6...

DA 50 1.8 @f5.6


F 50 1.7 @f5.6


K 50 1.2 @5.6


Rikenon 50 1.4 @f5.6


Final Conclusions
The DA 50 1.8 in the "real world", I think, is better than the F 50 1.7, despite the latter handling CA a bit better.
Also, my manual 50s are even better and I should use them more often, instead of getting lazy and relying on AF...

[Jonathan Mac]

DAL 50/1.8


Blossom VI by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

[ChristianRock]

Fireworks with the DA 50 1.8 on K-S1

[wtlwdwgn]

^^^ Nicely done with the plastic fantastic!

[ChristianRock]

^^^ Nicely done with the plastic fantastic!

The Plastic Fantastic was an impulse buy but it looks like it's staying. Especially now that the SMC-F 50mm f/1.7 blades are slowing down (I just noticed that when I was comparing the two lenses the other day). Performance wise, the DA seems to be a bit sharper wide open but the low contrast wide open makes it more hesitant to focus, and more likely to miss focus.

But I like it and it might become my AF 50mm lens from now on... though now that the DA 70 Limited is here, I wonder if I'll even take 50s with me all that much anymore

[wtlwdwgn]

The Plastic Fantastic was an impulse buy but it looks like it's staying. Especially now that the SMC-F 50mm f/1.7 blades are slowing down (I just noticed that when I was comparing the two lenses the other day). Performance wise, the DA seems to be a bit sharper wide open but the low contrast wide open makes it more hesitant to focus, and more likely to miss focus.

But I like it and it might become my AF 50mm lens from now on... though now that the DA 70 Limited is here, I wonder if I'll even take 50s with me all that much anymore

I know sensors don't need filters but I wonder if a multi coated skylight filter would help with the contrast for AF.

[ChristianRock]

I know sensors don't need filters but I wonder if a multi coated skylight filter would help with the contrast for AF.

I know a polarizer brings more contrast (at the expense of light) but I hadn't heard that a skylight filter would do that. Are you sure this would be the case?

[wtlwdwgn]

I know a polarizer brings more contrast (at the expense of light) but I hadn't heard that a skylight filter would do that. Are you sure this would be the case?

It does for me so all I can say is give it a try. The Skylight 1a won't block very much light.

[Bluestem]

Kp + da 50 1.8

[ivanvernon]

Trying out the DA 50mm f 1.8, using it as a full-frame len, no cropped, and it looks good to me.

NOTE: Heading should read F 1.8, not 2.8, my mistake.

[Jonathan Mac]

DAL 50/1.8


Through the trees II by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

[ChristianRock]

I got the DA 50 1.8 recently and didn't get to take too many pictures with it.

These are the last 3 (other than a test picture to make sure contacts still worked).

Right after I took these, I put the DA 50 1.8 in my bag and took the DA 18-50 out. While I was putting the 18-50 on, the DA 50 popped out of the bag (which I somehow left open) and on to the rocks. No real visible damage, but one of the aperture blades is stuck so all the others are out of place. The bag is one of those old film camera bags with an open top, and the lenses go in too deep to just jump out. In many years, this is the first time this ever happened.







Good results but I think I'll stick with my F 50 1.7 and won't replace the DA. The DA will be put for donation here in the forums for anyone who thinks they might be able to fix it. All contacts work and the aperture lever works, if the blades are put back in place it should work fine again....

[Sagitta]

Waterville's Riverwalk

Pressing the M-50 1.4 into unintended uses...