[UncleVanya]

Most of my teenage years were spent with a Nikkormat and a 50mm f2 lens. I was able to borrow quite a few exotic lenses from my dad's store or the Nikon rep on special trips but the 50 and a 2x teleconverter were the ones I owned that went with me everywhere.

A 50mm on a full frame sees perspective naturally. A super sharp very fast one opens up a lot of doors as well. I'm not surprised it works for you.

[leekil]

If I had to go with one lens on my K-1, it would be the FA31. I use it a lot as it is, in particular for reasonably close documentary photos.

[awscreo]

Easy, I'll keep my ricoh GRIII) I love my dslr gear and toys, but ricoh is just too versatile and great all around.

[kiwi_jono]

FF 50 is certainly a reasonably general purpose lens and as its working for you then thats all that matters! Enjoy!

For me I think the one lens would have to be my FA 43 Limited on my K-1. I find the focal length very useful for me (the extra width "clicks" with me better than my 50 for what I shoot) and I love the starbursts it produces at night. Close behind would be the FA 31 which I also love.

When I started taking pictures all that was affordable to me was a Zenit B with a 50mm lens, I upgraded to a Zenit EM with the Helios 44. With the Pentax ME and the super version I just had one lens, the 50mm F1.7. The Super A I bought with another 50mm F1.4 A. So for a long time I have been making pictures with a single lens, the 50mm. It was only with the Super A that I could afford another lens en that was a 40-80mm. I traded it in for the A 35-105. You could say that 50mm was fed with a spoon. With 50mm's I made most of my pictures and learned how to take a picture. In the digital Era it was all zoom, zoom everywhere a zoom. I bought a 55mm DA* about a year ago and I actually had to "learn" to take pictures with a prime again. It is so different from zooming. So yes, I see why you like to take the 50mm and to be honest I discovered that I like the 50mm and 55mm primes the best. But sometimes a zoom is very handy.
I very much enjoyed your pictures and it made me dream of the time I started with my Zenits and took pictures in the dunes of The Hague. I regret now that I sold or traded in my Zenits. These where camera's that where very heavy and in circumstances you were able to use them in self defense.

[johnha]

Back in my original film days, my preference was a Super-A, M40/2.8, often with the Motordrive-A. I'd have preferred the lens a bit faster and sharper but it worked with a wider view than a 50.

No surprise I bought an FA43 for the K-1 and various film bodies before that. If I had to have only one focal length, 40/43/45 would be perfectly fine.

Most of the time I prefer the FA20-35/4 on the K-1 - it's so versatile and digital helps the slower aperture, but the FA43 is my favourite prime. In comparison, I have hardly used my FA35/2 or FA50/1.4 and mostly used the FA28/2.8 as a 42 equivalent on APS-C.

[BarryE]

I really wish I'd been able to take this approach. I've tried and tried. Thank you OP for reminding me.

For many subjects a 50 works very well and it would be my choice too. However, for landscapes I've never managed it. I wonder if it because of the congested and restricted nature of the landscape in the southern half of the UK. I find that for subject isolation I'm forced to zoom to get the composition I want - to remove the man made clutter that spoil it or not being able to to "zoom with my feet" as I'm confined to a narrow path, lined by high hedging. A classic is the South Downs area. Wonderful rolling hills, but ruined, photographically, by electricity pylons and poor access in many places.

[microlight]

Thanks for posting this; food for thought. I've been struggling a little for inspiration lately, so maybe it's time to strap the DA35/F2.4 onto the K-3II and see what comes out. Not that the HD20-40 is heavy or that bulky, but the cam will that little bit more light and compact for the daily walk with the plastic fantastic on.

[niels hansen]

Many years ago I had only one lens for my Spotmatic. It was a 105 mm preset Takumar. I learned to handle its advantages and limits. Looking back (some of my best pictures are from that period. 1962 - 65. I have restarted my analogue black and white - incl darkroom.and now I will be restricted to a 105 mm and 28 mm Takumar.
I guess that in a year or two I will learn it.
The KP is degredated to "family" camera.

[garywakeling]

Interesting post, at first look it would seem crazy, then you look back at the film photography era and the 50mm standard lens was the way to go. Having used the new 1.4 50mm , I agree, the special pop that this lens brings has me believing you could have just this lens and live with no other lenses. In reality I keep buying more lenses but the 50mm is not going anywhere other than in the camera bag

[robgski]

A few of us regularly participate in the monthly Single In thread. If one is diligent about shooting every day, and paying attention to composition and settings, thirty days of using one lens and camera combo is enough to become familiar with that set of gear. The constraint of using that combination causes many of us to try new ideas or techniques, and get very creative in order to make an image every day.

While I own and often use zoom lenses, it does make me lazy at times, why move 10 feet or 3 meters when I can zoom?
Using a prime lens and moving closer, or further away, often changes my perception of the scene, and improves, or confirms, my original idea. The same with moving left or right, standing higher up or crouching down.

[mhsp1948]

Interesting post, at first look it would seem crazy, then you look back at the film photography era and the 50mm standard lens was the way to go. Having used the new 1.4 50mm , I agree, the special pop that this lens brings has me believing you could have just this lens and live with no other lenses. In reality I keep buying more lenses but the 50mm is not going anywhere other than in the camera bag

You said this very well garywakeling, I liked the 31mm on my KP but the 50 1.4 is absolutely awesome in so many ways. I buy lens all the time and have 14 lenses at the moment for my Pentax cameras, but I have truly learned a lot using my 50mm and I am loving this lens on a full frame K1-MarkII. I might sell some lenses and even cameras but my K1-II and my 50mm 1.4 are not going anywhere.

[Astro-Baby]

“Zenits. These where camera's that where very heavy and in circumstances you were able to use them in self defense”

For serious self defence you need a Nikon F

[mhsp1948]

Yes, I am happy with how things are turning out. Here are a few more photos

[hjoseph7]

Pentax K5 IIs; Pentax 31m f1.8 Limited...