[ducksman]

Hello,

Long time lurker here.

I have a pentax-a 50MM 1.7 on its way and I was wondering if anyone has any tips or presets that they can share for getting the most out of this lens in post processing. I shoot raw on a k10d.

Thanks!

[patrickw]

I don't have that lens but you might check out the thread on "Green Skies" in this forum (still on the first page), as it has included some discussion about using Lightroom with Pentax in general.

I haven't ever used specific presets for specific lenses but I'm sure it's a good idea if you are being really fastidious about things.

[macTak]

As lenses (well, at least of the same brand) tend to render colors in much the same way, I've not seen any such presets. You'd be better off looking for a camera profile for the K10D; several people have posted theirs. I have the M version of your lens and find it requires very little PP adjustment--it's just sharp, contrasty, and has good colors.

[ducksman]

Thanks macTak. I'll look around for more info on lightroom presets for the k10d

[mysticcowboy]

I also have the manual version of the 50mm 1.7 and find it produces very true and saturated colors. White balance is quite neutral. Sharpness is excellent and photos from it need little more than the default sharpening, even shooting raw. Unless shooting for fine detail into a very bright background, there's no chromatic aberrations. It has insignificant barrel distortion, and no vignetting from f2 and higher. Some lenses or lens/camera combinations might benefit from a Lightroom preset. No Pentax 50mm prime needs one, especially with your camera.

Using the green button to determine shutter speed, I find it tends to underexpose by a half stop, but that's better caught in the camera than in Lightroom. This is with a K20D.

michael mckee
My Port Townsend – A City in Photographs – 365