The 50mm f/1.4 lens: Photography's Magic Bullet

The 50mm f/1.4 lens: Photography's Magic Bullet · 02:38 AM

This is an interesting article in PopPhoto about these lenses and a comparison between brands. Good to see film era FA50 still holding it's own against the more expensive and modern competition.
The 50mm f/1.4 lens: Photography's Magic Bullet - - PopPhotoFebruary 2009

lesmore49 · 02-18-2009, 04:24 PM

Great article. I bought a Pentax 50mm F 1.4 as a result. A great lens that I enjoy.

Les ...Canadian by birth.

k200dlover · 04-11-2009, 10:10 PM

i want a 50 mm f/1.4 so bad..

i just bought a 50 mm f/2 and the bokeh seems preety good...

dibilio · 05-16-2009, 08:49 AM

Hi, I was wondering if you have a pdf of this article. (The link won't take me to the Feb issue.)
Thanks,
Angelo
(angelo@caltech.edu)

irishwhite · 05-18-2009, 08:38 AM

The link above also didn't work for me. A simple google search did the trick though. Here's the link:

The 50mm f/1.4 lens: Photography's Magic Bullet - Digital Photo Tips and More on PopPhoto.com

dibilio · 05-18-2009, 11:12 AM

Thanks for the link!

imtheguy · 05-18-2009, 06:57 PM

Nice! I just bought my first 50, an A f/1.4, off the Marketplace but its still in the mail. After reading the article it sounds like the lens should come with tickets to Knicks games, Olympic boxing and a hot model to practice with.

Niki · 05-29-2009, 07:44 AM

love.this.lens.

'nuf said!

BumpyMcGee · 07-07-2009, 11:44 AM

I'm very new to the Pentax family, as I just picked up the K100D a couple of weeks ago. Very happy to find this forum - LOADS of good info.

About this lens... I live in Ontario, Canada. I have searched online at various stores (Henry's, Vistek, Best Buy, etc)... but I have only been able to find this lens at Vistek:

Pentax smc FA 50mm f/1.4 Standard Lens DSLR Lenses Full Frame 20817 - Vistek Canada Product Detail

The 18-55mm kit lens is good... but after reading the article on Popphoto.com I am REALLY pumped to pick up the 50mm.

Does anyone know where I can buy this lens in Canada? Or maybe a US store with cheap shipping, etc?

esman7 · 07-13-2009, 02:51 PM - **1 Like**

I don't care what Pentax you own. If you haven't coughed up ~$200 for an FA 50mm f1.4 - you're missing out.

The colour renditioning and bokeh produced is just incredible. Don't let the plastic casing fool you, this is some amazing glass.

The portraits you'll get out of this will blow you mind.

I'm done talking..

tuco · 07-22-2009, 02:32 PM

Originally posted by esman7

I don't care what Pentax you own. If you haven't coughed up ~$200 for an FA 50mm f1.4 - you're missing out.

LOL, um, okay, I own a Pentax 67. How am I missing out? But I do have a SMC Pentax-A 50mm ƒ1.2 for my K-7. Is that good enough?

esman7 · 07-22-2009, 03:12 PM

Originally posted by tuco

LOL, um, okay, I own a Pentax 67. How am I missing out? But I do have a SMC Pentax-A 50mm ƒ1.2 for my K-7. Is that good enough?

Very funny...

I find it performs best around f2.0

tuco · 07-22-2009, 11:57 PM

Originally posted by esman7

Very funny...

I find it performs best around f2.0

Cool, you have one too. I find it performs at ƒ1.2 too. See I'm of the school that says sharpness does not automatically equal a good picture. I take pictures with a plastic lens on a Holga. And people get beautiful art out of it though my photographic artistic vision leaves something to be desired. So what if a lens is soft at an aperture? Take advantage of it. It's a feature; not a bug. ;-)

Andi Lo · 07-28-2009, 09:08 PM

Love this lens much more on film than on digital... but that's just me

wwwmorrell · 07-29-2009, 08:12 AM

Another vote for the 50 1.4, it just pop's.

02-18-2009, 04:24 PM	#2
lesmore49 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Canada Posts: 12,350	Great article. I bought a Pentax 50mm F 1.4 as a result. A great lens that I enjoy. Les ...Canadian by birth. Last edited by lesmore49; 02-18-2009 at 04:30 PM.

07-07-2009, 11:44 AM	#9
BumpyMcGee New Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 4	Where can I get one? I'm very new to the Pentax family, as I just picked up the K100D a couple of weeks ago. Very happy to find this forum - LOADS of good info. About this lens... I live in Ontario, Canada. I have searched online at various stores (Henry's, Vistek, Best Buy, etc)... but I have only been able to find this lens at Vistek: Pentax smc FA 50mm f/1.4 Standard Lens DSLR Lenses Full Frame 20817 - Vistek Canada Product Detail The 18-55mm kit lens is good... but after reading the article on Popphoto.com I am REALLY pumped to pick up the 50mm. Does anyone know where I can buy this lens in Canada? Or maybe a US store with cheap shipping, etc?

07-22-2009, 11:57 PM	#13
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,032	Originally posted by esman7 Very funny... I find it performs best around f2.0 Cool, you have one too. I find it performs at ƒ1.2 too. See I'm of the school that says sharpness does not automatically equal a good picture. I take pictures with a plastic lens on a Holga. And people get beautiful art out of it though my photographic artistic vision leaves something to be desired. So what if a lens is soft at an aperture? Take advantage of it. It's a feature; not a bug. ;-) Last edited by tuco; 07-23-2009 at 11:28 AM.

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04-11-2009, 10:10 PM	#3
k200dlover Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: indonesia Posts: 1	i want a 50 mm f/1.4 so bad.. i just bought a 50 mm f/2 and the bokeh seems preety good...

05-16-2009, 08:49 AM	#4
dibilio New Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pasadena, Ca Posts: 21	Hi, I was wondering if you have a pdf of this article. (The link won't take me to the Feb issue.) Thanks, Angelo (angelo@caltech.edu)

05-18-2009, 08:38 AM	#5
irishwhite Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: philadelphia Photos: Gallery Posts: 349	The link above also didn't work for me. A simple google search did the trick though. Here's the link: The 50mm f/1.4 lens: Photography's Magic Bullet - Digital Photo Tips and More on PopPhoto.com

05-18-2009, 11:12 AM	#6
dibilio New Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pasadena, Ca Posts: 21	Thanks for the link!

05-18-2009, 06:57 PM	#7
imtheguy Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,950	Nice! I just bought my first 50, an A f/1.4, off the Marketplace but its still in the mail. After reading the article it sounds like the lens should come with tickets to Knicks games, Olympic boxing and a hot model to practice with.

05-29-2009, 07:44 AM	#8
Niki Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 244	love.this.lens. 'nuf said!

07-13-2009, 02:51 PM - 1 Like	#10
esman7 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 322	I don't care what Pentax you own. If you haven't coughed up ~$200 for an FA 50mm f1.4 - you're missing out. The colour renditioning and bokeh produced is just incredible. Don't let the plastic casing fool you, this is some amazing glass. The portraits you'll get out of this will blow you mind. I'm done talking..

07-22-2009, 02:32 PM	#11
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,032	Originally posted by esman7 I don't care what Pentax you own. If you haven't coughed up ~$200 for an FA 50mm f1.4 - you're missing out. LOL, um, okay, I own a Pentax 67. How am I missing out? But I do have a SMC Pentax-A 50mm ƒ1.2 for my K-7. Is that good enough?

07-22-2009, 03:12 PM	#12
esman7 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 322	Originally posted by tuco LOL, um, okay, I own a Pentax 67. How am I missing out? But I do have a SMC Pentax-A 50mm ƒ1.2 for my K-7. Is that good enough? Very funny... I find it performs best around f2.0

07-28-2009, 09:08 PM	#14
Andi Lo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,924	Love this lens much more on film than on digital... but that's just me

07-29-2009, 08:12 AM	#15
wwwmorrell Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mount Buller, Australia Posts: 397	Another vote for the 50 1.4, it just pop's.