| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,088
12 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 6, 2020 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Looks, speed, optics, bokeh & handling. | | Cons: | Perfection comes at a price... | | Camera Used: LX 2000, *ist
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The A50/1.2 was released in 1984 and was a direct replacement for the K50/1.2. The A50/1.2 was in production until 2004 and was discontinued with no replacement. I’m reviewing the silver A50/1.2 “Special” that was released in 2000 and was bundled with the Pentax LX 2000 film camera. There were 1000 copies of this combo produced for the Japanese market only and the A50/1.2 “Special” was not sold on its own.
The A50/1.2 “Special” is on the “Frankenlens” side, with the finish of a silver FA Limited, but the same shape of the regular A Series 50/1.2 prime.
This is a picture of the “four” silver Limited/Special lenses to compare size/looks:
(Left to right: FA31/1.8, FA43/1.9, A50/1.2 "Special" & FA77/1.8)
Optics:
No fancy lens elements or special coatings on this guy, just a classic optical design that’s 45+ years old now. Same formula as the original K50/1.2 released in June 1975, no need to change anything that’s not broken! Yet the old 50/1.2 produces amazing 3D detail and images that ooze with old-school character, but not clinically sharp like a new design. The A50/1.2 also has a beautiful bokeh as well and has one extra aperture blade than the K Series version.
Focal Length:
Classic “normal” focal length that is usefully for just about everything. Every film shooter has owned at least one 50mm prime lens over the years, one of the bestselling focal lengths of all time. On APS-C you get the FOV of a short telephoto, interesting but less useful.
Build:
The A50/1.2 is built like a FA Limited, but the focus ring and aperture movement is more like that of a manual focus lens and slightly smoother than the auto focus FA Limited’s. The A50/1.2 “Special” has a similar double band metal focusing ring like the one on the FA31 and not the rubber focusing ring of the regular black A50/1.2. Overall, the A50/1.2 “Special” is a beautifully built and beautiful looking lens.
Usage/Handling:
The A50/1.2 is bigger and heavier than the other A Series 50mm primes, but is still a very manageable size to carry around in your kit. It has the same 52mm filter thread carried over from the K Series version, so it’s an oddball compared to the other A Series 50mm primes that have a 49mm filter thread. Still the A50/1.2 is a fraction of the size of the new D FA* 50/1.4 prime.
The A50/1.2 “Special” has a dedicated 52mm screw-in silver metal hood (MH-RC 52mm) and a dedicated silver metal push-on lens cap, that fits over the top of the hood. (Same setup as the FA43) This makes the A50/1.2 “Special” too big to fit into the S70-70 soft lens case used for the regular A50/1.2, so the bigger S80-80 case is required.
Speed:
F/1.2 is still the fastest 50mm lens (or any lens) that Pentax ever made and there will never be an auto focus version of this lens. One could only imagine the size/cost of a “D FA* 50/1.2 SDM AW” lens! You would think there is not much difference between F/1.4 and F/1.2, but there is and the A50/1.2 sucks light in like no other lens I own. Shooting wide open, especially close to the minimum focusing distance of around ½ meter, has a very narrow/shallow DOF and it’s like using a 50mm macro lens at high magnification. The split-image/microprism focusing screen on some of my film cameras makes shooting wide open relatively easy, but any autofocus camera will be a bit harder. Some sort of focusing aid is required, like the Magnifier Eyecup O-ME53 or Refconverter A.
The A50/1.2 vs my other similar FL normal/standard primes:
I also own two copies of the K50/1.2; the “SMC PENTAX 1:1.2/50” (1975-1977) and the “smc PENTAX 1:1.2 50mm” (1977-1984). I’ve owned the K Series version of the 50/1.2 for over a decade and also did a few test shots comparing the A50/1.2 "Special" & my oldest K50/1.2, these are my findings:
Optics & bokeh are pretty well the same between the two lenses, I did not notice any difference. I suppose the extra aperture blade in the A Series lens may produce a different bokeh in some shooting situations, however not in my test shots. The K Series version weighs 40 grams more and since both lenses have the same number of lens elements, the extra weight on the K50/1.2 would be the heavier metal used in construction. The handling of the two lenses is also a little different, as the A50/1.2 “Special” has the dedicated lens hood/cap setup. Overall, not really much difference, except for cosmetic.
I rated my K50/1.2s a perfect “Pentax Optical Hall of Fame” 10 and I would do the same for my A50/1.2 “Special”.
Summary:
The Pentax 50/1.2 (any K or A Series version) is one of those special lenses that has pretty well everything you could ask for; fast speed, 3D optics, a nice bokeh, great build & handling, all at a reasonable size & cost. The A50/1.2 “Special” just happens to be the nicest looking of the bunch, truly an amazing piece of engineering.
Price:
I bought my A50/1.2 “Special” on eBay and it was bundled with the LX 2000, so no price for just the lens. Both are in mint condition.
Sample shots taken with the A50/1.2 “Special”. Photos are medium resolution scans from original negatives and slides. All shots were taken in Vancouver, Canada.
Camera: LX 2000 Film: Ilford Delta 100 ISO: 100
Camera: LX 2000 Film: Ilford Delta 100 ISO: 100
Camera: LX 2000 Film: Ilford Delta 100 ISO: 100
Camera: LX 2000 Film: Kodak Ektachrome 100 ISO: 100
Camera: LX 2000 Film: Kodak Ektachrome 100 ISO: 100
Camera: LX 2000 Film: Kodak Ektachrome 100 ISO: 100
Camera: *ist Film: Kodak Gold 200 ISO: 200
 | | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2017 Location: Medellín Posts: 1,322
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 10, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $412.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build quality, wide and nine bladed aperture, bokeh. | | Cons: | | |
It's a joy to use with film at night. Much smaller than other 1.2/50's ive tried. Dreamy portraits.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: November, 2017 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,982
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 1, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Fast, probably should have been labeled * | | Cons: | glowy wide open, purple fringes like made wide open | |
I didn't intend to get this lens and wasn't actively looking for it but saw it at a local camera store mislabeled and mispriced. They had it listed as the K version not the A version and that store frequently misprices Pentax gear anyway, either way to high or way too low. So I went to check it out to see if it wasn't beat to hell so I could play with it for a while and then sell making a profit. Well turns out it was the A version, was in excellent condition with only minor dust inside but otherwise immaculate so I ended up stealing it for $250 which means that store really screwed who ever they bought it from. Spent some time getting to know it and yes it is glowy wide open in harsh lighting conditions but that can be a fun effect. In more flat lighting conditions you end up with an ephemeral feel, again a fun effect. Stop the lens down to f/2 and it is really sharp. The rendering when stopped down I find is very similar to the 77mm ltd which I like. It does have some issues with CA but it corrects easily in post processing so not really an issue. I did shoot some wide field astro images with it the other night at f/1.8 and it performs quite well not fringing and bloating stars all over the place. Also this is the only lens I own where the infinity mark actually means infinity as checked with a focusing mask.
Since getting this lens it has become the body cap for my K-3 and I have fallen in love with the 50mm focal length on APS-C as I can just make this lens sing.
Another update: My local camera store screwed up again with pricing and had another one for sale at $250 so I rescued that lens as well. So now I own 2 copies of this lens and yes I will use them both so it isn't for resale. I lover running dual 50mm lenses at night and with this lens it is as good as pentax 50s get for astro at F/2.8. Yes that includes the all new D FA* 50/1.4 which basically performs the same at f/2.8 for astro and also peaks there for astro as well.
If you are wondering what one shoots in the night sky at 50mm on APS-C my preferred target is Orion's body and there one gets the main body, barnard's loop, and the witches head nebula in the frame. For those of you on full frame the 77ltd would give you similar framing. However I think I may have another object that I know the general area of it but not an exact one so this lens should allow me to point it in the general direction and get it in frame and hopefully be able to get something to show up.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: September, 2015 Location: Berlin Posts: 128
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 28, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | F1.2, IQ, sharpness, Bokeh | | Cons: | no autofocus | |
Not easy to get, but if you got it you will not miss it anymore.
The A Version of the Pentax 50mm F1.2 is a bit better then the K Version. I still have both of them and to my copies the A Version is sharper at F1.2
Pros:
I love its Bokeh on Portrait or for detailed pictures.
Its sharp at 1.2 but razorsharp from F1.8-F9
On my Copy the sweet spot is F9.
Perfect for chooting stars using F1.8 at infinity (infinity marking is infinity !)
Ist Overall Image Quality is great. I use it for Portrait and landscape on K.3 and MZ-6
Cons:
For me it is not a contra but a nice to have.
A autofocus 50mm F1.2 of Pentax would be nice. Cause handling the F1.2 is not as easy using Manual Focus. Depending on your distance you sometimes have 2-3 cm of sharpness.
Overall it´s a 10 because of sharpness and bokeh. Thats what you need with a F1.2 lens
Greetings,
Milka
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2014 Location: Galway - Ireland Posts: 213
7 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 13, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, Very specific look | | Cons: | Cost (?) | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 8
Camera Used: K-1, K-3
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I actually waited for my K-1 to arrive to make both a FF and an APS-C review of the lens. I got my copy from a forum member, slightly bumped (but the optics is perfect) which explains the lower than average price for this lens.
WHO IS IT FOR ?
Basically the question is mainly 'is it worth the money ?'. We all know that there are plenty of 50mm around, and some of them are outstanding for a much lower price. Then is it worth adding this price difference for the extra stop or half stop of light ? Well even if you will get more light it makes no sense to buy this lens only for the extra light. Nowadays cameras are good low light performers and the difference between a f/1.4 and a f/1.2 is negligible in terms of light. So why are you paying for ? 1) the crazy look you get at f/1.2-1.4 and 2) the extra sharpness you get at f/1.4-f/2 apertures. If you mainly shoot at f/2.8 and above, get a SMC 50mm f/1.4.
HANDLING
Great glass, built like a tank but still quite light. The focusing ring is perfect (maybe a bit less smooth than some SMC M lenses but still great), the aperture ring is great too.
FOCUSING
To focus with this lens is not that easy wide open. If you plan to use it wide open, be sure that it is only in a controlled environment where you can take your time. In 'field' conditions f/2 and above gives a very high hit rate.
IMAGE QUALITY
>SHARPNESS
APSC
This lens is quite sharp. On the 24MPx K-3 the sharpness is good starting at f/1.6 and impressing at f/2 and above. The f/1.2 is a bit soft and glowy.
FF
The result is a bit soft at f/1.2, but starting at f/1.4 is great. f/1.8 and above are all super sharp.
>BOKEH
Bokeh is great and soft as you can expect. The results at f/1.2 are very impressive. There is probably a bit of spherical aberration at f/1.2 that makes some edges a bit bubble like, but overall it is a bokeh monster.
>CHROMA ABERRATIONS
Not flawless wide open (purple fringing), gone by f/2.
>FLARE
Surprisingly good. Compared with the SMC M 50mm f/1.4 there is a real improvement.
>COLOR RENDITION
Slightly warm (I love it). I noticed that at f/1.2 the color is slightly shifted to the pink. Great colors overall.
>DISTORSION
Nothing to be noticed.
>VIGNETING
A bit strong on FF wide open, very decent on APSC. Starting at f/1.8 the problem is essentially solved 
COMPARING TO SIMILAR LENSES
I must admit that I have not tried the 55mm f/1.4 star lens yet (will update when I manage to try this one) and this would be a nice comparison. Otherwise,
>50mm f/1.7 SMC M
Tried on APSC : Great lens overall, specially good starting at f/2.8. Super light and cheap. Optically, it does not catch up with the 50mm f/1.2 on wide apertures.
>50mm f/1.4 SMC M
Tried on APSC : It was my main lens for a very long time and one of my first ones. It's overall a very good lens and I really loved it. It competes easily with most modern 50mm lenses. I consider it to be top sharp from f/2.4, but I often used it at f/2. The flare resistance of this lens is unfortunately quite bad. If you want a good quality for money ratio go for this lens !
>50mm f/1.4G nikkor
This is supposed to be Nikon modern standard for pros. I would say that the image quality is not as good (not as sharp and with fringing) as the Pentax at f/1.4. I compared D800E+50 vs K-1+50 which seems fair to me and some Nikon users tried also my K-1+50 for a few days and conclude the same thing.
CONCLUSION
If you love portrait or are in love with good optics, buy this lens without a regret. It's all good, even better on FF. It's worth every penny because it is not just a 50mm. It's premium optics with an outstanding combination of sharpness and bokeh smoothness.
SAMPLE IMAGES :
APSC
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124013107@N08/27069442014/in/dateposted-public/ (f/1.8)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124013107@N08/27165610173/in/dateposted-public/ (f/1.3)
FF
https://500px.com/photo/172396919/over-the-shoulder-by-t-cognard (f/1.2)
https://500px.com/photo/171606627/bed-time-by-t-cognard (f/1.6)
https://500px.com/photo/170665117/sleeping-beauty-by-t-cognard (f/1.6)
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2014 Location: Fraser Coast Posts: 9
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 26, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Creamy Bokeh, Sharpness, Colour and Handling. | | Cons: | Nil | |
The bokeh, sharpness and handling on the A is outstanding.I was very lucky as this lens come with my K10D which I bought off eBay Australia for the tidy sum of A$123.50. Didn't realise what I had until I started researching on PF. The A 50 1.2 is a great performer in all aspects.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: March, 2010 Location: Svealand Posts: 172
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 23, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $730.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | bokeh, f1.2, sharp, build quality | | Cons: | Expensive | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax K-5
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Great lens, nice bokeh.
Only negativ aspect is that I couldn't find it for a better price. But as it's a lens that's build to last and that it was in mint conditon i guess the price is rather ok. Especially as it's so hard to find where I live that I had to buy it from eBay Japan.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: January, 2010 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 399 | | Review Date: January 22, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Colour,ease of focus,OOF rendering, f/1.2! | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-x
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Yes, I paid 80USD, and yes, it is an f/1.2 lens. Lovely bokeh, colour rendition and handling. Very easy to focus on the stock K-x screen.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2010 Location: California Posts: 2,223
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 24, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $785.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | An all around lens, the only one you need. | | Cons: | Steep learning curve due to the thin d.o.f. at f/1.2 | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K5
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I just got this lens. Photos to follow after I develop them.
Here are the first photos at f/1.2
Pentax-A_50mm_f1.2-HojaDeParra1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Pentax-A_50mm_f1.2-HojaDeParra2-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Here are some more:
Pentax-A-50mmf1.2-AFiddlerontheroof6-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Pentax-A-50mmf1.2-Buda2-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Pentax-A-50mmf1.2-Anturio-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Backstage by Palenquero, on Flickr
Pentax-A-50mmf1.2@f1.2-Flower&Bokeh-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Pentax-A-50mmf1.2@f2-Whesteria-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Pentax-a-50mmf1.2@f1.2-Leaves2-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Pentax-a-50mmf1.2@f1.2-deal-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Pentax-a-50mmf1.2@f1.2-deal2-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Update: Dec. 20, 2014:
I sold this lens few months ago, I kept the Revuenon 55/1.2, which is very sharp and has slightly higher depth of field. However, I bought the lens again (two copies) last week, because I really missed it. I wanted to have two copies to compare if there were differences between copies, but no, they are both really nice. So, I am keeping my Pentax-A 50/1.2, and may sell the other. Once thing I learned after having owned Leica lenses on Leica cameras is to focus manually really well. The depth of fiel increases with the distance the subject is from the sensor. So, if you try to shoot close objects, be prepared for a very narrow depth of field. At about 3 feet, I am able to focus on a persons eyes perfectly and have them sharp with this lens. Just an advice to avoid frustration. This is true for any lens. Here are some photos:
 Pentax-A 50mm f1.2 @ f1.2 - Cacti at Laguna-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
 Pentax-A 50mm f1.2 - Palm Trunks at Laguna-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
 Pentax-A 50mm f1.2 - Palm Trees at Laguna-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
 x21mmf3.2-Laguna-10-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
Update January 17, 2015:
I think I am getting the hang of this beauty, what a lens:
 Pentax-A50-1.2-Shingha1-1 by Palenquero, on Flickr
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: April, 2009 Location: New York Posts: 2
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 1, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $585.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Small and light, Sharp with nice bokeh! | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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Very sharp on Canon full frame and K-5 body. Sharper than my Hexanon 57 1.2, more contrasty wide open
and no visible difference in color rendering. Very easy focusing on K-5. Amazing lens.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2010 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 409 | | Review Date: March 24, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $560.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | bokeh, colors, sharpness stopped down | | Cons: | large, price, very shallow DOF at 1.2 | |
I've had this lens for a few months, and I have yet to be able to master it. It will be years until I ever do. The shallow DOF at 1.2 makes it very hard to nail the focus, especially for a beginner like me. My Kx tends to miss the focus in lower light situations, so I rely on feel and the viewfinder. However, when a picture does come through, the colors and bokeh make it all worth it. RXrenesis's picture above is a great example of the smooth, pastel-like colors this lens puts out at 1.2. However, stop it down and you'll get back the normal sharp and vivid colors of the other 50s.
Size and price aren't really cons. It's not really possible to produce a cheap and small 1.2 lens. The price really is justifiable if one wants to shoot at 1.2 since there aren't too many alternatives available. Even those like the K1.2, cosina, etc, have started to fetch a few hundred dollars!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: January, 2011 Location: Orlando, FL (USA) Posts: 523
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 10, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | f/1.2, manual focus ring is smooth, dampened, and has a long throw for the razor thin DoF. | | Cons: | Split prism or focus bracketing is required at wide apertures | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
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This lens is a tiny tank, built to destroy your preconceived notions of depth of field and suck up all the light it can find!
The one behavior that I hear controversy about is the apparent softness wide open:
(click image for larger sizes)
Now, if you look closely you will notice that it's not blurry but rather it lacks contrast. This is most visible in areas that transition abruptly from highlight to shadow (the towers of the bridge show this prominently).
Quite frankly I enjoy the way this behavior renders the scene so this lens is definitely a keeper!
Edit: Since I didn't include this last time (and it's one of the main draws of f/1.2), Here's some bokeh, at f/1.2 of course:
(click image for larger sizes)
(click image for larger sizes) | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: June, 2009 Location: Berlin Posts: 103 | | Review Date: November 8, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great image quality, great build | | Cons: | - | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: K5, K20
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Update from July 2014:
I have to reevaluate this lens.
It is fantastic in all regards
When writing my OLD review (see below) I had problems with reflections, but this turned out to be caused by a low quality protective filter.
My OLD review from November 2010:
This is a great lens when stopped down.
I got it to use it wide open, where reflections appear as soon as a bright object is in the picture.
Wide open I therefore prefer my SMC A 50mm f1,4.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: October, 2009 Location: Melbourne Posts: 78
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 4, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $550.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Fast, tiny DoF, solid build, great image quality | | Cons: | Some aberations at wider apertures | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
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An amazing lens to use. Feels so well built and can produce such dreamy images.
Thin DoF means that you have to take the time to get focus right on wide open either through the viewfinder or with live view. Live view helps nailing focus considerably if you have it. A focusing screen with a split screen helps a fair bit with focus through the viewfinder however the shim between the prism/mirror and the focusing screen has to be the right size. See: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/94154-things-you-l...ye-screen.html for details. I was a bit disappointed with mine until I changed the shim size in my camera.
Also a hood is a good idea for this lens, I found it improved contrast quite a bit.
While this lens is only 10mm off my DA40 Ltd they are so different in their capabilities that I'm glad I have both.
| | | | | Moderator
Site Supporter Registered: June, 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Posts: 17,377 | | Review Date: March 21, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Speed, Build Quality, A contacts, and Speed | | Cons: | price | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
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While there are few lenses I'd truly rate a 10, this lens is definitely way above a 9. This lens also has the A contacts which is a plus for my dSLR and SuperProgram. This lenses is probably physically 2x the size of the A 50mm f2. The elements in this thing are impressive. Did I mention its fast? This lens is very good optically even opened up and is untouchable from f2 -f16. The A version of this lens has 9 aperture blades whereas the k version has 8.
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