| Author: | | New Member Registered: July, 2021 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 1
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 5, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $6.99
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Bright, contrasty and shallow depth of field | | Cons: | a bit heavy, depending on camera body and adaptors | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K3, Pentax K-01, Fuji X-E3, Fuji X-H1
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I picked up this lens at a Goodwill in the Haight Ashbury district of San Francisco. It was attached to a Pentax SF1, that kept jamming as I tested it, but the lens looked clean. No visible dust, no "fungus", no haze. So I took a chance. Looked at the price tag and quickly paid the $6.99 they asked for it.
Went across the street to celebrating scoring a sweet deal and started shooting with it. I find it contrasty and the lens makes me look for a specific kind of lighting to bring out its best qualities. The greens I get out of this lens are fantastic. So lucky to have found a lens that makes my favorite color pop so much in images.
If you find it at a local thrifty store, just pick it up. The cost of having it cleaned will still probably be less than buying a "like-new" one on eBay.
I'm mostly shooting Fuji these days, but Pentax lenses still have a special spot in my heart. I love their size and image quality.
Cheers everyone, and happy snapping.
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: September, 2018 Location: Poland Posts: 1,800
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 23, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | image quality | | Cons: | nothing | |
My copy needed in-body AF correction but after that, it is decently sharp wide-open. Above f/2.8 it is razor-sharp. Well built (somehow I like the build quality more than the FA version). AF is a bit noisy and sometimes slow in low light, but it's screw-driven so it is to be expected (and partly depends on the body, which in my case is K-50). Good lens for indoor*portraits on APS-C.*Great image quality and very pleasant bokeh.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: January, 2015 Posts: 71
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 9, 2016 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Colors, sharpness, fast AF, solid build, size & weight | | Cons: | AF sometimes inconsistent, narrow focus ring | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-50
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My copy is usable at f/1.4 but saturation and contrast are not very good. Stopping down to f/1.6 noticeably improves colors and contrast and by f/2.0 it's almost too sharp in the center for portraits. Sharp across the whole frame between f/4.0 and f/5.0 and by f/5.6 diffraction is already kicking in. If you like the A version of this lens you will find the F version to behave identically from an optical standpoint.
Low light AF can be a problem sometimes but MF is smooth, albeit with a narrow focusing ring.
I used to have an FA 50mm f/1.7 and prefer the build of the F series. As long as I shoot Pentax I see no scenario in which I'd part with this lens. If you see one for a reasonable price get it and don't look back.
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: April, 2015 Location: The Tarheel State, North Carolina Posts: 91 | | Review Date: June 20, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $225.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpest Pentax lens bar none | | Cons: | Nil | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5, K20D
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I recently sold my Limiteds and DA zooms and kept three lenses...this was one of the ones I kept along with a couple of Sigma EX DG zooms. There is no better lens for portraits and street stuff IMHO. Better detail than the Limiteds and better bokeh. I may have got a stellar copy, but its construction and built are superb.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 14
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 1, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | very sharp single lens,stopped down to f4-5,6 | | Cons: | very few CA's in the corners wide open | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: k200,k-x.z-20p,mz5,sfx
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what a wonderfull lens, also usuable with a very good 7/5 converter 
for astro star shooting very usefull (no astigmatism). I am using it only between f 2.8 and f 5,6.
+++ amazing sharpness.
++ stonishing bokeh
+/O between f 1.4 and f 2 some very few CAs visible in the corners 
+++ still razor-sharp with 1.7 AF converter 85 LP/mm = 170 black and white lines pere mm
an no more CAs visible between f 2.8 and f 5.6 with APS-C sensor  This seems to me
an enormous and outstanding value
ok for marco photos between f8-f11. try it  and astro shootings with f 2.8 !
PS. Some owners of this lens had paid 300 Dollars - this was to expensive - but approx 100 seems to be a real fair price.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: August, 2012 Location: Greece Posts: 51
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 2, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Light weight, fairly quick focus, great bokeh, good glasses (low noise), sharp | | Cons: | soft focus on 1.4, the focus hunts at low light, | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: K-5
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A very good lens! although its sharp after 2.0f finding its sharpest at 5.0f
i totally recommended! its also great for video! giving a crystal clear quality!
if you want a 50mm i recommend this lense!! i personally used it in my job doing
weddings and greek baptism! the results were better from the canon 24-70 2.8
at 50mm! (canon 5D mkII body) here are some photos of its bokeh:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.430274780356842.118475.231931200191202&type=1 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: March, 2011 Location: United States Posts: 183
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 25, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | 1.4 aperture, good images | | Cons: | Plasticky, value | | Sharpness: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 7
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It's a good lens, but I had a lot of expectations reading these reviews.
I was disappointed in the sharpness even stopped down. It's not a great lens, just good. Maybe it's better on film. It's an 8, not a 10.
Recommended if you can get it under 200. For 300+, there are better options including a new FA50 or even better an FA43 LTD. For me, the FA43 is way sharper across all apertures with better color.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2009 Location: Newbury, Ontario Posts: 268 | | Review Date: April 29, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $370.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Good build quality, sharp when stopped down | | Cons: | None | |
I bought this lens new back the early 1990's. I thought it was on the pricey side at the time but I do not regret getting it now. The focusing on it is not as smooth as the older M-series I have but it feels more solid then the F-series 28 to 80mm lens. It would be nice to have a bit closer focusing distance but the minumum focusing it does have is workable. It is great that it works on the new D-slr's as well as it does. The combination of it's fast working aperture allows the use of lower ISO settings and cleaner image quality is the result.
It is nice to work with a fixed lens like this so one can improving there picture taking by learning some on the limitations that a prime lens gives. It makes one have to work that much more to get a working image. It sounds a bit old school but I think this is a great way to learn picture taking still. I think that anyone should have at least one prime lens in their camera kit. This 50mm f1.4 lens is one to look out for!! It is worth the cost.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: October, 2010 Location: Baltimore Posts: 2,542
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 6, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Superb IQ and Fast | | Cons: | None really | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
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I consider the F 50/1.4 my best all around lens, no doubt.
Produces vibrant, contrasty and very detailed images. If you're a sharpness freak this lens will not disappoint. Image Quality is second to none!!!
For the bad, it does show signs of PF/CA wide open but only on high contrast images and even then only in certain situations, I wold consider this a non issue. The 50mm FL is just OK, kinda lost in nowhere's land. I don't really care for the focusing ring on any of the F lenses.
If this lens is within your budget, it's worth it!!!
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: December, 2010 Posts: 38
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 24, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $320.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, design, machanic quality, | | Cons: | minimal focusing distance a bit too far | |
I love the picture quality and fast/acurate af.
it produces some chromatic aberration when fully opened, but all fast lenses do the same.
AF works realy fast / with precision. still sharp at the center at 1,4.
sharp as a razor since 2.8-3. ultra sharpness at 4-5,6.
9/10, because I think, that smc-k 50mm 1,4 is even a bit sharper.
both could have shorter minimal focusing distance...
bottom line - great lens with high quality beautiful desin (like jvc boomox from the 80s)
9,5/10 , but there is no 9,5 so I give 10.
looks and works very well with k-5 body.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: November, 2008 Location: North Carolina Posts: 102
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 10, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build, Sharpness, Detail, Bokeh | | Cons: | Nil | |
I've sold all my other Pentax 50mms, including the FA version, and kept the best of the lot. This one is built better than the FA version (more metal) and focusing has been spot on with my Pentax digitals. I've sold many a landscape taken with this lens.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: June, 2008 Location: Bergerac, France Posts: 65 | | Review Date: March 24, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $300.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | excellent colour rendition | | Cons: | plasticky and very pronounced chromatic aberration below f2.0 | |
I bought this to replace a 50mm PKA f1.7 which, to be honest, I found rather disappointing.
This lens is worthy of its reputation, and worth every penny of the $300 I paid for it - attached to an SFX and with a bag and cobra flash. Excellent in low light and as sharp as you like. I don't find it at all soft at the centre when wide open - but I do find that autofocus on both the K10D and K20D is a little out (too far away) when the focusing distance is short, less than a metre. When adjusted for the images are sharp, even from f1.4. The colours are warm, soft and true. Lovely.
The only fly in the ointment is the rather obvious chromatic aberration which luckily is only apparent below f2.0, always the same shade of blue and only in what we french dwellers call 'contre jour' or against the light shots.
Thoroughly recommended and I would cry if mine broke.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: May, 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1,971
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 10, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $335.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Top of the line AF Pentax optics; small and light. | | Cons: | Outer build. | |
There's a reason why this received the 3rd highest MTF score from respected lens review site photodo, sitting right behind a Contax Planar and a Canon 200 1.8. and equal to the best scored Leica. Shooting portraits, I can see every wrinkle, pore, and tiny hair with this lens. Having used the FA 50mm in the past, I can attest that this is a tad sharper, as others have mentioned. In fact, for some reason, whether it be the change in outer materials, nearly all the F series primes scored slightly higher than their FA replacements on photodo. I personally like the appearance of this lens better than the all black with no color details of the FA50.
The bokeh is excellent and perfect for portraits, and the focal length on your 1.5x DSLR is great at around 75mm. I do notice that it seems like you have to get in a little closer than if you had a 35mm film lens set at 75mm.
The only drawback to this lens is it's outer build, which usually can get marked up if you don't have an excellent example. However, this also makes the lens extremely lightweight, especially on a DSLR. Using this on my K20D without the grip is light as a feather and a world away from holding the FA 85mm on a PZ-1P body. It's a whole new experience in lightweight, fast, razor sharp optics.
It's lenses like this that should make people never buy Canon or Nikon.  Grab this while you can, as it's becoming increasingly hard to find and with the FA 50mm climbing in price, this should go up as well. My paid price was for new in the box.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: March, 2009 Posts: 121 | | Review Date: June 17, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $230.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | small, lightweight, max aperture, DOF, has character | | Cons: | has character (not everyone may like it), color rendition | |
Bought this lens second hand as my first prime ever and some months later my primary zoom lens had to be sent for servicing, therefore I was stuck with this lens for a few weeks and had a proper chance of trying it.
This lens is a grand stuff, it's sharp, small and excellent in every way. It is a joy to use, even in MF, although the focusing ring isn't perfect.
In the beginning I feared something was wrong with it because the images seemed a bit too creamy and lifeless, even through the viewfinder the colors seemed to lose some vibrancy. Now I know that it captures all the details but just has a very special way of showing them, a very smooth way. As for the colors, yes, they are a bit dimmer, but this is nothing that can't be saved in post-processing.
| | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 14, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Fast and Very Sharp. | | Cons: | Hard to find | |
I was able to tell a difference between the FA and the F versions although the optics are supposed to be the same, perhaps a QC issue with the FA's (not that they are not very good lenses). The F's were just sharper.
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