| Author: | | New Member Registered: March, 2009 Location: Copenhagen Posts: 10
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 5, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Great Bokeh and 3D-like rendering | | Cons: | A bit heavy | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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I really like this 50mm 1.4 K-series lens because it gives a wonderful 3D-like rendering at f1.4 and its plenty sharp when stopped down. Sharpness @ f1.4 is good but a bit soft though, it can't compete with a Leica Summilux 50mm f 1.4 Asph. But I think the bokeh is great and it costs 1/30th of the Leica. Hard to beat. I took these photos for a British NGO in Zanzibar and Pemba island on Kodak Portra 160 film @ f1.4 and one on Tri-X film.
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   | | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,093
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 2, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Speed, size & build | | Cons: | Not as sharp as the K55/1.8 | | Camera Used: K Series film bodies (K1000, KM, KX, K2, K2DMD)
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The K50/1.4 is in the middle (speed/size/weight) of the three K series standard lenses released in 1975. (K50/1.2 & K55/1.8 are the other two) All three lenses have a 52mm filter diameter and share the same round or square lens hood. The round hood is easier to use.
The K50/1.4 is small enough when attached to a KM, KX or K2 to close the eveready camera case, so it’s perfect to carry around in a small backpack when you want to travel light.
The K50/1.4 is very fast and is a great performer in all lighting conditions. It’s also very sharp, especially at f8. The build quality is superb being a K series lens.
You can get the K50/1.4 for a reasonable price and it is well worth seeking out. However I do think the K55/1.8 is a better value and the K55/1.8 is also a little sharper. The K50/1.4 is another Pentax classic, though not quite on par with the K50/1.2 or the K55/1.8.
Overall I rate the K50/1.4 a 9.5.
Sample shots taken with the K50/1.4. Photos are medium resolution scans from original slides.
Camera: KX Film: Kodak Ektachrome E100VS ISO: 100
Camera: K2DMD Film: Adox Silvermax 100 processed in DR5 Chrome ISO: 160
 | | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2017 Posts: 4
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 16, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build quality, 3D rendering | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: ME Super / LX
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My favourite 50mm. I've used the M 50mm 1.4 and the M 50mm 1.2, as well as the M42 Takumar 50mm 1.4 which is optically identical to this lens (there might be variations through production but my copy is early and most certainly a Takumar within).
This lens produces a 3D look like no other lens I've used and the way it renders just 100% does it for me. Shots with this lens just look how I think a shot with a classic lens SHOULD look. It's difficult to explain...
My copy has the yellowed element but it's only a mild case and I don't notice it in use. Build quality is possibly slightly lower than the M version, but it could just be that I have a slightly wobbly copy. The focus is as smooth as any Pentax lens. Nikon and Canon should have sourced their helicoid lube from Pentax because they definitely knew what they were doing. I've never had a Pentax lens that didn't focus smooth as the day it was assembled.
Anyway, that's enough fanboying. Good lens. Buy one!
| | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2018 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 2
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 1, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $85.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharpness, build quality, ergonomics | | Cons: | none that I can see | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K1000SE
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This is a great piece of glass. I've been using this lens exclusively for black and white photography, so I can't speak to its color accuracy, but I can say that this lens is a beautifully crafted lens. The value of this lens is amazing. It's sharpness, and ease of use are exceptional. I love this lens. Some sample images...
  | | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2015 Location: Lower Saxony Posts: 181
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 30, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $140.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | contrast and sharpness wide open; size; creamy bokeh | | Cons: | may be the little radioactivity | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 8
Camera Used: K-5 IIs, K-1
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Owning this lens a year now i rediscovered it the last days at 35mm.
There did come up a little browning of the rear element after a year covered with a lens rear cap,
but colors are still ok and cooler temperated than with the SMC-M 1.4 50.
Seems to start up open with more contrast and sharpness than the SMC-M.
Have not stopped down beyond f/2.8 so far for my issues.
Some out of camera jpgs for example;
click into to enlarge original out of camera jpgs
f/1.4, ISO 100, K-1
f/1.4, ISO 200, K-1
f/2.8, ISO 800, K-1
edit 2017 February:
K-1 + SMC Pentax 1.4 50, @ f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/80s; linked to ooc jpg
edit 2018 May, photo taken Nov. 22. 2017:
K-1 + SMC Pentax 1.4 50, @ f/1.4, ISO 100, 1/320s; linked to ooc jpg
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: February, 2016 Location: Moab, Utah Posts: 90
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 18, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $140.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, color rendering, fast | | Cons: | radioactive rear element yellows | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Sony A7s, A7m2
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Top notch build quality, smooth and snappy like you want. Tough metal and glass.
Razor sharp, fast, Pentax color punchiness. This 8 bladed aperture offers better bokeh in my opinion than the 6 bladed Super Takumars. It offers better image quality than the M series 50mm f1.4 with 49mm filter diameter. Therefore, it's the "best" 50mm f1.4 from Pentax in my opinion.
My only complaint about these is the radioactive rear element which yellows over time. I shot some photos for the local newspaper when I first got this lens and when I saw them in the paper, I was shocked to see my photo all yellowed out! I couldn't figure out what our graphic designer had done! After another week using the lens I finally figured out about the radioactive rear element coating they used in this lens and the Takumar version. It IS possible to get rid of it completely and I did.
I tested this lens against the Pentax SMC K 50mm f1.2, Pentax-M 50mm f2, Super-Takumar 50mm f1.4, and Super-Takumar 55mm f1.8 (same optical formula as Pentax 50mm f1.7.) If you are comparing vintage Pentax 50mm lenses, you might find my YouTube video where I compare all 5:
https://youtu.be/G22LGiKngp4 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 1,740
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 7, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Image quality, tactile experience | | Cons: | None besides that it's hard to find | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: Mostly K2DMD, but also other K bodies
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The K 50 mm f1.4 is my favourite 50/1.4 along with my Takumars.
It's bigger than the Taks but as as I understand optically they are the same, the new mounting require more space (in particular the inner diameter that was increased from the S to the K system allowing according to Keppler do design the 50mm f1.2) so it results bigger and chunkier than the Taks, not that this is a disadvantage, the lens oozes building quality, focusing and changing f stop is a pleasure.
In terms of image quality I agree with what has been written here: the lens is very sharp stepped down:
wide open it's sharp in the middle, not much in the corners but still better than the average f1.4 on the market:
Bokeh is smooth as silk but as any fast lens you need to be able to focus with precision:
All these samples have been taken with the K2DMD in aperture priority with Neopan 400, apologies for the lack of a yellow filter outdoors and the poor scans but I hope they will give an idea of the performance of the lens.
Here there are few samples in colour (Portra 160), the behaviour of the lens is neutral:
Flare control is excellent as usual with SMC coating as it can be seen when shot directly at the sun.
In conclusion IMO one of the best if not the best, a step above the M equivalent.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: April, 2007 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Posts: 576
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 21, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Fast, Sharp, Long focus throw, Solid | | Cons: | No half stop between 1.4 and 2 | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
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First of, I only use film, haven't tried it on digital.
This is a solid performer, it does it's job in every condition I have tried. Low contrast light, straight against the sun, it doesn't matter, this lens handles it well. Quite sharp wide open but better if you stop down to 2 or 2.8. From there on very sharp. Vignetting is a non issue in most conditions. Pleasant bokeh also.
Build quality is about as good as it gets. I cannot comment on focus in general as my copy is in rather bad condition, but it does not run as smooth as for example the K55/1.8 but I would think this has to do with the condition my lens is in. But the long focus throw is something I like very much, makes it easy to focus precisely at 1.4.
A pure joy to use with the microprism focus screen of the LX, KX and MX. 1.4 does show in the viewfinder and it helps a lot! Overall a very, very good lens that you should by all means try if you get the chance.
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2019 Posts: 15
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 17, 2020 | Recommended
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Takes nice pictures | | Cons: | No different than M Series 50mm f1.7 in practical terms | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 6
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Neat lens but heavy and bulky for a 50mm. But it does look gorgeous and it feels great. Sadly, neither of these factors mean anything about the pictures it can take. Nevertheless, it does take good pictures; but so do many 50mm Pentax lenses, and many 55mm Takumar-Pentax lenses used with an M42 adaptor. This F1.4 is just not special to raise it above those.
Age and balsam separation will cause fuzzy or swirly blur in the "glued" internal glass section. It's found in many K Series SMC lenses after about 40-50 years that have a glued glass lens section inside. Some lenses will continue to take good images, but quality will degrade gradually through time. Japanese sellers on famous auction sites mention this transparently as "balsam separation" but, sadly, many US and European sellers turn a blind eye to it.
You are better off buying an M Series 50mm f1.7 as the imaging is as good across the aperture range, and having a lower f-stop than f1.7 is not really that important unless you are into 'bokeh' photography (which does not really make a difference between f1.4 and f1.7). The M Series is as good in quality, smaller and lighter.
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2015 Posts: 11
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 31, 2020 | Not Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | K-mount, durable | | Cons: | Soft wide open | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 4
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Soft at f/1.4. What's the point of buying an f/1.4 lens if its soft at f/1.4? Got rid of it after testing. This lens is not worth the extra pennies for f/1.4. Pay it as much as you would pay for an f/1.8 lens and then its fine!
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2010 Posts: 5
1 user found this helpful
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2013 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,717
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 21, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Beautiful bokeh, sharp from f/2 on | | Cons: | Hard to focus, not sharp at f/1.4 | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5 IIs
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Giving this lens 10's across the board makes it seem like it's the perfect lens. It is not, but it is a fantastic performer if you can accept its limitations, which are considerable.
First, it's manual focus only. That's obvious and might not be a terribly large deal, but as a fast 50, it can be extremely hard to focus. At wide open settings, your DoF is so shallow that you cannot afford to miss by much else the whole picture comes out blurry. Because you are focusing wide open at 1.4 and focusing screens in modern cameras are really not accurate for lenses faster than f/2.8, you will sometimes come out with blurry images when you think they are in focus. The focus throw is long and allows for fine adjustments, so you must be very patient in getting the camera to beep--and then be careful not to bump the ring past that spot. If you're shooting people, they may get irritated that you're taking so long! After taking a photo at large f, it is important to review the result on the LCD screen by zooming in 3-4x to check the focus.
The second limitation is that 50mm on APS-C is a short telephoto. It can be really hard to get everything you want into the shot because the reach is just too long. It can work well for portraits, as you can stand ~10 feet away and capture the head and shoulders well, at a distance close enough for that smooth bokeh to still appear.
Now let's break down the individual categories in which I awarded such high scores.
Sharpness: It's fantastic from f/2.0 on. At 1.4, there is much to be desired, but I wouldn't say the lens is unusable if you are willing to accept soft images. This lens was designed for film cameras, so on APS-C cameras, only the best, center part of the lens hits the sensor, leading to bravo sharpness.
Aberations: I'm not very good at looking for CA, so I can't comment there. Geometry seems to be perfect and there's no barrel or pincushion distortion that is visible to my eyes.
Bokeh: Smooth and smarmy. This is the primary reason this lens is in my bag all the time and it doesn't disappoint. I set it for f/2.0 and the results are stunning.
Handling: It's light and small. Focus throw is long, which can be troublesome to get that last fine touch, but it's better than getting out of focus image. The lens is as compact as any of the DA limiteds and is always easy to toss into your bag.
Value: You can get this lens and its M cousin for like $50-90 or so on eBay. An autofocus version (F or FA) will cost about 4-5x that, so this lens' value cannot be denied. If you're going to use it for artsy bokeh and close focus shots, then you won't miss autofocus anyway, since those sorts of shots are best done in manual mode anyway.
In short, I highly recommend this lens for entering the world of bokeh. Once you learn how all that stuff works and how to focus those shots, you can step up to a fancier, autofocus lens (like the DA*55). Or if you rarely shoot those and just want something easy to carry that will allow for that from time to time, this is a great lens!
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2012 Posts: 1
1 user found this helpful
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: April, 2009 Location: New York Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 3, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $160.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | small, short and great construction | | Cons: | some fringing wide open | |
Comparing (52mm filter K-mount) lens quality and price with Contax, Canon And Nikon, this is winner. Bokeh and Resolution better then any old 50mm 1.4 lens. Only Sigma 50 1.4 is better than this one. I test it on Canon 5D II and 7D with adapter.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2008 Location: Great Plain, Hungary Posts: 204
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 24, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Mechanical gem, outstanding optical quality | | Cons: | You do not say negatives about Mona Lisa, do you? | |
I have the 1.4/50mm line from SMC Takumar to FA (with the exception of F). Each one has its personality but this one is different. It is the first K-mount 1.4/50mm, it has 52mm filter ring, and still keeps up with the others concerning all aspects of quality.
Great, simple, lasts forever.
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