| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,093
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 23, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, build & cost. | | Cons: | Slower F2.0, hard to find. | | Camera Used: K Series film bodies (K1000, KM, KX, K2, K2DMD)
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The K55/2 was released in 1976 a year after the original K55/1.8 and was produced as a budget standard lens available only with the new K1000 camera. (The K55/2 could not be purchased on its own or with another Pentax body and was only in production from 1976-77.)
The K55/2 has the same sharpness, lens hood (52mm standard) and build of the regular K55/1.8. In all respects the K55/2 is an exact copy of the K55/1.8, except its 1/3 of a stop slower.
Unless you are a collector there is no reason to seek out the K55/2 over the K55/1.8, as it will be harder to find and cost the same. However if you do come across one along with a K1000 or on its own, it will be a great addition to your Pentax kit.
Here is a picture of the two K55's:
Sample shots taken with the K55/2.0. Photos are medium resolution scans from original slides or negatives.
Camera: KM Film: Efke 50 processed in DR5 Chrome ISO: 50
Camera: LX Film: CineStill Film 50 ISO: 50
Camera: K1000 Film: Kodak Pro Image 100 ISO: 100
 | | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: December, 2007 Location: Kansas, USA Posts: 123
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 20, 2008 | Recommended
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Sharp, color, bokeh | | Cons: | Not so sharp at f/2, very damped focus ring | |
I bought this lens with my k1000 way back when, and I still use it today as my low-light lens. It suffers somewhat at f/2. But hiking up the aperture to f/8, or even anywhere above f/2.8 is considerably better than f/2.
I just did a small test on it. Here's the link to the page where it's at:
http://fastphotography.googlepages.com/lenstest
The verdict?
Good general all-purpose lens, but I would reccomend other lenses slightly over this one. 7.49 out of 10.  | | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2006 Location: Dallas, TX, USA Posts: 21 | | Review Date: May 10, 2007 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | This is a truly well-constructed, metal lens that produces reliable results on all K-Mount cameras. It's lack of automation forces the creative juices to run. | | Cons: | There is no automation. It's the f 1.8 made to sell cheaper. | |
This is the 1.8 converted into a 2.0 so that Pentax could sell it cheaper. (And you thought that Pentax marketing just started bumbling along with the development of DSLS). That's why I took off one point.
This all metal, well-constructed lens is clear and predictable in the photos it produces. Personally, I like its lack of automation forcing me to actually work to get a better photo. It's nice to use the M modes on my DSLRs.
Some may find its lack of automation an encumbrance. If you are one who thinks that anything that forces you to set apertures, shutter speeds and focus gets in the way of taking a good picture, this is a lens to be avoided.
Larry in Dallas
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,517 | | Review Date: February 4, 2007 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
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Word of warning - this lens is not for those who don't know how to use M mode on their camera, but if you like to experiment, by all means!
This lens is older than me I think! Nevertheless, on my K100D it is a great lens to use for snapshots. It might replace my kit lens, if I can talk its owner into selling it to me.
Just like its K 55mm F/1.8 brother, this lens is all metal, and is "slightly bigger than its 50 mm cousins" (to quote Arjay Bee's review of the F/1.8). The focus ring turns around 270 degrees very smoothly for precise focus, but the ring is just a touch over-damped to be perfect.
The metal construction adds a good amount of weight to my K100D but the camera feels well balanced. The lens also makes the camera look a little more rugged than it actually is.
Pictures are very pleasing in daylight and indoor situations. Colours are rendered beautifully when paired with my K100D (use natural image tone!). Sharpness is just a bit soft at F2 but I find it is, a lot of times, better than the DA 18-55 mm at 55 mm at almost all of the DA's lower aperture settings. F/2 on this lens can be unforgiving when trying to catch a moving target in poor lighting.
If you plan to use this lens on your camera, you will need to set your Custom Setting "Use Aperture Ring" to Permitted. You should then be able to use the lens in Av or M mode using Manual Focus with limitations - consult your manual. You will get an "in-focus" indicator in your viewfinder (keep half pressing that trigger while focusing and turn the ring very slowly when you are close), but not much else.
Using your onboard flash indoors? No problem! In M mode, set your shutter speed for 1/180 and an aperture around the area of f/5.6 (ISO 200) or f/8 (ISO 400) until your picture looks decent. When faced with indoor light and no flash, use at least ISO 400 or higher, and a shutter speed that is paired with aperture setting of F/2.8 for better results.
So my rating? 9/10. The point taken off because of the overdamped focus ring.
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