| Author: | | 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.
| | | | | | | 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
| | | | | 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.  | | | | | 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
 | | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: April, 2010 Location: Tasmania Posts: 349 | | Review Date: May 13, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, excellent bokeh | | Cons: | Manual | |
I have only had this lens a short while but it has fast become my favourite. Very sharp pics with excellent bokeh on a K-7 for such a cheap lens. 55mm is an excellent walk around size on a DSLR. I haven't given it a ten as I don't have anything similar to compare it to yet.
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2012 Posts: 111
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 7, 2012 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Beautiful Colours, Well Built, | | Cons: | Focus Ring is a little long if you need to be quick | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-r, K1000
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Used this constantly on my old K1000, then on my K-r afterwards. It's hard to describe how wonderful this lens is as a basic, dependable lens. I've had numerous people comment on it's quality, and it's a great buy, especially as they are now going for around $40 on Ebay.
If you want a lens that is great for plants, portraits, and a few landscapes, this is the one.
I actually never knew of the existence of it's f1.8 brother until now, but I don't think it would make that much of a difference: I get on fine with f2, and it'll probably be cheaper too.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2011 Location: Niagara Posts: 3,907
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 27, 2012 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, smooth bokeh | | Cons: | | |
Great colour and sharpness from this lens. I had not used it because I have a copy of FA 50/1.4 and it sat with some other film relics I inherited. Had I known of its quality, I might never have purchased the FA 50/1.4 because, besides the extra stop in speed and "A" pin, I find the 55/2 nicer in many aspects.
It is surprisingly sharp. Below, taken at f5.6 using hyperfocal scale:
Market Day by _Matt_T_, on Flickr
It is AMAZINGLY flare resistant. I don't think the FA 50/1.4 would have done so well here:
Sunset on Dialtone by _Matt_T_, on Flickr
The colours are generally stunning:
Calming Lake Ontario by _Matt_T_, on Flickr
And the bokeh is smooth and in my opinion appealing:
Japanese Parasol I (Coprinus plicatilis) by _Matt_T_, on Flickr
In general a very well behaved lens with a useable focal length, especially for portraits:
 | | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2011 Posts: 5 | | Review Date: September 28, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, great colors | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: K2000
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Not as popular as its "faster" 1.8 sibling, but awesome nonetheless.
I prefer center-sharp lenses as they add more depth to the images, making them appear lifelike.
This lens delivers the goods for so little, an outstanding performance! | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: November, 2010 Location: California Posts: 2,223 | | Review Date: January 26, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very sharp and contrasty wide open | | Cons: | The stopping down with green button for some, not me | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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This is an absolutely wonderful lens for portraits, and other subjects:
Big Eyes by Palenquero, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2013 Location: Jakarta Posts: 2 | | Review Date: May 2, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $70.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Everything | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 8
Camera Used: K5
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fast, sharpness, color saturation, bokeh, everything is excellent
difficult to find weaknesses of this lens, here are the sample shot:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/roe_groho/sets/72157643498217064/ | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 9 | | Review Date: November 9, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | everything | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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  perfect portrait lens on crop sensor
centre sharp ++++ great colours , smooth quality manual focus
great lens on par with the pentax M 50mm f2  | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 1,740
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 7, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | building quality, | | Cons: | some people might consider too "slow" | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K1000
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The so called K55 mm f2.0 was originally designed as budget kit lens for the original K1000 (the ones with a serial number on the top plate that were produced at the time the other K series were made) in the same way the Takumar 55mm f2 was the kit lens for the SP1000 that the K1000 replaced.
As the Takumar f2 was the same lens as the Takumar f1.8 with a different diaphragm (Pentax didn't produce "cheap" gear, they preferred to de-rate the specs of the upper range and sell it as low range, it's sufficient to remember the case of the SP500), so the K55mm f2.0 is the same optically speaking as the K55mm f1.8, of course the K55s were carry over Taks in new dress so we might say all four lenses are the same and the same considerations apply: they are all very good.
The K55 mm f2.0 is the rarest of these four lenses because the original K1000 was produced for a short lifespan and the lens was available just with the camera while the f1.8 could be bought separately, when the K series was discountinued in the last 70s and the production of the K1000 was supposedly moved to Hong Kong (1979, or at least there are adverts of the first K1000 with brown leatherette from that year) the cameras were delivered with the new budget lens, the M50 mm f2.0.
IMO these lenses are optically superior to the M lenses and I would recommend a K55mm also because the image in the viewfinder is bigger and therefore more 1:1, while M cameras have a bigger viewfinder so the image is alreay at natural size with the 50mm.
Here there are some samples, they are all film, non post processed scans from negative, not that great but true to what you can on print:
 | | | | | amateur dirt farmer Registered: December, 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Posts: 41,779 | | Review Date: April 1, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $55.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | well-built, superb handling, amazing color rendition | | Cons: | loss of contrast in strong light | |
An amazing lens - supposedly less desirable than the K55/1.8, but I cannot see why...
Superb handling due to it's quality construction and well-damped focus ring. Sure, it's not an 'A' lens, so you have to remember to think a bit before you shoot (green button, dude), but how hard is that? You're using a 40-year-old manual lens; you're going to have to be involved in your shot, period.
Color rendition, smooth bokeh, reasonable MFD - it's all here in one package.
I used this lens for the Single In February challenge and it did not disappoint:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pepperberryfarm/albums/72157663633315590
If you are wanting to try your hand using manual lenses, this is a good place to start.
| | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2016 Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 13, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Value! Sharp at f2.0. | | Cons: | No a-setting for aperture. Maybe a tad long focus throw. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-30
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Runs circles around the Pentax-M 50mm f2.0, which is the only other classic normal lens I own. Very nice bokeh and not soft at all at f2.0. Meters perfectly on my K-30. Wonderful build quality. Focus throw is very long, which may or may not be to your liking. All images at f2.0 with corresponding 100% crop.
      | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2018 Posts: 8
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 21, 2018 | Not Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Colour rendition, contrast, build quality and handling | | Cons: | Sawtooth bokeh from 2.8-4.8 and midframe and corner softness on FF | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 7
Camera Used: Sony a7
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I got a copy of this lens in beautiful condition. The handling and built quality is great. This lens is the same lens as the K55/1.8, but this one has a baffle which stops it mechanically down to f/2.
I tested this lens on a full frame Sony a7.
The bokeh is quite smooth, but the sawtooth bokeh at 2.8 and 4 are really annoying. It's weird that no one mentions this.
Wide open the lens is sharp and contrasty enough in the centre. The centre is at its best at f/5.6 and f/8. The corners improve when stopping down. At F/11 the corners are only "good", not excellent.
The extreme corners never get sharp. The softness is visible at 1:1 magnification on a 28 inch uHD screen.
At f/11 the diffraction kicks in. The centre lose a little bit of sharpness.
The lens is not flare resistance as modern lenses. A lens hood is a must.
On a full frame the lens performs better at close distances. So I can recommend it for portrait use, not for landscapes.
On an APS-C camera the lens should perform way better.
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