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SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8 Review RSS Feed

SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8

Sharpness 
 9.2
Aberrations 
 8.7
Bokeh 
 8.7
Handling 
 9.4
Value 
 9.5
Reviews Views Date of last review
77 311,417 Mon August 28, 2023
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
97% of reviewers $51.03 9.39
SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8

SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8
supersize
SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8
supersize

Description:
The SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8 is the faster version of the 55mm Pentax bayonet lens, unique to the K series.



SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
Full-frame / 35mm film
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
Yes (no A setting)
Diaphragm
Automatic, 6 blades
Optics
6 elements, 5 groups
Mount Variant
K
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F1.8
Min. Aperture
F22
Focusing
Manual
Min. Focus
45 cm
Max. Magnification
0.17x
Filter Size
52 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 29 ° / 25 °
Full frame: 43 ° / 36 °
Hood
PH-R52
Case
Dedicated hard case
Lens Cap
Plastic clip-on
Coating
SMC
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Diam x Length
63 x 39 mm
Weight
221 g
Production Years
1975 to 1977
Engraved Name
SMC PENTAX 1:1.8/55
Product Code
20747
Reviews
User reviews
Features:
Manual FocusAperture RingFull-Frame SupportDiscontinued
Price History:



Add Review of SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8
Author:
Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 16-30 of 77
Veteran Member

Registered: November, 2014
Posts: 366

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: June 8, 2016 Recommended | Price: $35.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Sharp, RUGGED, smooth focus
Cons: Manual focus
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10   

I bought this lens off Craigslist and the sharpness and bokeh are awesome for the price so long as you are willing to use manual focus.

It is VERY rugged - I had a heart stopping moment where this lens and my K50 accidentally dropped about 4 feet to a thinly carpeted concrete floor. It landed on the filter thread rim of the lens bending it inward ... but everything still works perfectly well (on the K50 too)!

I bent the filter threads back out and was able to coax a lens hood onto it before taking this shot with my KS2 at f5.6 ISO400 at 1/500sec.



I've ordered a set of extension tubes but wondering if I really need them when a tight crop gets this...



Wish I could shoot this on Av mode, but stop down Manual isn't a bad alternative to get an image stabilized lens.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: September, 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 1,070

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: December 13, 2014 Recommended | Price: $52.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp, small size, good build quality, smooth focus
Cons: Stop down metering
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 9    Camera Used: K30   

This lens is sharp enough and very usable wide open as long as you nail the focus. This was a critical attribute this lens needed to have in order to stay in my camera bag. I bought mine as a bargain lens from KEH and with shipping came out to about $52. It has some dust in it but it doesn't affect the picture quality, and it has a little finish loss in some places that gives it some character. As far as value goes for the condition mine is in and the quality of the photos it produces, I would rate it a 9/10. The focusing is very smooth and I am able to focus it quickly enough to still get great results. I do use a viewfinder magnifier. I took this photo today with this lens, shot wide open, with some post processing done in photoshop:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/adudenamedjosh/15987737986/in/photostream/
I was able to focus it quickly and accurately enough to get more in focus shots than I thought I would. Might I add it is not easy to get a close up of a chicken at f1.8 when they only want to run around and dig for worms!

Here is another one wide open at f1.8: https://www.flickr.com/photos/adudenamedjosh/15772880500/in/photostream/

And a shot with the sun near the edge of the frame, also wide open and no post processing at all: https://www.flickr.com/photos/adudenamedjosh/15960149475/in/photostream/
I slightly missed focus on the gate handle, the focus point is actually to the left on the fence.

These were all taken around f4, and shows how sharp this lens gets when stopped down:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/adudenamedjosh/15917463590/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/adudenamedjosh/15956568940/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/adudenamedjosh/15934377176/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/adudenamedjosh/15521528564/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/adudenamedjosh/16141966391/in/photostream/

The biggest con for me is not being able to use auto iso with this lens, due to having to push the green button and perform stop down metering. Another con is that when stopped down 1-4 clicks from wide open, the bokeh becomes a circular saw shaped pattern instead of perfectly rounded circles when having out of focus lights in the background at night. For this reason I had to drop the lens' bokeh rating. Wide open, though, this isn't a problem and I think the bokeh is great. I bought this lens to use wide open anyways, and it can be focused very accurately with my K30's "catch in focus" mode activated. All in all it's a nice sharp manual focus lens that has a lot of character, and is worth picking up if you are willing to work with its limitations.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: August, 2013
Posts: 1,457

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: November 8, 2014 Recommended | Price: $39.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Price , sharpness , color rendition
Cons: None
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: K30   

Absolutely amazing resolution on the the K30 for my portrait lens on M mode.
My first photos stopped down blew my mind with such high resolution.
Color is rich and saturated , bokeh very pleasing.
You simply cant go wrong on this one !
I didn't know what to expect with this lens, but it exceeds ALL my hopes.
APS-C in combination with the SMC Pentax 55mm/1.8 really works !
   
New Member

Registered: March, 2014
Location: lamia , greece
Posts: 13

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: July 1, 2014 Recommended | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: nice build , 1.8 is great bokeh
Cons:
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: pentax k-30   

superb quality not easy 2 use but great pictures.
This one with 2 other mmore lens got them from my father when i used i dident expect to be worth carrying on backback. but i really dont see any use not having him on permant attach.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/123834668@N02/14482788762/ this pic taken with this lens on f1.8 / 2 sec / iso 100 on indoor. all the pictures with the sewing mascine + the flower is with this lence. great image quality.

JUST amazing for portait. BW !
check
https://www.flickr.com/photos/123834668@N02/15833423776/in/photostream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/123834668@N02/14970857444/in/photostream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/123834668@N02/15224275802/in/photostream/lightbox/

Top quality lens extreme sarp even on 1.8 blows on f.8
   
Forum Member

Registered: December, 2012
Location: Warsaw
Posts: 83

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: May 25, 2014 Recommended | Price: $55.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Very sharp, fast, creamy bokeh, build quality, feel, looks goood on modern DSLR's, on APS sensor makes a dream @85mm f/1,8 lens (actually 55x1,5=@82,5mm). On top of it its cheap and widely available.
Cons: ....... could be SMC-A...... and AF..... and.....NAH!!!!

Absolutely brilliant lens that due to its wide availability is still ridiculously cheap. Build quality, handling feel is just second to none SMC-K/ Takumar type. The look of K-type lenses on modern DSLR's (which are the size of K-type SLR's) is so goood - after you try them SMC-M lenses, in comparison look to small and funny (with all regard to their optical quality).

As for the IQ - check Yoshihiko Takinami resolution charts to see that you will never ever need to check it again. Just go and use it!!!

The lens is tack-sharp!!! At f/1,8-2 equals theSMC-K 50mm f/1,2.

http://www.takinami.com/yoshihiko/photo/lens_test/pentax_normal.html

As I already wrote - on crop sensor this lens makes an amazing equivalent to: 85mm f/1,8 dream portrait glass!!!
It is actually 82,5mm, but as with real 85mm you can go all day and never be tired of using it. Finding great pictures is so fun and easy!!!

I highly recommend this lens to anyone, who is not afraid of a manual glass.

P.S.: If you want to have a more flexible version - buy a SMC Takumar 55mm f/2 or f/1,8. At P or A - you will have a TTL (working aperture) real time metering that doesn't require the use of a GREEN BUTTON.

Do remember that f/2 and f/1,8 seems to be actually identical lenses with only difference in aperture ring clicks placement. You can set a f/2 lens one click beyond f/2....... so. Buy any of them.
   
New Member

Registered: January, 2014
Location: Europe
Posts: 4

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: May 13, 2014 Recommended | Price: $25.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Fast,Sharp,Comfortable
Cons: none
Sharpness: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: pentax *ist DS   

Hi ,
I picked this lens with a missing front ring , but other than that with no defects, the images are very sharp , the bokeh is fantastic, i love it so far, have been shooting with it for few days , changing it with my 28mm Miranda when in need for wider indoor shot
The smooth focusing was feeling weird in the beginning ,due to the much looser focus ring of the Miranda I have , but when i got used to it i begun loving it ( after a 10 minute shooting )
   
Junior Member

Registered: March, 2014
Posts: 27

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: April 3, 2014 Recommended | Price: $25.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: superb focussing
Cons: focus throw can be bit long for quick action
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: KX, GH3   

This lens has the smoothest focussing of all the lenses I ever used. Long focus throw for very precise focussing, much longer than the Pentax 50mm f1.7. This lens is ideal for videorecording, because the focussing is such a joy; turning the ring back and forth goes effortlessly and without the smallest interruptions.

I tested both 50mm f1.4 (M), 50mm f1.7 (M) and 55mm f1.8 (K) and to be honest they are all very close in picture quality, minor differences only show up while pixel peeping. I would recommend to use lenses for making nice photos and not for the sake of pixel peeping though.

Anyway I was interested in their performance wide open and at f2.0. I found the 1.4 and 1.8 completely usable wide open but with the 1.7 ca and glow start kicking in around highlights. I would say the 1.7 is better usable from f2.0, where it improves drastically. Ended up selling the 1.7 and keeping the other two, with the 1.8 as my personal favorite standard lens. It also looks best in combination with my black KX (same generation).
   
Forum Member

Registered: August, 2011
Location: Slovenia
Posts: 73

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: February 20, 2014 Recommended | Price: $70.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp, compact, great focusing ring, nice colour rendition
Cons: Little soft wide open
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-7, K-5, K200D   

This great little lens is a solid performer with the excellent build quality of the K series. It's sharp with good contrast and nice colour rendition, although a bit long on APS-C format camera.

Build quality is superb with all-metal parts, and the focusing ring feels simply great, nice long throw and butter-smooth rotation.

Only slight negative is that is a bit soft wide open, but at f/2.8 it sharp across the frame again.
   
New Member

Registered: August, 2013
Location: Vadodara
Posts: 1
Review Date: August 16, 2013 Recommended | Price: $40.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Pretty sharp even wide open, Good Contrast, Shallow DOF, Bokeh
Cons: Nothing really for the price you pay!
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-01   

Just bought this lens to experiment and it turns out a brilliant lens. Mine came in a very good condition with butter smooth focus ring. The bokeh is pretty nice and so is the contrast even wide open. This is FF compatiable as per the above details and hopefully it will be great if Pentax ever comes up with a FF Camera, I might be able to us it? who know??

Check out one of the first clicks of this lens with Pentax K-01
   
Veteran Member

Registered: November, 2012
Posts: 963

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: June 18, 2013 Recommended | Price: $60.00 | Rating: N/A 

 
Pros: Very sharp!
Cons: Nothing.
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: KX   

This lens is even sharper than the already sharp M50 f1.7.

Its sharpness is closely comparable to my FA43. (The OOF rendering is way behind though). The focal length takes getting used to as it's quite on the long side for indoor shots.

Bokeh is creamy wide open. Past 2.8 the creamy bokeh gives way to somewhat odd-shaped pointed starbursts! This can be used as an "effect" but one may wish to avoid too by avoiding direct lights.

It's not as warm as the limiteds, but it has character, when I need a sharp 50, this girl gets the call. The build is great, and focusing is easy.

This lens has actually kept me from getting the DA*55.
   
Otis Memorial Pentaxian

Registered: March, 2007
Location: Vancouver (USA)
Posts: 42,007

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: June 4, 2013 Recommended | Price: $35.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Contrast, sharpness, build
Cons: ummm...I am thinking...
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: K10D, Various K-mount film cameras   

I can't believe that I had not yet submitted a review for this lens. I have had it for several years after buying it as part of a KX (film camera) package and generally consider it to be my best "fast 50". As noted above, the K 55/1.8 is similar to the SMC/S-M-C/Super Takumar 55/1.8 in terms of its optical performance with the added convenience of having the K bayonet mount. I use mine primarily as a normal len for film photography on the KX, but occasionally press it into service on the K10D.

A small word about bokeh. I only rated this lens an 8. That is not because there is any particular fault in the out-of-focus rendering. Rather, it is because I have other 50mm lenses that excel in that regard.

My summary assessment is that it is hard to find better value in a 50-55mm K-mount lens. The performance to price quotient is right up there with the somewhat cheaper M 50/1.7 but with visibly better performance. If you need a fast 50 and find one in decent condition at a price you can afford, buy it. You won't be sorry.


Captured on one of the last rolls of Kodachrome produced.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: December, 2012
Location: Seattle, WA USA
Posts: 1,753

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: June 3, 2013 Recommended | Price: $60.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp, fast, colors, quality
Cons: Very few. Hexagonal bokah in mid-apertures with backlight
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K5ii   

This lens is ruining all other 50's for me. I've picked up and let go a few very highly regarded ones. The K55/1.8 just does it for me. Great bokah wide open. Sharper at 1.8 than the K50/1.4 is at 1.4 and maybe f2. After that, they start to get similar, but the K55 (mine at least) always has a little more contrast/sharpness/magic. In the viewfinder, it seems somehow brighter and more clear. I just love this lens.

I shoot a lot of music venue stuff (friends, dark bars, bad or no stage lighting and a few nice jazz clubs). It does plenty great in low light.

I documented my tests and neurosis testing this against the K50/1.4 here:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/229434-shoo...k55-1-8-a.html

Both fine lenses, with slightly different qualities.
   
Veteran Member

Registered: March, 2007
Location: U.K.
Posts: 685

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: April 8, 2013 Recommended | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharp, lovely to use
Cons: No cons if MF acceptable
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 10    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-30   

I've owned my SMC 55/1.8 since about 1980, I got it and a 135/3.5 chucked in with a KM SLR. I never really got into photography until the instant feedback of the digital age, but I knew it was good in the old film era as I had a few wonderful photos taken with it. I used it a bit on my K100D but it seems to love my K-30, I can't believe how sharp it is - it beats my new DA35/2.4 which is no slouch. For some reason it never showed its worth on the K100D where I preferred my A50/1.7. There's an image I took with the 55/1.8 posted on the K-30 forum of rusty farm machinery where you can see every little fine detail on the 100% pixel peeping original.

These lenses must have been calibrated for infinity at max focus ring adjustment because the focus is absolutely spot on for distance shots, just whizz the ring to max and press the green button once for metering and you can take loads of landscape shots with no messing around. And the detail! Colours great, didn't notice any flare problems on a sunny day. It's a great little lens.
   
New Member

Registered: August, 2011
Location: Florence
Posts: 7

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: February 16, 2013 Recommended | Rating: 8 

 
Pros:
Cons:
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 7    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 7    Camera Used: K5   

   
Veteran Member

Registered: March, 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 432
Review Date: December 3, 2012 Recommended | Price: $65.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Everything
Cons: Nothing
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: K-5   

Smashing little lens. Let's not pick on it for being manual, cos it is, it's an old lens. The build is fantastic and the image quality is absolutely terrific. Stopped down, turn off the SR and make sure that your shutter speed is
Add Review of SMC Pentax 55mm F1.8



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