| Author: | | Senior Member Registered: March, 2010 Location: Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania Posts: 266
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 9, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, color, bokeh, 3d effect | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-x
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   Well, what can be said that it didn't mentioned before. You can't praise enough this lens! I have to say this is one of my best lenses: it has the best anti flare resistance - you can take a photograph at two a clock in the afternoon, no problem! Between f2.8 - f.16 it has that 3D effect and it is so sharp that you don't need anything else! Bokeh wide open, wow, you can't ask more!
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2014 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 1,749
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 20, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | small, fast, sharp, great colors | | Cons: | manual | |
Wow! Very sharp lens, great colors. I would call this "limited-like", its such a great lens. Although the lens is fully manual, its not all that bad because the manual focus ring is silky smooth, with over 180 degrees of rotation. The only issue i've got with it is the aperture ring has started to wobble the slightest bit. But besides that, great metal, solid build. The bang-for-your-buck not a limited limited lens!
My go-to lens IF the subject doesn't require a wider focal length, and IF i've got time to set up my shot. If not... autofocus lens, here I come!
Click on the images for larger sizes
Bokeh:
Starbursts:
Some more:
https://500px.com/photo/107456951/diy-wineglass-by-ncarr
https://500px.com/photo/107697981/paper-lamps-by-ncarr | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2015 Posts: 1
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 10, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $46.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, build quality, cheap | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-30
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Crop, 100%
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2015 Location: Lower Saxony Posts: 181
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 7, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | image quality, colours, contrast, easy to focus | | Cons: | - | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K 30, K-5 IIs, K-1
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This is my favorite lens - not only of more than two dozens of primes from 20mm to 500mm but of all, AF lenses included.
Very sharp at f/2.8, this is my usually f-stop, f/2.0 at darker situations, f/5.6 with good light and for best sharpness, f/1.7 nearly never.
Fast and exact to focus, i am a little more satisfied with this than with my other normal primes ,as there are Pentax A 1.7, M 1.4, K 1.4, K 1.8 55mm and M 2.8 40mm.
There is a small advance to the Ricoh Rikenon 2.0 50mm, which is more detailed at infinity stopped down and nearly lacks of chromatical aberrations, but weaker up to f/4.0.
I tend to buy a second M 1.7 50mm for being sure to have a substitution if there ever will happen any total loss to mine...
Some ooc jpg;
First tests a year ago with K 30 b&w picture style,
f/5.6
Tae-Kwon-Dobi, sharp lens for sharp teeth,
f/2.8
and K-5 IIs b&w picture style + "high contrast" digital filter,
f/2.8
Edit 2017:
K-1 + M 1:1.7 50mm; both @f/1.7 and linked to out of camera jpgs
my dobi Koma (have a look on her slobber drops  )
slower mower (eyes out of focus  )
 | | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2013 Location: Storrs-Mansfield, Connecticut Posts: 223
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 12, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, tiny, great colors, inexpensive, tough as a boot | | Cons: | Focus ring is a bit tricky at first | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-01
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I bought this lens in a package on eBay, including an ME Super body, a Tokina SZ 70-210 F3.5, a Vivitar 550MD flash, cases, caps and appropriate paperwork, plus various small accessories, all in like-new condition--except for the leather, fitted Pentax case which was remarkably shabby. It all came in a very nice canvas and leather photo case. Cost: $42 shipped. I couldn't believe I got it all for that price.
The bokeh is spectacular! It feels natural in my hands. Time and experience will tell about the ultimate sharpness, etc., but I learned photography on a Spotmatic with a Super Tak 50/f4. I stripped the film winder on the Spotmatic  but still own that f/4 lens. We'll see how this faster lens stacks up to my old f/4. I'm presently on a kick to buy "fast fifties". What's not to like about them?  | | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2015 Posts: 1
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 6, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $53.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Solid build quality, sharp wide open, colours | | Cons: | - | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K500
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As most of the photography articles say 50mm is beginner's 1st prime, this is my 1st prime. And I am thrilled after seeing the quality of images obtained through this lens. Sharpness at wide open, beautiful colour retention, awesome bokeh and that all metallic contruction makes this lens a must have vintage lens.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2015 Location: Uxbridge UK Posts: 218
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 4, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $55.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size,weight and image quality | | Cons: | None really | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Sony A6000
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Having recently decided to move over to prime lenses I used a couple of Canon EF lenses but digging out my old K1000 reminded me of the compact size of the Pentax primes of my youth. I had an old kit 28mm (not the best version) so decided to get a nifty fifty to complement it.
I found a nice looking sample of the 1.7 on eBay and thus started my descent/ascent into legacy lens addiction 
Here is a quick sample of what I've done with it so. Just love the IQ, ease of handling and just the sheer feel of the lens. It feels like a proper piece of kit.
And a later second sample
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: November, 2011 Posts: 81
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 25, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, light, silky smooth focus throw, big hole for light, small and discrete | | Cons: | none really, could i blame the lens for me taking 5 years to try a little manual prime? | |
Sweet little lens. Why did I not know about the benefits sooner?
Makes my already great feeling camera feel even more like a 'camera'.
One or two primes will be on the market soon I want more M lens!
Will try and post some example shots soon.
| | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2015 Posts: 2
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 19, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp, lightweight, no aberrations, great build quality | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax ist DS, modified Canon AstroDSLR
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I use this excellent prime lens in my astrophoto wide field setup, stars are pinpoint and CA is ok also on borders.
In normal daylight use, is one of the best normal lens I've seen (sharpness, bokeh, color and contrast... all very good), optics
are very similar (or possibly the very same) of my beloved SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7, which is superior only in the obvious
autofocusing ability! (by the way, SMC Pentax-FA 50mm F1.7 is the best Pentax lens I have).
Absolutely recommended, you can have the best quality 50mm at a cheap price! (thank you Pentax for bayonet compatibility!).
"Antares Rho Ophiuchi region" SMC Pentax-M 50 f1.7 full open, astromod EOS 350d @ ISO 800, 5x60'', barn door tracker mount;
from West MacDonnell Ranges NP, Northern Territory - Australia (August 2012). (cropped from the original picture)
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2013 Posts: 23
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 28, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very small and light and good multi coated/ contrast | | Cons: | Nothing | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax MX, Sony NEX-5, Olympus E-PL2
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Love the lens! It's small and light and very sharp as everyone has pointed out.
Photo taken with Sony NEX-5 and Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 lens at widest aperture f/1.7.
Crop of the eyes. Even at f1.7, it is very sharp.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: October, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,092
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 22, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Excellent optics and well built. | | Cons: | Handling not as good as the bigger K Series 50/55 lenses. | | Camera Used: Pentax film bodies (K1000, KM, KX, K2, K2DMD, ME, MX, LX, Super A, P50)
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The M50/1.7 was released in 1977 and was a direct “miniaturized” replacement for the K55/1.8. The M50/1.7 was in production until 1984, when it was replaced by the A50/1.7.
Optics:
Excellent optics and the M50/1.7 is sharpest at f/8, decent bokeh as well.
Focal Length:
On film this is a normal/standard lens and your go to prime focal length. On APS-C you get the FOV of what the FA77/1.8 is like on film, interesting but less useful. It’s too bad that Pentax cut the traditional 55mm FL from its M Series lineup, as it was always nice to have a choice of 50mm or 55mm for a normal/standard lens.
Build:
Excellent all metal build in a smaller size & weight than its K Series predecessors.
Usage/Handling:
The only quibble I have with the M50/1.7 is the handling. As with a lot of M Series lenses/film bodies there is always a compromise in miniaturization. I find the M50/1.7 is a little too compact for my big hands, compared to the bigger K Series normal/standard prime lenses. As I only use this lens on film cameras, this FL is the one you interact with the most and handling is a big part of the usage of any manual focusing normal/standard prime lens. I tend to use hyperfocal focusing a lot with the M50/1.7 to compensate. The M50/1.7 also has a good, but smallish distance scale.
There were four lens hoods that were available for the M50/1.7, 49mm square plastic, round plastic, round metal and round rubber. These hoods will also work on the other M, A, F & FA normal/standard 49mm filter thread primes. .
Speed:
Normally f/1.7 would be considered a fast maximum aperture, but as this is the third slowest normal/standard prime at the time of the M Series release, f1.7 is just adequate. However the faster K50/1.2 & M50/1.4 were higher priced, so more people ended up with the M50/1.7 as their go to prime than the other two. There was also an even slower M50/2 in the M Series line-up, but it was only available as a kit lens for the K1000 camera.
The M50/1.7 vs my other similar FL normal/standard primes:
I also own the K55/1.8 and both lenses are vary similar, however I prefer the K55/1.8 as it’s a bit bigger and handles better. The K55/1.8 just feels “right” in my hands and is a pleasure to focus. I find the K55/1.8 has slightly better optics/bokeh as well.
Compared to the A50/1.7, the M50/1.7 is way better built than that flimsy plastic lens. However I like the optics a bit better on the A50/1.7, but would still choose the M50/1.7 over it.
Summary:
The M50/1.7 is an excellent normal/standard lens on FF and a good choice in any kit. Not quite a “Classic” like the K55/1.8 but pretty close, just wish it was a bit bigger!
Price:
I bought a Pentax LX and M50/1.7 as a kit, so I don’t have a price for just the lens.
Sample shots taken with the M50/1.7. Photos are medium resolution scans from original negatives. First shot was taken in Ontario, the second in Vancouver, Canada.
Camera: ME Film: **Expired** Kodak Gold 200 ISO: 160
Camera: P50 Film: Adox Color Implosion ISO: 100
***Note this “experimental” film is intentionally grainy with a blue cast***
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2011 Location: UK Posts: 103
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 7, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Ridiculously Sharp, Great Bokeh, Fabulous Construction | | Cons: | This is subjective, but having to manually focus | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K20, K3
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What can I say other than this lens has phenomenal optical quality - contrast, color, bokeh, and sharpness. I took this photo at F/4 walking through my neighborhood at dusk on a K20D, and I'll let the photo speak for itself:
 July 4th Daylilies by Sean Sweeney, on Flickr
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: December, 2010 Location: Sandnes Posts: 36
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 11, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $35.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, build quality, cheap | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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ISO100 1/400 F1.7
ISO400 1/250 F5.6
ISO100 1/500 F8.0
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2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 1, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp and cheap | | Cons: | difficult to mount and unmount | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5 IIS
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This lens is very good for its value. I got it for 25USD at a second hand store. It is sharp and it has nice bokeh. The only problem is that the fix area of the lens is small, so when you mount/unmount it, you have to use the aperture ring. And sometimes I am scared of breaking it. But fortunately, pentax lenses are solid.
| | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2015 Location: Alliance, Ohio Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 15, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, nice build quality, inexpensive | | Cons: | Doesn't make me coffee | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-50
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