| Author: | | New Member Registered: February, 2014 Posts: 7
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 22, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $66.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Image quality, build, handling / "feel", coating, availability / low price | | Cons: | None considering the price and what it is. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: ME
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Get one.
Really love to use this lens, this may well be my favourite manual 50mm on an analog SLR ever.
I could stare at the coating of the front element for hours.
You can get this for 30 bucks in near mint condition which is fantastic value for money.
Basically everyone is capable of making a cheap and sharp 50mm,
I shot the cheaper Canon FD series or Nikon E as well, and it's all good.. they're sharp, and get the job done.
But this is a league above in terms of image quaity (at the same price point, mind).
And, more importantly, it's several leagues above in terms of it being a joy to use, really.
I guess you'd have to try this and see.
Just get any 35mm body with a bright finder that takes this lens and go out shooting.
There is one thing I don't like about it - not a real complaint, but may be relevant to a few of you -
the way it renders out-of-focus areas is not "calm".
Especially if it's detailled, patterned thingies in the background.Like a lot of blades of grass.
..it's just the character of the lens: it has got quite a punch - which is superb, like with the sharpness even wide open, the contrast, the popping colors and all - but it does not suddenly calm down in the unsharp areas and give you a relaxed, melted bokeh.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2013 Posts: 12
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 15, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, great colors, great contrast | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K1000, ME, K-5
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I have this and an early K-mount 50mm f1.4. I think this lens is better wide open--at least on my K-5--with less PF and other aberrations. Of course, it's smaller and lighter than the f1.4, too.
Makes a great portrait lens on APS digital, and a great fast prime in other applications.
Stopped down it's sharp sharp sharp sharp sharp.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2013 Location: Sydney, NSW Posts: 968
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 17, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Super sharp, great bokeh, lots of fun, has an aperture ring! ;) | | Cons: | nothing yet | |
 This is an awesome lens.
The sharpness is amazing, the bokeh is really great.
I tried one with fungus and it still retained its amazingness pretty much.
I was very lucky to get the lens so cheap - it's worth a lot more than that - super lens.
BUY ONE if you don't have one - you won't regret it | | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2013 Location: Jakarta Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 11, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | super sharp, color saturation, small, cheap, easy to find | | Cons: | not found | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5, ME Super
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amazing lens for sharpness, this lens is also cheap, i didn't find any bad things about this lens, i have been own three times, two lens have been sold, i keep one
this lens also amazing when used as macro lens within extentional tubes, here are the samples:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/roe_groho/sets/72157639683882573/ | | | | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2014 Location: FRANCE - Country : Roanne 42300 Posts: 5
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 18, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Sharp from F4 to F16, compact, solid construction, FF + digital, cheap | | Cons: | No P-TTL flash, no autofocus, need to purchase hood separately | |
Can compete with modern lenses at an affordable price.
 Quote: A focal identique il est bien meilleur en piqué que mon DA 17-70. Les + :
Bon piqué de f4 à f16
Compacte
Construction solide
Convient aussi bien à un plein format qu'à un numérique.
Petit prix Les -
Pas de flash en TTL, il faut travailler entièrement en flash manuel
Pas d'autofocus
Si vous n'avez pas le soleil de face un parsoleil s'impose.
En bref c'est super objectif qui peut rivaliser sans complexe avec les objectifs moderne et ceci à tout petit prix.
J'utilise cet objectif avec mon K5 ii s, c'est vrais plaisir  | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: May, 2014 Posts: 45
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 20, 2014 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, compact, sturdy | | Cons: | a little sotf @1.7 | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K20D
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What can I say... I have this lens for about 3 years and used it quite often. It's not a workhorse for i.e. wedding photographer, but for studio work it's great!! Closed to about f/4 it's VERY sharp, and going to f/11 you retain sharpnes adding DOF in mean time. But for me it has another very big advantage. As one of the cheapest primes, and manual, it is great lens for those, who wants to LEARN what photography is all about. This lens is not for people who don't want to think before they take a picture, this one is THE one you will buy, learn what it means to control your photography outcomes, and leave in your bag until you will change the whole system to other brand... and even then I'm pretty certain you will look for proper adapter  .
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2014 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 890
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 19, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Durable. Fast. Sharp. Relatively Cheap | | Cons: | None really | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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Got this from a forum member a couple of months ago. I had been using my 50mm f/2 from my old ME Super and the focus band started slipping a bit, so I though it was a good time for a wee upgrade. This lens is SHARP across virtually all aperture settings. I would have to give it an edge over my Pentax-A 50 f/1.4 and maybe even the Pentax-A 28 f/2.8 (that's saying an awful lot for a lens in this price range.) Contrast and color are excellent and the build -- well it's an M!! These seem to be available at a pretty reasonable price and worthy of some LBA loving!!
 IMGP0778 by Ripper2860, on Flickr
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: April, 2013 Posts: 6
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 7, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharpness, price, contrast, size, handling | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5
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This is one of the first "fast" 50's I had procured. It was amazing to see the subjects just pop into focus. Sharpness is top notch, for the price I couldn't imagine a sharper lens. The only reason I don't give it a 10 for sharpness is that wide open it could be better. It's such a small design that always will have a place in my bag. At 75mm and wide open it makes for a great portrait lens, stop it down a bit and it works well for children. It's a very useful focal length even on a cropped sensor. Why are you still reading? Go out and get one.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: October, 2012 Location: Medina, OH Posts: 7,224
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 17, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $35.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Image sharpness | | Cons: | Rattling front rim | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5II, K-7, K-20
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This is a really great lens #2737694. It is light and produces superb images, quite sharp. My two sharpest 50s are the Pentax D FA 50 mm f 2.8 macro, which may be a little too sharp for some applications and my converted Canon FL 55 mm f 1.2 which is much heavier. I have about a dozen 50 mm lenses, and the M-50 1.7 is one of the best.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: August, 2014 Posts: 3
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 22, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | very sharp, sharper than M 50/f1.4 | | Cons: | no | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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Very sharp, just see the photos...
 | | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2014 Posts: 23
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 8, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | all | | Cons: | none with this price! | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5
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I bought this len from a local store in Japan after read almost reviews from google.I totally satisfy with this len.Amazing sharpness and color.Though dont use any manual focus accessory,it still not too hard to get that lovely sharpness.This len isnt rare or expensive like K 28mm,K 30mm so i think if you can find one,just buy it.Im sure you will happy!
High performance at low cost!
Pros:
-Image quality
-Fast enough
-Build
Cons:
-MF(but... without MF,it will not be Asahi anymore)
-Unreadable aperture.Aperture value will not exist in Exif and "F - - " will show endlessly on both screens!(I think because of there is no any electric feature so the camera cant read the aperture value and leave it for user to decide)
Here are some of my first shoots:
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: November, 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 126
8 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 21, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $55.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Killer IQ, Handling, Ridiculously Affordable | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K30
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Durning a conversation about Leica's 50mm 0.95, and its $10,000 price tag, I instantly went to the other end of the cost spectrum and compared my photographs made with my $55, 50mm 1.7 to the sample images from the Leica. There were subtle differences, the Leica signature, if you will. Especially when shot wide open. Wide open is kind of my thing, so that's important to me. But, were those differences worth $9,945? Nope.
At some point we have to finally start calling this little piece of legacy Pentax glass, amazing.
Now, I'm not crazy... Leica glass is to die for, and I totally drool over the thought of shooting at f/0.95. But I own 4 50s: Porst 55mm f/1.2, Pentax FA 50 f/1.4, Pentax A 50 f/1.4, and the f/1.7... which simply lives on my camera.
The Porst f/1.2, my next favorite 50, is a full on artist's brush. Monet in your lens... dreamscape. Its occasionally over the top and unpredictable, as well. Shooting the 1.7 @ 1.7 gives me just enough detail in the foreground and then takes its time getting to the Monet part of things. Slightly less dramatic/saturated than the Porst.
Sharpness? Stop this lens down and you'll cut your fingers @f/5.6. By f/8, its lethal and still somehow, smooth. Not that jagged, pixelated sharpness, but a natural edge clarity. Never overdone.
I can't say enough adout this lens, except that I can't believe its still so affordable. I guess f/1.7 just doesn't sound sexy... The librarian vs the supermodels. I've always dated the librarian.
Finally, please, please, please stop listing the fact that its a manual lens or that it is a bit soft wide open as a con. Aside from low light functionality, many of us shoot wide open for the softness, the shallow DOF and abundance of painted Bokeh. And regarding the manual thing... how should I say this? YOU BOUGHT A MANUAL LENS.
Peace!
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2012 Posts: 205
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 3, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $42.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp with little distortion | | Cons: | None (for a manual) | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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This lens is an amazing value. It is cheap (many were made), fast and very sharp above f/2. As others mentioned, this is a "10" for sharpness above f/4. For those looking for a cheap portrait lens (roughly a 75mm equivalent), this is a great way to go. Distortion is almost non-existent. I also played around with it for macro work, using a reversing ring once and extension rings another time. Both weren't as good as a dedicated macro, but still produced more than acceptable results with this lens. In fact, this can be a substitute for a macro lens depending upon your needs. Just buy some cheap extension tubes, use live focus on a tripod, and you are good to go provided you stop down a bit. It is really that sharp. I keep this in the bag for whenever I need a really fast lens. It is a keeper, which is more than I can say for some glass costing 10x-20x the price.
| | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2014 Location: Plaisir Posts: 2
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 3, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharpness, bokeh | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3, K10D, K1000
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Amazing lense !
I don't have others words than PERFECT
 | | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2014 Location: Near Berlin Posts: 1
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 11, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | center sharpness/contrast, colors, built quality, compactness, (solid) weight, price | | Cons: | only 6 aperture blades, spherical and chromatic aberration (particularly for larger openings) | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 5
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: ME Super, LX, various adapted APS-C cameras
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Own definition of points - using the above scaling: 5 = still good, 7-8 = good to very good, 9-10 = excellent
(10 = "100%" for technical aspects: such a immaculate thing does not exist)
I like to photograph with aperture openings, that are not too large, in order to get a certain
depth of field and sharpness of the optics.
Under these circumstances and to give a rough assessment:
How will the M 1.7/50mm behave, compare to the more expensive and faster M 1.4/50mm?
For this a few test shots at f/2.8 - I think the pictures speak for themselves ...
Out of center overview / f/2.8 / APS-C / Standart-OOC JPEG file, scaled down on 19% of 5184 x 3456 image size:
Out of center / 100% crop / M 1.7/50mm / f/2.8:
Out of center / 100% crop / M 1.4/50mm / f/2.8:
Corner overview / f/2.8 / APS-C / Standart-OOC JPEG file, scaled down on 19% of 5184 x 3456 image size:
Corner / 100% crop / M 1.7/50mm / f/2.8:
Corner / 100% crop / M 1.4/50mm / f/2.8:
(the enlargements shows, that the M 1.7 has a slightly longer focal length) | | |
;)
;)
