| Author: | | New Member Registered: March, 2017 Posts: 1
8 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 2, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Optical quality, sharpness, easy to focus, high quality build | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
Camera Used: Canon 600D
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A very good lens for astrophoto. 5 plates composed with software. Made with the Canon 600D (unmodified) on the Star Adventurer with a SMC Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 lens. Exposures of 30 seconds, ISO 800.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/148000154@N06/31871709663/in/dateposted-public/ | | | | | | | 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!
 | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: February, 2019 Location: Florida Posts: 187
7 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 25, 2022 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Timeless Quality | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Ricoh XR-1, Ricoh XR-2S, Pentax K2, Pentax K-50, Pentax K-1 II
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I'm posting this review as a tribute to my go-to lens.
Purchased brand new in 1982.
Yes, 40 years ago.
Every bit as smooth as day one. Glass clean and clear. Aperture as snappy as ever. Not a bit of slop or play.
And to top things off, it just looks beautiful on the K-1 II. Great performance on film, digital and video.
The Swiss-Army Knife of lenses!
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 243
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 29, 2016 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Incredible clarity, color rendition, price, size | | Cons: | SOME (not much) CA, corner sharpness | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-5, Sony a7
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This is such an incredible lens. I have been a professional portrait photographer for going on 7 years now, and this was my first lens. This is still my primary lens, it has awesome rendering. Attatched are examples taken on the Sony a7 full frame all images shot wide open.
 Emily by NickBrunerPhotography, on Flickr
 Joanna by NickBrunerPhotography, on Flickr
It is a great lens, the only thing that is preventing me from giving it a 10 is the slight appearance of CA, and the resolution of modern lenses outmatches it. This doesn't necessarily mean its worth it to spend 1k+ for a modern lens, but some modern lenses are better in general.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2012 Posts: 4
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 3, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | best use for me -- with 1.7x adapter | | Cons: | ? | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: k5
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I have little to add to the chorus of praise for the lens at 50mm. But I would like to add a high testimonial to its value as a portrait lens used with the 1.7X Pentax adapter, thus converting the lens to 85mm. I have never used a better 85mm lens! The adapter does not always lock the autofucus. Never mind. With manual focusing the results are superlative, ingratiating, warm The portrait results are much better than with my 77mm ltd. I've just finished some comparisons, and have decided not to use the 77mm for portraits anymore. One distinction between the two lenses is that the 50mm plus adapter besides its above-mentioned warmth and attractiveness shows much more detail in the shadows. Highly recommended, if you can get hold of the adapater.
edh
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2021 Posts: 12
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 24, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $25.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, affordable, and well built | | Cons: | No aperture information on files | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-70
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A very fun lens, for the price you can't ask for anything more! The build screams quality and it produces respectable photos. If you are considering an M series lens, I highly recommend it (whatever that's worth).
Recently I have been playing with CIF and although I don't have it mastered, the results are pleasing and I find it does help improve the experience of shooting with the lens.
Example photos (edited in LR):
 | | | | | 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)
| | | | | 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
| | | | | 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) | | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2011 Posts: 258
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 2, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $66.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp as macro lens, metal and glass, small, IQ, ... | | Cons: | not an A(minor problem if you use DLSR), but solvable by a little mode | |
Great lens! I have bought the camera with it. The IQ is amazing, no CAs at all, perfect micro contrast, more resolution then you will ever need. If you can find two buy tree  .
this is from today, I have compared it with my FA 50 1.4
PS I have missed the focus a little on the M lens prom 2.0 to 4.0 it is obvious but it is enough to get an impression of the optic differences between the expensive FA and cheep M.
PS2 I'm giving 9/10 because of the functionality with DSLR. Otherwise if this was an A or AF lens it was going to be the best 50mm from Pentax in this size. Maybe only the 50 1.2 is better optically.
| | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2022 Posts: 23
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 30, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $33.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | | | Cons: | | | Camera Used: K-70
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I love this lens.
Admittedly I don't have a collection of high quality lenses to compare with, and I'm not a pixel peeper striving for technical perfection. But it feels great, is a joy to handle and shoot with and is responsible for my best pictures. I paid ~$33 which is just amazing value imo.
There are two negatives for me:
- Wider than f2.8 it is very very soft. It still takes great images, but the combination of very shallow depth of field and very soft images won't get you tack sharp anything. From 2.8 it gets dramatically sharper.
- on APS-C it is a usually either a bit too long or short for my taste. That's not the fault of the lens obviously, but 50mm usually requires me to step back to fit the image in the frame, and it's not really long enough when I want a bit of tele (my 135mm on the other hand feels way too long for APS-C)
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2015 Posts: 8
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 23, 2016 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, great build quality, price is just right | | Cons: | None. Yay! | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: Nikon D90
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This lens is an amazing steal-of-a-deal at around $45! If you find one at a good price, pick it up. I use this lens with my Nikon D90 using one of the many Pentax PK to (insert camera brand here) adapters you can get. I mainly use this lens for macro (because that's the only thing my adapter will let me do), but I'm sure this lens would be great for other things as well. I got this lens from a Pentax ME Super that my grandfather gave me, so it's pretty special to me. Anyway...
Build Quality:
This lens is built great. Full-metal construction, metal mount. Focus ring feels very smooth, and aperture ring feels solid and clicks into place with no play. Lens is very heavy for it's size. The only thing that rattles is the little arm that the camera would use to open up the diaphragm when you took the picture, which is relatively normal. Mine has gotten quite a few bumps and dings, and the only thing that happens when it gets bumped is a little bit of scratching to the lens body. Filter thread is metal.
Optics:
The glass in this lens is great. When you tap the front element, it feels like real glass and not just some cheap plastic-glass like other lenses. It has 6 elements in 5 groups. Use f/5.6 if you can, it is sharpest.
Handling:
This lens just feels "right" in the hand. You can easily distinguish the aperture ring from the focus ring, and the focus ring and aperture ring aren't too big, nor too small for my small hands.
The filter thread accepts 49mm filters. This lens' minimum aperture is f/22, and the maximum is f/1.7. The lens mount is a Pentax K mount. It focuses up to 0.45 meters (1.55 feet). This lens is almost a pancake lens.
Conclusion: This lens is a fantastic deal. It's built like a tank, it feels "right", it's useful, it's readily available, and it has great image quality.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: November, 2014 Posts: 56
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 2, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | build quality, sharpness, colors, size, price | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5ii, P30, SFXn
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I would say, that this is the lens every pentaxian should own at some point. I bought it just to try it and it's definitely a keeper. Lens produces very sharp pictures and it's joy to use. Focus ring is smooth and aperture ring has that nice click typical for M lenses.
A tad soft at 1.7, but good from 2.8 onwards. Best performance between 5.6 to 11. The second shot shows how well made is this lens. High quality detailing visible after many years of use.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2016 Location: lake constance Posts: 1
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 1, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharpness on all apertures, coating, built quality | | Cons: | sorry, i didn`t find any | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Sony A7
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The Pentax M 1,7/50mm is an ultra sharp "normal". even at wide open, it is sharper than the most standard lenses of the beginning 80`s and there were enough of them. Further there is no optical difference between my M 1,4/50mm and this lens, but the 1,7 is smarter and light weighted. It is ideal for using it with the Sony A7. I`m very compliant with trimming and I often enlarge details in my pics, so that I can replace a 85mm or even a 100mm on a short trip, so far I shoot with low sensibility.
All in all a well built allrounder - and its affordable. With the Sony A7, the powerful partner for short trips in stead of a zoom. Digital FF recommended.
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