| Author: | | New Member Registered: April, 2024 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: April 24, 2024 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | very low fringing for such an old lens, sharp, easy to self service | | Cons: | to dismantle from the front is a weird design choice | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3, K3II, K7, K-S1, K200D
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I had many over the years. Since it is mass produced and of good quality, it offers a very good quality for price ratio. Easiest to pick up as part of an equipment set or with a camera attached. Only pay up if you want one in pristine condition. If you are looking for a good manual normal that you can self service, I would recommend this. It is easier to self service than the later A version. But even specimen with dust and haze are still pretty good. To me the M Series lenses are what comes to mind when I think of manual lenses, they are a joy to use and look at.
I did a test once of several 50s of that era from different makers and this one came out on top consistently with least amount of edge color fringing and also not much difference to the FA 50mm 2.8 macro which surprised me. I use it as my main 50, also has the benefit to be found for reasonable price again in good condition if its gets lost, stolen or damaged.
Available, compact, sharp, decent bokeh, ease to use. Imo a touch better than many other PK mount normal lenses form other makers, at least when it comes to color fringing, I guess due to the pentax coatings.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2023 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: February 28, 2023 | Not Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Nitidez, colores, construcción | | Cons: | ninguno | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: sony A7 III
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Buen dia, Doy mi opinion basandome en la filmacion, Uso este lente con un adaptador a mi Sony a7 III, lo cual funciona excelente,. La calidad de imagen tanto interior como exterior es perfecta. Rapido enfoque (manual obviamente) hacen uno de mis mejores 50 mm. No le doy 10 por gusto por que me gusta mas el vintage como el carl zeiss 50 1.8 pancolar, Pero es un 10. NO dude de comprarlo mas si va a ser su unico 50 mm.
RECOMENDADO
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2023 Posts: 4 | | Review Date: February 8, 2023 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Extreme sharpness at f/2, good quality | | Cons: | Using it on a digital camera is unhandy (not a real con though) | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-70
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An excellent nifty fifty, borrowed from my father's old kit with a Pentax ME Super.
Focusing is a bit challenging due the lack of split diopter on the focusing screen on modern cameras, and Catch-in Focus only in spot mode isn't too helpful, but if you take the right time with it, it's all fun and games.
Compared with the old thin cameras, this lens is very small mounted on my K-70, and my big hands didn't help too.
But for a budget lens, giving back this quality, it's all worth it, and a fun training on manual focusing and apertures.
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2017 Location: Ronneburg Posts: 1 | | Review Date: August 5, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | built like a tank, fast lens | | Cons: | none for me | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Z-1, K-3, K 200 D
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Pentax M SMC 50 f1.7 is a great value for the money. It is small, light, and there are lot of them around making the price reasonable. Slightly softer at f1.7 it reaches very good figures from 2.8.
| | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: February, 2011 Location: Southern Finland Posts: 681 | | Review Date: April 18, 2021 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, compact, well built | | Cons: | (nothing, considering its origin and age) | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K200D, K-5, K-1
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I think everything important has been said already in previous reviews. This lens is very compact and optically sharp. Built like a tank, as all M series lenses. Must be operated manually in digital cameras, but the green button helps a lot. That's how the film era lenses are - so this is no defect considering the time it was released originally. Focusing needs some practise, as the focus throw is quite short. A good performer for macro work with some accessories, like extension tubes, reverse ring or close-up lens.
To be honest, though, with digital bodies I'd rather use my SMC-F 1,7/50 than this - just because of the autofocus. Optically they are about the same - both very good.
| | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2020 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 3 | | Review Date: October 17, 2020 | Recommended
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Sharp when stopped down, beautifully made | | Cons: | Unusable wide open / too small and fiddly / dim | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 4
Value: 7
Camera Used: MX/ME
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This lens is too small for me even though it is beautifully made. Handling is a real downer if you have large hands. Its takes 49mm filters which are usually quite cheap.
On the KX I have, focussing is not as easy as it should be - I need the 50mm A 1.4 to be able to focus properly. I can even focus better on the K 35mm 3.5 I have, and it's slower! Light gathering is not its forte.
One thing that is most disappointing about this lens is its performance wide open. My sample and others I have had are just not very good wide open. My 50mm AIS 1.8 is better in the centre as was the Zuiko 50mm 1.8 I once had. Sure, the 50mm 1.4's have some veiling flare but this 50mm 1.7 has no character used wide open at all.
I have to say that I am not a big fan of anything Pentax with an 'M' in it. Too small, and too many compromises (although the M 135mm 3.5 is a very nice lens and capable of excellent results and handles nicely).
If you have large hands, stick with the K 55mm or an A 50mm or go for a K or A 50mm 1.4 instead. The Pentax 50mm 1.4s - right up to the FA - are all very underrated.
BTW - all my reviews are based on film use.
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2020 Posts: 4 | | Review Date: October 10, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $35.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness Bokeh Size | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-01
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Got a near mint copy of this for the equivalent of $35US. All I can say is the images it produces are easily 4 to 5 times the price I paid for it.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2020 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: June 25, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $20.00
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Sharp wide open, excellent contrast and colors, compact | | Cons: | Bokeh | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 4
Handling: 7
Value: 9
Camera Used: EOS 60D
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Paid it 20 USD (imported it from Japan). In mint condition.
Excellent sharpness and colors from f2. Contrast is excellent. Easier to focus and less CA than 50/1.4 version.
Bokeh is only issue.
I think that this is the best buy regarding 50mm lenses. Optically better than any Helios or Pentacon 50mm lens, and costs the same, or less.
A few pictures using macro tubes.
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2017 Location: Medellín Posts: 1,322 | | Review Date: December 23, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, small, nice handling. | | Cons: | Six aperture blades. | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Film cameras, K-5
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I got one to see what all the hype was about. It's that good!
Can't go wrong with this one. I specially like the handling. If it had seven or eight aperture blades it would be the perfect fast fifty.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2016 Location: Patrick Co. Virginia Posts: 1,541 | | Review Date: November 11, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $27.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Inexpensive compared to the f1.4, good low light, sharp | | Cons: | not wysiwyg for aps-c cameras, too narrow fov for milkyway | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K50,k5
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I sought a 50mm after reading lots of legendary things about them, only to flind the f1.4 artificially expensive compared to other models and "settled" for this one when I found one at a low bid. One thing I learned from the experience is that 50mm on an aps-c required me to take a few steps back down the trail quite a bit. When I saw a shot it would frame too close every time. This is because the k50's crop sensor, while displaying subjects in the same focal length at film or "full frame" sensors, crops the image FOV by 1.5x, leaving you a bit to close. I've since found the 35mm works better for such walkabouts. I now somehow have three of these things and this one has been the workhorse of the lot, working mostly as a very nice portrait and closeup lens. In Astrophotography it works well for shooting a wide region of sky without the "all sky" or fisheye effect on really wide lenses.
Overall it's a nice little manual prime with nothing to gripe about, but buyers should be aware that they are getting a defacto fov of a 70mm f1.7
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2019 Location: Agadir city -Morocco Posts: 210 | | Review Date: November 5, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $20.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | it's a glorious lens I still use it, it makes an impressive sharpness and bokeh | | Cons: | absence (of course) of autofocus | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 8
Camera Used: Pentax K20D
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it's a glorious goal I still use it, it makes an impressive sharpness and bokeh, considering its price it is a good to practice without AF
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2017 Posts: 5 | | Review Date: October 8, 2019 | Not Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | Well build, | | Cons: | fully manual, not sharpest lens among other 50s | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 5
Value: 9
Camera Used: Programm Super A, K1
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Used this on an analogue camera and on my K1. For film cameras absolutely ok. On my K1 - nothing special. Its an old optic, so dont expect too much. There are much more better alternatives: e.g. Pentax 1.4 or some M42 gems like Zeiss Pancolar 1.8 (more sharp, better bokeh...)
The modern versions are superior too, like the FA 50mm (macro).
If you have a small budget, try it.
Of course I read the other reviews here. Maybe I have a bad copy.  Anyway, please ask yourself: how much Imagequality is available for 40,-$ ? For this price the lense is recommended. But in comparison to other lenses it is not.
Finally I have to say, that this glas is absolutely overrated in this forum.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2018 Posts: 591 | | Review Date: October 3, 2019 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | build, contrast, size, focus feel | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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 | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2018 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: September 26, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Small and lightweight, high contrast, flare control | | Cons: | Handling and feel, lots of coma at bright apertures | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: MX, X-T3
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I found this lens to be very well rounded and even a great performer on digital. It has high contrast and good central sharpness already wide open, but a high amount of aberrations prevents the mid-frame and edges from being tack-sharp until about f/4.5. After that everything is excellent and I feel that is where this lens really shines. Flare control is also superb, you'll have a hard time finding another old fast 50 from any other brand that can match it. I'm not a huge fan of the handling, like everyone else I lament the loss of the Takumar and 1st gen K-mount build and handling, but compared to modern lenses and even the A type lenses the handling is excellent.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: December, 2018 Location: Telemark Posts: 86 | | Review Date: April 7, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, bokeh, size, price | | Cons: | None to be reasonable | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-1
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For the price this is just amazing. I've also used it reversed and it does brilliantly there too.
What I love about Pentax is being able to use old lenses like this. It's also incredible to see how well they handle digital full frame cameras.
For me I dont mind using manual focus and manual exposure. It's really easy.
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