| Author: | | Forum Member Registered: May, 2014 Posts: 76 | | Review Date: June 1, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $95.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharpness, bokeh, aperture, build quality, price | | Cons: | flares, reflections, slow focussing | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5
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My reason to buy this lens was to have a good and affordable lens for shooting under bad light conditions and a standard lens to leave on the camera for all conditions except rainy weather and pictures impossible for this focal length.
While it proved itself perfectly fit for taking images at night and indoors, the slower manual operation, the equivalent focal length of 75 mm at APS-C and the sensitivity towards flares and reflections can limit itīs usage as a standard snapshot lens. Thatīs not making it bad, you just have to know how to use it.
In a good condition the lens is more than worth the money for 70 Euro. When you consider comparable lenses (which of course support automatic programs and autofocus) like the Pentax SMC-FA 50mm / f1,4 for about 330 Euro, the Sigma 50mm F1,4 EX DG HSM for 450 bucks and the Pentax SMC-DA 55mm / f1,4 SDM (weather sealed) for around 730 Euro.
I could not test these other lenses against the Rikenon, but I can say that you get a usable lens with it which can deliver a very good image quality for little money when you are willing to live without auto modes on your camera and autofocus and consider the few weaknesses before hitting the shutter button.
Good:
- excellent image quality possible
- usage under low light conditions
- heavy and solid build quality
- cheap purchase
- little purple and only moderate green CAs
Not so good:
- tendency towards flares and
- bluesh reflections in some conditions
- focussing for portraits can be difficult
A more detailed review with pictures can be found here: http://universalfocus.deviantart.com/journal/Old-manual-lens-on-a-modern-DSLR-403093763
Night shot with this lens:
 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: July, 2013 Posts: 3 | | Review Date: July 31, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $35.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Build quality,colors,bokeh,resolution | | Cons: | No 1/2 f-stops | |
I don't think the flair is a problem.I like some flair but with a decent hood it's gone.
This lens is quite sharp even at f/1,4 as you can see in my example,and I love the
bokeh.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2017 Posts: 12 | | Review Date: May 2, 2018 | Not Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | good sharpness once stopped down, handy | | Cons: | very bad fully open, weak at shorter distances | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax K-50, Fujifilm XT-20
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This lens sports f/1.4 aperture, but it is so soft till f/2.8 that the advantage of the large aperture is gone, and that's the point for having such lens.
In my (not so professional) tests, I also noted that my copy performs better at infinity than at closer range, at that's a pity because I was looking for "the perfect" portrait lens. In this test, here, indeed I crowned (for APS-C), the Minolta Rokkor MD 50/1.4, that can even do slightly better than the Pentax-FA 50/2.8 macro, previously my sharpest lens. You can find more here: http://www.rustichelli.net/Hobbies/Photography/LensTests/50mm-primes-lens-te...enses-test.php (there are more optics involved in the test).
A good thing of this lens is that it features a true Pentax-K mount without Ricoh "variations" and pin/contacts issues, but I'd recommend spending a little more for the classic Pentax-A 50/1.7 which performs generally better.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: May, 2010 Location: now 1 hour north of PDX Posts: 3,897
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 9, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | bright, fairly compact, seems decent at 1.4 - and a bargain | | Cons: | no 1/2 stop clicks, veiling flare | |
More tests may alter the score..
My copy is an Auto Sears MC but looks identical to images of this XR, down to the white button and '50mm' text. It takes 52mm filters and has no half-stop clicks, just like my Rikenon-P 50/2. Weighs 260g and has eight aperture blades.
I was quite surprised that my bid didn't max out on auction, really got away with one here. Initial tests are quite promising; this should be an easy keeper. I will do more daylight tests to look for surprises, but a test-shot out the window looked great for color and contrast. A very talented lens, and given the price it has to round up to a 9.
compared to my rikenon 50/2
wide-open test in low light
Edit - subsequent tests force me to deduct a point. The veiling flare is extreme, no surprise but problematic. I also note that when the scene becomes too bright for the meter, shutter is set at 0.3s - I see this is a k-x "feature" though when light is beyond shutter capability.
2nd Edit -- I've noticed that when shooting close and fully opened, the hexagon in the viewfinder lights up to confirm focus, but I need to dial focus back a smidge (or use live view) to nail it. This may be a case where the K-5 AF point is not quite inside the center square, so not necessarily a lens issue. Once focus is nailed it's quite impressively sharp.  It would be excellent on the K-01 where all views are live ones!
| | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2012 Posts: 364
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 27, 2012 | Not Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 7 |
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Quite sharp from f2.8 but not focusing correctly in the viewfinder of my K5-IIs. So, wide apertures are really tricky to use. This may be a camera issue but Pentax DSLR users have to be warned that they may not be able to focus accurately with this lens.
Few shots using the Ricoh 50XR (25% of original size and jpg conversion from the camera) (as I said the focus from the AF indicator is wrong on my K5. I don't have this problem with other lenses but I have no other f1.4 lens to test with).
f1.4:
f2:
f2.8:
f4:
Example of photo using this lens :
I'll add few resolution tests later to complete this review
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2017 Location: Garden City, NY Posts: 6,349
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 22, 2021 | Not Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | Some swirly bokeh / Great for Monochrome / Stopped down sharp | | Cons: | Aberrations / Soft until stopped down / Busy bokeh | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 2
Bokeh: 6
Handling: 7
Value: 5
Camera Used: K-50
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Used in September for the SIC Month. Used in dSLR (the lens was meant for SLR use)
Twenty-one days into it, and I cannot wait to take it off camera.
Not a bad lens, but there are so many good 50's out there... there is nothing that stands out from the lens, nothing that makes it unique. Almost mediocre... almost.
First lens I stop to f16 and really like the results - that it the main positive.
Soft until almost f4 in my book. Bokeh unimpressive, unless you get some swirly action.
The worst = the sensor reflection I get when I stop this lens down and there is a strong light at the source. Big blue dot as you'll see from images below.
To end - I would only get this lens to complete an XR collection... I honestly believe there are too many great 50's out there to even consider this lens for a purchase.
Now the photos:
Swirly bokeh:
Lovely reds and greens:
Sharp at F16 and wide depth of field:
Soft wide open:
The dreaded sensor reflection:
OK for Monochromes:
Full XR 50/1.4 album:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmRmBNzV | | |
;)
;)
