50mm Lenses

Hi all,

I have two 50mm lenses> One is an SMC Pentax-A 1:1.7 the other a Pentax -M 1:2. I want to sell one so I was wondering is one better tan the other?

Thanks for any advice,
Aaron

The A lens is more useful on modern pentax bodies as it allows automatic aperture setting by the camera. So even the new digital bodies will be totally happy with it. It is a fine 6 element lens of very high quality.

The M lens is a 5 element lens, but the more modest aperture may not need 6 elements, and it is also capable of very high quality results. However, it does not allow auto aperture setting and so is unsuitable for some functions on later bodies.

On balance, I would keep the A lens to use. But you will get so little for the M lens, why not keep it for use on manual focus bodies or as a spare? You could always buy a nice second hand ME Super and use it on that!

Hi,
I would go along with John's advice on keeping the M. If you have a look under the troubleshooter section, you will see the trouble another member had with his A series lens. This doesn't often happen with lenses but if anything, it is slightly more likely to happen with the A.

Professor Sod says that according to his law, if you keep both, both will work forever but if you sell one, the other will break in a week
It really depends on how desperate you are to get rid of one lens.

Kim