Should I buy a Pentax-A SMC 50mm F1.2 Lens?

I am in 2 minds. I have been reading the reviews for the 50mm f1/2 A lens.

I have saved enough to buy one. They are between 700 and 850 $AU from Japan and there is no Import duty, because it is below $1000.-

No the thing is, I own an A 50 mm f1.4 and a F-50mm f1,4 lens. the question is, is it worth the 800 dollars to invest in an A-f1.2 lens or not. I can not see a big difference because of 1/2 a f-stop.
I realize all the business with DOF and softness wide open, but it may be useful.

Do any of you hav this or better still the 1,4 and 1.2 lens and what do you think.

Regards, Horst

I don't even need to know anything about the lens in question, considering what you already have the only logical response is.....No, you don't need it!

This assumes of course that logical thinking has any value at all in this matter. ......

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My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver

I doubt that anybody needs an f/1.2 lens, but it does have a certain magical aura about it. It might be nice to have one though!

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Best regards, John

I have a few images taken with the K series version of this lens, some on film, some on digital:

http://www.ipernity.com/tag/288579/keyword/1276777

Of course, being a K-series lens the EXIF doesn't record the aperture.

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Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
My website

I have heard that the A is much better than the K and I've seen a lot of great photos with 50/1.2s in the last few years, but then good photographers (or at least those with perseverance) will probably be drawn to such a lens anyway. But then I've seen great stuff with 50/1.7s too...

No-one needs a 1.2 but everybody wants one. I'd love to have one but get the impression that it's a steep learning curve due to the razor thin depth of field at 1.2, but if you don't use it wide open then why are you buying it? No-one needs a 1.2 to stop it down to f/8.

Having said all that, I have four different 50/1.4s and I don't think I ever use them wide open.

In summary - get it and sell it on if you don't get along with it.

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Pentax hybrid user - Digital K3 & K200D, film 645 and 35mm SLR and Pentax (&other) lenses adapted to Fuji X digital
Fan of DA limited and old manual lenses

Personally I would wait a bit longer and see what the new 50mm f/1.4 is like, I have a feeling it could be quite something. I have promised myself I won't spend any more money on Pentax until they do something about AF speed/tracking but I may well be eating my words in a few months time.

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No equipment list here but thanks for taking an interest. My Flickr

I've had a few and they're certainly awesome lenses. The points made about f/1.4 and f/1.2 are more than valid however. You'll find that f/1.4 meets the perfect balance between IQ and price, and the aperture will not make a huge difference in low light now that cameras are so good with their ISO performances.

And lastly, here's a scary point. You don't want to spend all that money to later find that your lens has developed balsam separation. It's a common problem in the 50mm lenses of old (and a few others). I've had two with the fault already and it's not easily noticed but very depressing as it reduces contrast and sharpness wide open (which means an f/1.4 lens performs better anyway).

I'm not certain I'd pay the more usual going rate for one. I was lucky as the seller didn't realise that the lens on the front of the MV-1 he was selling was worth quite a bit more than the body. It wasn't that much of a bargain as a few of us were bidding for it, but I think it ended-up being about £135. My favoured trio of lenses (when shooting film) is the K30/2.8, the K50/1.2 and the K135/2.5. If I know I'm going to be photographing buildings I'll throw in the K28/3.5 shift too.

K.

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Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
My website

Thank you for your comments and help. I suppose you are all quite right . The difference between 1.4 a,d 1.2 are very small. I would be nice to have one, but after reading your advise, I think I stick to my f-1.4.

Thanks again, Horst

In 2013 I had a similar query to that of the OP, and I started this thread on PU:

https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/smc-a50mm-f1-2-vs-fa-43mm-f1-9-limited-41...

I still have the A50/1.2 that I purchased in 2013. Sadly the lens has not been used much, probably because on asps-c the 50mm FOV is a bit in “no mans land” for me. Mostly the A50/1.2 has been used for flower shots, but I presume it will be very useful as a portrait lens on aps-c once I find time to go into that area of photography. I would very much like to start using this lens on a 35mm film camera, because then the FOV is much more useful.

If one wants to experiment with flower shots with dreamy bokeh, f1.2 can be very inspiring. It would probably be difficult to photoshop the f1.2 characteristic look. I have also heard that the A50/1.2 probably is sharper at f2.8 and other smaller apertures than the other Pentax 50mm, but this may not be 100% true. Anyway, the A50/1.2 has a very unique way of rendering colour and micro contrast, it has a lot of character. Even though I use the lens quite seldom, it is a joy to use. I will never sell my copy of this lens.

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Bjørn

PPG
Flickr

When you can quite easily crank up the ISO a stop, when light is low and you need extra steadiness, with very little IQ price to pay, it's hard to justify on the "light gathering" grounds.

And in terms of depth of field effects, there is surely an extremely limited range of real life circumstances where the difference between 1.4 and 1.2 would make .....well, any difference.

Bjolester makes some strong user informed points about the special characteristics which are hard to discount if they would enhance your particular style.

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My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver

Greg Nyquist aka the Northcoast Photographer has written a very nice review of the K50/1.2, here are also some examples of the typical f1.2 “glow”/blur that I believe is unique for these Pentax 50/1.2 lenses:

http://www.northcoastphotographer.net/blog/files/6e9582a6274d2029660e07cbcf382f5...

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Bjørn

PPG
Flickr

You can't do this with an f/1.4

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/74819-post-your-1-2-photos-1-...

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi

There is possibly not much need for f1.2 with the high ISO capabilities of current DSLRs. Some people see no difference between photographs taken with f1.4 and f1.2. Even with this background the A50/1.2 is a superb lens with breathtaking sharpness and unique rendering IMHO.

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Bjørn

PPG
Flickr

There's no difference between the Pentax 1.2's K or A. The Tomioka 55mm f/1.2 is about the bestest

http://flickriver.com/search/tomioka+55mm+f%252F1.2/

Most of the stuff we've seen is on APS-C ..... FF should be more interesting.

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Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber

Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff

Algi