SMC 50 mm 1:1.7

One of the reasons I said I would venture into K mount territory was the reviews I'd read about the 50mm 1.7 prime lens.

Is the A version of this lens worth looking for as I track down the good short zooms? Or the A 1.4?

Or should I simply put the combined $ into the best f4 35 - 70 I can find?

Oh boy, here he goes again!

I would spend the money on the A50/1.4.

What a lens! Also stunning as a portrait lens on the *ist D.

Personally, I find that digital capture takes us into different territory as far as lenses go. On film, I would have used prime lenses, on digital I seem to be happy with modern zooms.

The 50mm lens does indeed make a fine 75mm-equivalent portrait lens, but I have one as part of my kit and it hardly ever gets used. The zooms do get used, and they are so good that any difference can be pretty much theoretical.

The 35-70mm f4 is not as good optically as the 50mm, but it is still very good and is far more versatile.

If you can, get both, and then if you don't like one of them there is always eBay...

Mac,

There are no bad Pentax 50s. I've had several varieties over the years, but presently my favourite is the K 1:1.2.

If you like doing portraits, it's a wonderful lens to have on a DSLR - and it gives correct exposures in Av mode with the lens wide open.

Stopped down it's as sharp as any other lens.

G

I've got both the A and M versions of the 50mm F1.7 and I find them exceptionally useful lenses. I also own an SMC-M 50mm F1.4 so I've had the opportunity to compare them. The F1.4 has the advantage of a little extra speed, however where the aperture ranges overlap there is nothing in it performance wise, and the F1.7 has the advantage of being much cheaper.

On the digital bodies the M and A lenses both work but having the A is an advantage as it works in all exposure and metering modes. I recently bought the SMC-A 50mm F1.7 via Ebay and it only cost £14, which is great value.

When getting zooms the situation is more complicated as many of the entry lenses aren't great, especially wide open and for corner sharpness. My recommendation for an auto-focus short zoom would be the 28-70 F4 which is a good balance of sharpness & speed v size and weight. If you're willing to go a bit bigger and heavier (and more expensive) then the Tokina ATX-Pro 28-70 F2.6-2.8 is a very good lens. All the 28-70 (or 28-80 etc) that I've tried with maximum apertures of F5.6 at the long end have dissapointed, including the Pentax badged ones.

Regards
Steve

I have the F50/1.7 and the A50/1.4
The 1.4 is stunning The 8 aperture blades (compared to 6 on the 1.7) creates such a lovely bokeh. In fact, I've not had much else on the *ist-D since I bought it.

Still tempted by the A50/1.2, but can't justify the cost, especially as the 1.4 is so good.

Matt

Thank's again to everyone.

Looks like all the 50mm's are great, so it'll be a matter af availability and cost.

The hunt continues - I'll let you know how it turns out.

Tally-Ho!

My thoughts exactly

Mike

I have just bought an smc pentax-a 50mm f1.7 lens on ebay. Can't wait to try it out when I receive it...
At the 1.5 factor it makes a nice 75mm lens for my DS. Good for low light shooting where a flash is not possible/allowed. payed about 50 euro's for it. Don't know if it is much or not, but for me it is acceptible.

golfdiesel,

Please let us know how you like it!

From what I've read here and elsewhere, it should be a beauty.

I presently have a 55mm 1.8 and a 50mm 1.4 in screw mount, and while I enjoy looking through the 1.4 a great deal, I can't really tell the difference between the two when the prints come back from the developer.

Both give excellent results.

I think 50euros might be just a tad steep but it's an excellent lens and if it's in really good condition then I think you'll feel that it was worth every penny - or should that be cent?

Because of their compatibility with the *istD range and their superb performance, the Pentax 50s are fetching higher prices than many other makes.

Good grief, is it normal that a A50mm 1.2 gets to 260 UKP / 380 EUR ? I would really like to have one, but at this price...

I should have bought some more Pentax lenses back when I got my DS. I shouldn't have waited so much, everybody wants them now, and they seem to be appearing less often. This seems to be making prices soar.

Or is it just me?

That is indeed a very high price for a 1.2.

I bought my K eighteen months ago, and paid £166.00. But it was off-Ebay, and I was able to play with it first. It was a risk-free deal. A few months later I saw one go for around £120.00.

G

Flink wrote "Is it just me?"

Nope,

Supply down (George bought them all), demand up (the rest of us), prices sky-rocket.

George chuckles with glee.

I'm on to his scheme - eventually he'll own every piece of mint Pentax gear, and we'll all have to bow and scrape and call him Mr. Lazarette and it'll be awful - just awful!

I'm scared.....

My advice is to go round your local second-hand shops (not photo specialists), I'm sure many of them are not aware of the true value of such items. Also, consider carefully the cameras with lenses and/or complete kits. Often the bodies themselves maybe of little monetary value but there could well be a gem or two among the accessories