Very much positive feedback for this lens, it arrived exactly as described, very well packaged and works beautifully.

Pleasure buying from you LennyBloke - thank you

Hiya
Just as an update for this, my Grandmother gave me my christmas present early too so I now actually have enough money for the new 1.8 lens that is coming out :jumpsupanddownwithexcitement:

However can someone point me in the direction of any reviews or any comparisons between the new smc PENTAX-DA 50mm f/1.8 that is coming out and my other (cheaper) choice the PENTAX-F 50mm f/1.7?

I know one is obviously new and the other discontinued and the 1.7/1.8 aspect however are there going to be any other distinct differences? Im especially interested in the bokeh affects, build quality and just what people's opinions are please. I cant seem to find any pre release photographs taken with the new lens to actually see what any look like.

Thank you once again

Would it be at all possible to pm me please, Im a newbie here and can only reply to pm's and not send them.

Would it be at all possible to PM me please, Im a new member and cant yet send PMS but can reply to them

Sadly it appears that as I have not been on the forum for 30 days I can neither send or reply to pm's or buy anything that is listed on the forum. So that scuppered the idea of buying something off here for the time being.

I have checked the viewfinder diopter which was fine, didnt realise that you could check it like that though, so worth doing.

Ive been playing about with the camera this morning, I do prefer the 50mm rather than the 35mm I think, but will have another look this afternoon when the children come home from school and the camera battery has been recharged. Battery expiry stoppped play lol

I have also tried the manual focus, really dont like that so much although its a good skill to have. However think I have decided that this new lens will be on my camera most of the time for the things I like to take photographs of, so autofocus is now a definate.

Thank you for the ebay links, they are now bookmarked and 'watched' they have a while yet to run so wont bid yet, but will keep an eye.

Can I just ask a quick question though please, what is the difference between an 'F' and an 'FA' I understand the FA is the newer one, but what are the differences please.

Thank you so much for your help again

What I will do tomorrow then is have a go at the manual focus with my kit lens, its the focus confirmation beep that I listen for anyway so might be able to do it that way. Will check the viewfinder diopter too.

[quote:3496ace15f="MannestyAbove all else, keep yourself and your children safe. They'll love looking back at your photos in years to come.[/quote]Thank you

Edited to Add - posted at the same time as Mannesty - will check view finder tomorrow in the daylight.Ive never seen a little box in the viewfinder....will investigate.

Thank you all so much for replying The bit Ive underlined, does mf mean manual focus?

Thing is I know that Im going to need an automatic focus rather than a focus confirmation. The subjects I like to shoot dont tend to stay still long enough (children mainly and animals) for me to fiddle around with the focus and as I think I mentioned in the the first post I have really poor eyesight anyway so it would take me ages.

I think my only option really is this new lens that is coming out as I have trawled and searched ebay, online retailers and other places and cant seem to find an auto focus 50mm 1.7 or 1.8. Surely it cant be that hard to find something? I could just do with someone giving me a few links even off ebay of something suitable as Im worried about buying the wrong thing. (cant you tell lol).

I do appreciate all your help and Im learning quickly, Ive got loads of little postit notes now with the lenses suitable as Im searching for something.

You will have to bear with me on this, I havent got a clue what you mean when you talk about APS-C or a full frame camera lol. My friend has a Nikon, quite an old digital SLR but lots of lenses so I had a free run at trying things out. Im no good at technical terms I just know what I like to see in the view finder. :dunce:

Transit - is the economy version of the lens you are talking about, the same one as DougF8 gave the link to, at £250?

Thank you Mannesty for your explanations, really appreciate you help and also everyone else's input too.

As for what to do now, Ive no idea really as the cost of this lens is completely prohibitive, I had no idea they were that expensive. I have such a tiny tiny budget (my 41st birthday money lol) and dont have enough income to actually save anything. This type of photography is what Id really love to do, I use photography and painting and drawing as a bit of an escape (like I expect a lot of people do). I feel actually really gutted and perhaps I should consider selling the camera to start again with a brand where I could actually afford to get the odd extra lens to have a go with.

Part of my problem is the reason Im loathed to sell it, is why I have the camera in the first place as although Im not technically minded its a bit more than just my camera or something that sits in the cupboard for me. My children and I had to leave the marital home suddenly to go into a Refuge due to serious threats to our life. We literally had nothing apart from the clothes we stood up in, no job, money or a place to live. My ex defaulted on everything and had also ran up debt and fraudulant accounts so by the time the house was sold and everything was paid I was given the grand total of £700 (yep thats it) with which I bought this camera as having a SLR was something that I had always wanted but never been allowed, it was my new start to document my new life with, so to speak. He found us in the safe house and the only thing I had was the camera which he threw on the floor, so it now has a crushed corner on the outer casing. Its the only thing I have of any value, I dont even own a car. I just wanted to be able to do something more with it.

However it seems that now I cant even afford to do that.
Thank you for all your help everyone has been really lovely.

Thank you so much for your speedy reply, its much appreciated. Ive just spent a while trying to find a smc Pentax-F 50mm 1:1.7 as you suggested but they all seem to be smc Pentax - M rather than F. Im not sure what the M means. I am such a novice when it comes to lenses so really need a shove towards what is the right thing.

Im really on a very very tight budget and thought that this sort of lens probably wouldnt cost more than about £80-90, so the linky that you gave me is sadly way out of my budget. If they are all going to be that much, then I will probably never afford one

The autofocus is an absolute priority for me as I have quite poor vision and cant rely on my own sight to get a sharp photograph.

I dont even know which online shops are reputable. Ive never bought anything for my camera before.

Hi all
This is my very first post so please be gentle. I have had my Pentax K10D for a number of years now with just the lens it came with. Ive been quite happy experimenting with it, still dont feel as though I know very much at all but Ive had fun so far.

I borrowed a friends (rather expensive) camera over the weekend as he has lots of different lenses so I could try a few things out. I really liked his 50mm 1.8F lens and the effects I could get with it, so Id love to get one for my camera. However....and this is where the newbie question comes in. What on earth would fit my K10D as it what fitment? I want to be able to just click it on, it to focus like the stock lens does and not have to fiddle about too much.

Ive blinded myself with all the different brands and makes, there seem to be all the letters of the alphabet type of mounts when I only need the cheapest lens possible that will do what I want it to and operate like the stock lens. Can someone please give me some links or some idea what Im looking for?

:hangs head in shame that I dont know what I need to get:

Thank you