pentax m or a 50mm 1.4,1.7 or 2.0 - or 55mm 1.8

[occhicone]

I am using a k10d and generaly use a tamron 28-75 f2.8 - its sharp, fast and i

like it alot - i see some of the above lens cheap and wanna pick one up as a

backup / lower light or if i am going someplace where it may get knowed

around , swiped..

i hear they are all sharp - anyone have any experience compared to what i am

shooting with ( i also shoot alot with a sigma 10-20)- specifically, sharpness

and contrast -

thanks for any input

[dougmiles]

You'll find it more convenient to limit your shopping to SMCP-A series lenses, and I'll venture to say they're all fine, with the faster ones generally finer than the slow. Good luck!

[User_502260]

I have a 50/1.7 M, two 50/2 M lenses and a 55/1.8 SMC Pemtax. The f/2 lenses are not as sharp as the other two. My favorite is the 55/1.8. I use these with film cameras only so I don't know if they work differently on DSLRs. I tried to buy a 55/2 SMC Pentax with the idea that it was the same lens as the 55/1.8 but with a different marking. Unfortunetaly when it arrived it had unacceptable haze so I had to sent it back. My K mount 50/1.4 is a Sears (Ricoh) lens.

[mel_unruh]

I have both the Pentax A 50mm 1.4 and the 1.7. Both are sharp, but I find that I use the 1.4 more often. I do a lot of available light shooting so the 1.4 gives me a little more light to work with.

 

Mel Unruh

[michael_kuhne]

As Mel and Larry suggest, getting an "A" series MF 50mm would definitely be better operating on your DSLR camera. But I have also seen the "F" 50mm f/1.7 at a pretty reasonable cost. Sharpness is good even wide open, and you get an AF lens as well.

[hinman]

Everyone seem to go with the A for the automatic aperture in the lens. How about cost? I see many M 50 mm f/1.4 and f/1.7 without the A in eBay and they tend to cost much less than the A 50mm. If I see a version of 50mm f/1.7 for A and M, what kind of good price that I should expect to bid for. Any suggestion are welcome.

 

I am new to the forum and I am looking for a portrait lens for indoor use. I lean towards the FA 50 f/1.4 but I am thinking of the challenge with Manual lens for a cheaper price and the challenge for manual focusing intrigue me.

 

<a href="http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2007/07/pentax-protrait-lens.html">Blog post: pentax portrait lens</a>