The Pentax-A SMC 50mm F2 prime lens is an amazing value. You can find them for anywhere between $20 to $40. Partly because a lot of 50mm f2's were produced as high-end kit lenses for 35mm film cameras. The Pentax-A means the lens has an automatic aperture -- meaning, the camera can control/adjust the aperture. However, you still need to manually focus. Don't consider this a bad thing. Manually focusing these lenses is easy. If you record video, then this lens is amazing and manually focusing is preferred. You can adjust the aperture manually but it's better to use Av (aperture priority) mode on the camera. The 50mm is a wonderful focal length, even for cropped digital SLR sensors. I've noticed most of my shots are done between 40-60mm so 50 is wonderful. It's a small lens, but at f2.0, it lets in a lot of light. So this lens is perfect for low light conditions and when flash is not possible/preferable. The SMC multi-coating is well established, and this f2.0 will outperform 2nd-rate f1.7 lenses which will typically need to go to higher apertures to get sharper shots. In terms of quality, prime lenses are designed to excel at a single focal length. There is little if any distortion. The bokeh (the blurring pattern in the out-of-focus background) is very desirable. Overall, price-per-performance, you can't beat this prime lens. Going below f2, the price goes crazy. Auto-focus versions are ridiculously expensive. You may f1.4 or f1.7 Pentax-M, but those will require you play with the aperture ring while focusing. Summary: A highly recommended wonderful quality prime lens! Tested: Pentax K-x, usually in Av-mode, 1600 ISO in low light, usually adjust aperture until shutter speed is at least 1/15s.Read full review
Wonderful prime lens, great Pentax optics. If you can’t expend 350+ for a newer lens, this is great alternative for those looking for a portrait or still life lens. In current DSLR with APS-C censor is equivalent to 75 mm. Very sharp, solid constructions. I Use it mainly for still life photography, where I never use auto-focus, I need to control the deep of field precisely, placing the focus point in the middle of the available focus range for the selected aperture. It´s an ‘A’ Lens, so you can control de aperture with the camera when the A is set. Best of all, Lot of them available for cheap
These older "prime lenses" are pretty cheap used and work fine on new Pentax DSLR cameras. They offer the professional look of a shallow depth of field, attractive bokeh, and the clarity that a simpler lens offers over the zoom stuff. In addition to that - it captures more light thanks to a f2.0. That means more detail and less noise in lower light. it's my first prime lens but it's easy to use. Just set your f stop and focus manually. The results are instantaneous, rewarding and build confidence.
I use this lens on my ZX-7 and ZX-30 cameras. The camera will not function unless both the lens and the camera are on Automatic. Which is okay with me. I have no problem with letting my equipment do the work once in a while. Especially with this lens which is very accurate. I attribute that to the SMC (Super Multi-Coating Process that Pentax so adeptly provides. A great value for the money. Also, for me this is a very exciting piece of work from Pentax. I believe Pentax truly hit another one out of the park. Thanks for reading, Tony
In case you didn't already know, the "A" designation on this lens, means it will work with all modes/settings on newer fully auto Pentax fim, and DSLR's. Only without auto focus, which in reality, with such a short focal length, is greatly prefered for it's accuracy on my part anyway. Also of importance is tha fact these older lenses are made from all metal construction, so you get a better sense of quality not found in alot of the newer glass made.
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