A 2006 comment from a recently-departed list member: "All the Pentax 50mm lenses in the f/1.4 to f/2 range are good lenses (perhaps the K55mm f/1.8 is the exception, it isn't all that wonderful until well stopped down). Of all the ones I have, I think the K 50mm f/1.4 is the "sharpest", the M 50mm f/1.4 is the "creamiest" (for lack of a better term), the FA 50mm f/1.4 seems most excellent, but I haven't shot a lot with it yet, and the 1.7s and f/2s in whatever series all seem very good as well."
This is a good summary of everything I have read and seen on this topic. In short, the Pentax 50mm lenses (as with most if not all manufacturers) are all good quality lenses with only the subtlest of differences among them. I would trade an M series for an A series in order to get the extra functionality on more modern cameras. I would trade a 1.7 for a 1.4, or a 2.0 for a 1.7, to get the extra speed. But the image quality is just not a factor when considering which lens or lenses you should own in this class of lenses - they are all good. stan On Dec 29, 2010, at 4:02 PM, Eric Weir wrote: > > I've been relying on Stan Halpin's website to a large degree in deciding > which lenses to buy. I've got an M 50mm/f1.7. There's an A 50mm/f1.7 on a > black MX that I've been looking at. > > While that lens is listed on Stan's site, there is no information on it. Any > opinions about it -- image quality-wise? > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Eric Weir > Decatur, GA USA > [email protected] > > > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
