buying 50mm dilemma

[jpcc]

I am a new K10d user with only 17-70 zoom lens.

I noticed there are some 50/1.4 screw mount Takumar SMC in B&S.
And i quite like the feel of manual focus, and the big aperture.
Read that it is reknown for sharpness as a vintage lens.

Adding in the M42 - K mount converter, it think it may be in low
$200.

1) I am currently waiting for adding 43mm to my lens arsenal.
2) I have considered 40mm pancake before for portability
3) Is 50mm too close to 43mm, or 40mm for excess inventory?

My fav subject is environment portrait indoor (w/o flash), e.g. restaurant,
home

[longko]

IMHO just go for FA 50mm f1.4 at $330 (MSC). You get AF, 1 year warranty & no messing with adapter, by just paying a little more.

[notone]

most of old MF lenses are just of budget plan for pic quality, overall new AF ones do better job --- fengwei cleared most of his MF lenses as he implied. so go for the 43LE or FA50/1.4!

[Belle&Sebastain]

if the super Takumar SMC is built today, you need to fork out US$1000. i think it will outlast any plastic AF lens from our era.

if you perfer manual focus and the vintage feel and look on the lens, i say go on!

[southernoise]

If you like to use manual focus by all means go for the Takumar SMC. The feel is so much better than a FA50.

However if you need autofocus then get the FA50. Its a great lens. Only issues I had with it is just that auto focusing hunts a lot and sometimes can't lock in dim areas. Manual focusing feel is very loose. Not much of positive resistance.

I briefly tried the DA40. Small, compact, well built and focus very fast. However the images just lacks a certain something when compared to the FA50. Maybe its just me.

[fengwei]

Stick w/ the FA43 as in your plan, and don't waste your money for another lens in similar focal length. MF lens is fun to play, but when you walk around the street shooting candids, you (and your candids) won't have the time for MF.

AF lenses are so much easier to use on dSLR cameras, and you can have three types of metering (MF lens only has one - spot metering), 11 AF points for focusing confirmation.

But, it is so much fun to play w/ a manual lens, especially shooting still subjects like landscapes, flowers and bugs.

My suggestion for MF lenses in sequence:
1. A lenses w/ A setting (some good and cheap ones: A50/1.4 or 1.7, A 28/2.8, A 24/2.8, more expensive ones: A50/1.2, A85/1.4, A100/2.8, A100/2.8 macro, A135/1.8 ...)
2. PK mount lenses including all K or M lenses (good and cheap: M50/1.7, M50/1.4, M28/2.8, M135/3.5). But be ware that a non-A lens might have exposure problem w/ K10D (no problem w/ all the other current Pentax dSLR cameras). One good non-Pentax made lens to suggest is the Zenitar 16mm F2.8 fisheye made in Russia. It's a great super wide angle lens, costs around S$200 only if buy from eBay.
3. M42 lenses w/ the help of M42 to K adapter. There are so many excellent Super-Multi-Coated Takumar lenses, and they are built like gems. The Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50/1.4 is still considered as one of the best 50mm lenses ever made. Just one thing though, don't get addicted to these lenses. Some good and cheap non-Pentax M42 lenses to recommend: Carl Zeiss Jena DDR 135/3.5 and 35/2.4, Jupiter 85/2 and etc.



All in all, I still suggest you to get modern AF lenses, especially for newbies. DA21, FA31, FA35, DA40, FA43, FA50, DA70, FA77, FA/DFA100 macro, DA50-200 ... all are great lenses.

Good luck.

[istDeS]

agreed with fengwei to stick with the FA43. A Fast and portability lens.

[baolong]

Hi everyone, I am also looking for 50mm lens and is looking at pentax fa 50mm f1.4 and sigma 50mm f2.8 macro.... and I think that pentax da 50mm f2.8 macro is way too expensive for a 50mm lens... Can anyone advise which one should I buy in term of sharpness and contrast??

[longko]

Originally Posted by baolong Hi everyone, I am also looking for 50mm lens and is looking at pentax fa 50mm f1.4 and sigma 50mm f2.8 macro.... and I think that pentax da 50mm f2.8 macro is way too expensive for a 50mm lens... Can anyone advise which one should I buy in term of sharpness and contrast??

Pentax lenses tend to be brighter. It really depends what you need, a macro lens or a portrait lens. I bought the fa 50mm f1.4 for portrait, at f1.4 it gives you a softer effect and f2 gives you the sharpness. But if you want a macro lens then Sigma 50mm f2.8 will be better

[otc]

Originally Posted by jpcc I am a new K10d user with only 17-70 zoom lens. I noticed there are some 50/1.4 screw mount Takumar SMC in B&S. And i quite like the feel of manual focus, and the big aperture. Read that it is reknown for sharpness as a vintage lens. Adding in the M42 - K mount converter, it think it may be in low $200. 1) I am currently waiting for adding 43mm to my lens arsenal. 2) I have considered 40mm pancake before for portability 3) Is 50mm too close to 43mm, or 40mm for excess inventory? My fav subject is environment portrait indoor (w/o flash), e.g. restaurant, home

You have already a walk about lens sigma 17-70 mm auto. Trying out the Takumar SMC lens, manual focus lens vintage and if it does not suit you, try sellling again. There is a market now. I am just starting to learn on different lenses, Takumar....

otc

[baolong]

then i will go for the more versatile one sigma 50mm macro....