what is your best budget autofocus 50mm lens for pentax

[oceanpriest]

Some interesting links :
http://www.informatik.uni-bremen.de/foto-ag/DA55/DA55.html
http://luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-02-09-22.shtml

 

[xxrenxx]

I would like to know more too...

me too

 

[felixcat8888]

you misunderstood me. any lens can be used to take portraits, why not.
i just reply to the post that "autofocus" is more useful than manual lens in dedicated portrait work. in that sense, a dedicated portrait lens is also, if not even, helpful.

as for the DA*55, just two short descriptions from dpreview.
"Pentax is marketing the lens as purpose-designed for portrait work, and the spiritual successor to the company's film-era FA 85mm f/1.4."
"Conclusion - Pros: Good balance of optical properties for its intended (portrait) role".

I disagree that AF lensese are more useful than Manual lenses for portrait work. How then did the pro photographers in the manual camera days shoot portraits? I have used the A50 and the Chinon version 50mm F1.4 for portraiture and the results are great.

 

[CorneliusK]

You can MF with an AF lens - but you can't AF with a MF lens, should the need arise.

Speed in shooting is also something nice to have when shooting portraiture. Perhaps you have very good MF skill, but my camera gets a correct focus a heck of a lot faster than I can ever hope to achieve.

 

[ricsal]

You can MF with an AF lens - but you can't AF with a MF lens, should the need arise.

Speed in shooting is also something nice to have when shooting portraiture. Perhaps you have very good MF skill, but my camera gets a correct focus a heck of a lot faster than I can ever hope to achieve.

And thus, the Catch-In-Focus function comes handy. For some MF lens la.

 

[evolutioner]

I disagree that AF lensese are more useful than Manual lenses for portrait work. How then did the pro photographers in the manual camera days shoot portraits? I have used the A50 and the Chinon version 50mm F1.4 for portraiture and the results are great.

yea i just got myself a chinon 50/1.4 as well..
i can say it can be as sharp as pentax own manual 50 primes..

btw, how much is the market value for it? i got it when i was in munich

 

[felixcat8888]

yea i just got myself a chinon 50/1.4 as well..
i can say it can be as sharp as pentax own manual 50 primes..

btw, how much is the market value for it? i got it when i was in munich

No sure bec I got it from EvilBay for about USD$60

 

[evolutioner]

No sure bec I got it from EvilBay for about USD$60

mine costs me 49euros..
and they had like 4-5 pieces of pentax own 50/1.4 at 90-100euros each, too bad conditions werent that great so i didnt get them..

 

[genecor]

No sure bec I got it from EvilBay for about USD$60

Hrmm, think I need to improve on Evilbay hunting skills... =p

 

[felixcat8888]

I even have the Ricoh Rekinon P 50mm F1.7 and it is a wonderful lens too.

 

[ElectricBlue]

DA35 F2.4 is about $300 plus.

Pentax lenses at 50mm are the M, K A (F1.4, 1.7, 2.0) F (1.4, 1.7) FA, DA* series and the F stop is 1.4

The AF lenses are F and FA and DA* series but the FA and the DA*is the only one that is available new and at F1.4 is our best lens

There's also the K50/1.2 and A50/1.2 but they are manual focus. Not cheap, but the A50/1.2 is still available new in Japan I think, and in my opinion the best Pentax 50mm optically

 

[pscion12]

What happen to the TS? He didn't really say what he wanted it for. Unfortunately, general consensus is that Pentax don't have a cheaper AF option out there, like Canon or Nikon or even Sony. Pentax used to have the F 50mm f1.7 and the fa 50mm f1.7 not anymore though.

In fact currently in the category of Pentax Af normal primes, I guess the fa 50mm is the cheaper option out there.

So to TS, tough luck buddy.

 

[sunnycamera]

i see, then i save for the smc PENTAX FA 50mm F1.4 then

 

[sunnycamera]

after 7 month, after my first pentax question on the forum, I found I like more on the cheap manual lens,
and I didnt get a FA 50 f1.4,

I got a cheap M50 f1.7 under 100 SGD, later sold and got a M50mm f1.4 under my 150 SGD budget,

and then

imagine, how much canonikon pay for the 50mm f1.4, and my choice on pentax become a smart choice, with built-in support for good cheap manual lens.

 

[GSiGuy]

i've never been a big fan of catch-in-focus bec cos i find it hard to hold the camera steady whilst turning the MF ring and holding the shutter button/gripping camera at same time. maybe my hands are too small/weak.

do you guys have a way to make sure you hold it steady?

 

[oceanpriest]

Once I got split focusing screen, I never touch catch-in-focus anymore :bsmilie:

 

[felixcat8888]

Once I got split focusing screen, I never touch catch-in-focus anymore :bsmilie:

Same same

 

[sunnycamera]

split screen or with just use live view while focusing

 

[pinholecam]

after 7 month, after my first pentax question on the forum, I found I like more on the cheap manual lens,
and I didnt get a FA 50 f1.4,

I got a cheap M50 f1.7 under 100 SGD, later sold and got a M50mm f1.4 under my 150 SGD budget,

and then

imagine, how much canonikon pay for the 50mm f1.4, and my choice on pentax become a smart choice, with built-in support for good cheap manual lens.

I wouldn't ding the plastic fantastics from Canikon. They present very good price/performance ratios. AF too. Too bad for Nikon it needs a D90 or higher to get AF. Not too bad at all on Canon in fact.
But then when AF is not a priority, many of the Pentax legacy glass still do the important thing at even lower cost.
Take nice, sharp pictures

 

[pewpewpew]

da 35 mm f 2.4 is really a good lens..

dun belittle it!