Pentax 50mm f/1.2 - Brilliantly Bokehlicious Bargain!
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My dad gave me his camera set, Pentax + loads of lens. Back from when he was in college. This was in the kit and has been one of my favorite lenses for the 20 years I've owned it. Great on film camera I have and great on digital with an adapter.
The SMC on these lenses is something that makes it even more usable compared to other vintage glas :) Pentax is truly underrated.
I randomly remembered this guy from DigitalRev and had to look him up again. Glad you're still here and continuing strong my man.
Hard to imagine today that around that era Pentax (and I assume other lens makers) had f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.7 and f/2 versions of their 50mm.
I've got an entire collection of vintage K and M42 Pentax glass (among other M42 options, great mount). The lens I get some of the most use is a basic 50mm 1.4 k mount. Really the only thing I've found that's bad about the vintage Pentax glass is the same for most non-fortune priced vintage glass: lack of contrast with flaring. I usually just toss a little lens hood/ND filter on or just cover a bit with my hand.
The 1.7 Is a solid performer too, good sharpness wide open.
That PK 50/1.7 is the known bargain. It and the Konica AR Hexanon 50/1.7 are the best/cheapest around.
(as well the Konica AR 57/1.4, and Takumar 50/1.4 for different, dreamier reasons)
I think people have forgotten what a high reputation and how big Pentax was and the huge range of prime lenses in many focal lengths and maximum apertures they made particularly from the 1960-80s. And those great, small SLR bodies to put them on like the MX. And for a couple of decades everyone had either owned or had a family member or friend who owned a K-1000. There’s still a very strong 2nd hand market in Pentax’s M42 mount Takumar and Super Takumar lenses. I’m looking at a couple of 50 yr old 85mm f/1.8 that are well over US$500. And these didn’t have the better coatings this A 50mm f/1.2 has.
I can put them in my full frame Pentax K-1 or my Fuji but that has the crop factor
I got a takumar 50mm, the s-m-c version. The radioactive glass turned yellow a bit, making a quite vintage look. With focus peaking and zooming on modern mirrorless camera, and ibis, it's quite fun to use a vintage lens.
One of my favorite lenses ever. I use it on every camera I own.
These old Pentax lenses are amazing , awesome mechanics with some gorgeous optics, great for video.
I much prefer the newer 50 mm A F1.2 over the K 50 mm F1.2. I have both versions. The newer version has a better newer SMC coating meaning crisper images especially wide open. The newer version as mentioned has one more aperture blade for a smoother bokeh over the older version and less chances of the ninja bokeh because of a more rounder aperture. Plus if you shoot it on a Pentax dslr that A version is so much more convenient to use in that you don’t need to push buttons to get a metering you just shoot it on A. There’s a reason why the A version is more expensive and more highly sought after so there’s less of them around than the K version which Kai has. I’ve just mentioned why and the reasons earlier in my post.
@@therealchickentender what do you mean it doesn’t handle well in your hands? The A version is crisper from the newer SMC coating and newer lens glass elements and smoother bokeh with the extra blade. You’ll get less chances of ninja star bokeh with the A version. Plus if you’re using a Pentax dslr the A version is easier to use too less button pushing for proper metering. What I base my comments from is that I didn’t want to say this originally but I have 2 - K version and 2 - A version of the Pentax 50 MM F1.2 lenses. That’s how much I love the Pentax 50 MM F1.2 lenses so I know the ins and outs of how different series lenses work and I’m not giving you second hand hearsay information. Like I stated in my previous post there’s a reason why the A - version costs more and are less on the market for sale. You’ll usually see the K version sitting for months online before it gets sold.
Thanks for your input which helped me decide on between the two versions. I plan on buying the Pentax 50 f1.2 A version for my Pentax K1.
@@therealchickentender wow! I really enjoyed reading your write up it’s very entertaining and fun read. I’m literally holding both my K and A versions of my Pentax 50 mm f1.2 lenses. For the life of me comparing these two I really can’t see a huge difference between the two physically? Ie the focus throw is the same in fact I like that the distance markings is written larger and clearer on the A compared to the K lens. The infinity symbol on the A is yellow while the K one is blue. Weight and size wise about the same I mean no world huge differences unless you’re splitting hairs. Of course the A one has the A on the f stop ring. I mean that’s why I bought both types they’re both physically about the same so there’s no second guessing which is which mechanically when I need to quickly use these lenses.
I mainly shoot slide film with them. Thats right good old transparencies. I sure miss my Kodachrome 25/64!films. Back in the day I shot tons of it. In fact I let Dwayne’s photo lab the only lab left to process Kodachrome process my Kodachrome films just before the deadline for doing this service about 22 years ago. Anyways that’s another story. So I can definitely see the differences between these two lenses from slide film. Call it what you like ninja, hexagon, ball like bokeh my A version consistently gives me an overall smoother look. I’m assuming what you’re sharing with me is off your head since your sold your A version 7 years ago. I still have two of each version so what I’m sharing with you are fresh thoughts on the performance of these lenses. Why in darnation you might think that I have two of each version??? Well as stated earlier I love each of their merits of image renditions. Example when I use my 2 LX’s I use my 2 K versions. When I use my 2 Super Program I use my 2 A versions. I may not be the most technically inclined or scientific in my photography but this old dog has been shooting Pentax gear for over 40 years. I got my LX/MX back in the day when thru first came out. I love my Spotmatic Fs and ES2s and M42 lenses as well. So in a nutshell I think I can attest on what I’ve said about my 1.2 lenses. I’ve used other brands super fast lenses 1.2 as well but I always go back to Pentax. Heck don’t tell my wife I’ve got a Leica Noctilux as well 😜🤣 but I usually use my Pentax equivalent. That’s just about it. Thanks again for sharing your experiences and nice meeting you in here.
@@therealchickentender hmmm I’m literally looking at them both now. I’ve been focusing with both for a bit they feel about the same friction. Aside that the barrel is slightly different as mentioned earlier I like the larger written numbers on my A version. I’m not knocking the K because I have the luxury of having both it’s just the A has an overall higher score mechanically and optically. True the K is cheaper but I can’t emphasize this enough on transparencies you can spit the difference immediately. That’s why people traditionally shot some slide film when they get a new camera or lens even though they normally never really shoot slide film. You can’t lie with the results from slides. Maybe your K and A changed over time? if you bought them second hand anything could happen to them before you got them. For the life of me mechanically handling it’s splitting hairs like focusing and handling between them. Thanks I’m sure you’ve got some hidden things too from the wifey hehe ?? Ps don’t tell my wife about the Contax Carl Zeiss 55 MM F 1.2 too 🤣🥳🤩
@@therealchickentender definitely copy variations for you!! Why Sir you might ask? You’ve gotten me so curious that I pulled out all four of my Pentax 50 mm 1.2 lenses. I tried focusing with them and the rotation friction is just about the same for all 4 of them. I can assure you both K and A have the same exact style rectangle shape rubber texturing!!!
Well if one is going to spend $$ so much on film and film ain’t cheap these days because it’s become a boutique item and processing film isn’t cheap either. You better do a precise scientific A/B testing in order to make it worth while to see if there is a difference. So yes there is a difference and you’re absolutely correct not fair to compare different lenses under different environments and different lighting and different films etc ,….
Oooooh you’ve hit a sweet spot for me I’ve got 100 feet bulk roll Fuji Provia 100 f films and 100 feet bulk roll Fuji velvia film. I bulk load because it’s cheaper $ and I can customize how many frames I guess I’ll be needing for the days shoot that way I can see the results faster instead of wasting and turning to finish off my 36 exp roll of film.
Hey that absolutely cool that you like other brands super fast f1.2 lenses because variety is the spice of life!!! If everyone is the same it’ll be a terribly boring world. Happy shooting make each shot last for your RXP!! 🤩😍🫡
Ive been building up a lovely pentax collection the past few months, lovely to see a video on them
U can mount it on a pentax without having to use an external adapter hence u can use the lense at its full quality.
Thanks for the reminder to get out my Pentax 50mm & Fuji mount adapter & give them a whirl. I’d forgotten about the beautiful results this lens can give
Good thing I have a nice collection of minty Pentax-A glass because after enough people see this video, these lenses won't be under the radar any longer! People seem to forget that Pentax was THE pioneer in lens coatings and many of their K and A series primes were leagues ahead of their competition (I'm looking at you Nikon and Canon).
loved the arty side of photography... the finger focus 180+ as well
Damn I've been rocking the Pentax k mount 50mm 1.4 on my K1000, might have to grab this one haha. The lens just has such a nice character!!! Thanks for sharing
FINALLY, A REVIEWER WHO DISCOVERS THAT ALL THAT K MOUNT GLASS, HUNDREDS OF LENSES, MANY CHEAP, CAN BE AMAZING ON A MODERN BODY. KUDOS KAI.
That Pentax is a true rare gem.. Even with 17+years of working in camera stores from the 70s-90s I think it's the only major brand 1.2 that I've never had in hand. I actually bought my Lumix S5 and a Canon FL 50 1.2 just a few days apart-- I say ,,well bought on both counts!!
lol Lok bought Panasonic “because of Sony’s autofocusing”, then I see more focusing niggles in the months after than I did in the years prior when he was using the Sony..
Hope you have better luck 🙂
I almost spat out my coffee @2:55. Thanks Kai.
Agreed I have 3 Pentax "vintage" lenses for my Canon DSL.... they continue to amaze me
Fantastic Kai, pleased you have the S5, I love mine! Those K&F adapters are brilliant I've adapted my Nikon pre-ai to it 🥰
I thought I heard him reference Naughtilux. Now I can't get the word out of my head.
Los lentes Pentax son extraordinarios, el 105mm f/2.4 SMC es una belleza de objetivo con un bokeh de otro planeta!!
I dont need to speak the same language to know exactly what you are saying lol!
I am liking your new style of doing pieces to camera to link between clips of your day out shooting. Feels a lot more like the Kai of old
Happy to see that you're reviewing old lenses. This is photography. These are the tools for art. Nice.
I've been using a pentax smc m 50mm f4 macro (on a panasonic gx8) for nature photography the last few months and I've been consistently impressed with it. the bokeh and sharpness at f4 are both excellent. gonna need to get some more pentax in my collection
I picked up this lens last month. Totally love it. It's so much fun to shoot with and surprisingly sharp. Loved this video. Awesome job as always.
I so wanted one of these when I was a kid.
I recently bought an s5 for the purpose of adapting old lenses. Currently enjoying the om zuiko 50mm 1.8
Kai great photographs.
Great lens review.
Pentax lenses past and present get at times forgotten about.
Also going to look into old Nikon and Canon glass
Canon FD glass is great to work with. I went with nFD for smaller size and newer builds. I didn't mind any differences in build material, size and weight are crucial for me though.
I'm a bit irritated by the amount of people surprised by this lol. Back then Pentax, Canon, Nikon, and Minolta were on equal footing. Olympus made amazing stuff too, but their lens selection was more limited.
It's not all Canon Nikon and Carl Zeiss, people! DAMMIT!
As an event/ladscape/wildlife photo/videographer, I lean firmly towards the "science"/accuracy side. But I would definitely love to have an artsy lens or two as well. Once I have all the Lumix G lenses I could ever need 😂. Speaking of which, looking forward to seeing more of that S5! Well, depending on how much sarcasm was in that intro lol
Thanks for an excellent review of the Pentax 50mm 1.2. I live in Sweden and there was not one for sale here so I bought one from Japan. Delivered two days ago and I really really like the 50mm 1.2 lens. Novoflex adapter for Leica SL2 and it works perfect together. This lens are magic to portraits!! I have two Leica lenses 35&75mm SL and they are really good as well but compared with dollar’s…Pentax 50mm 1.2 are the winner!! Thanks again
I've got mine for about US$45, I love it.
Welcome to the S5 club my friend :) I am very happy with my 24-105 f4! btw it is parfocal.
Is that Canon 24-105 f4?
@@fanb0y777 no the native one (lumix S)
Just got myself a Contax Zeiss Planar T 50/1.4 for 350$ and I'm in LOVE with it.. Just amazing
I have a couple Pentax 50mm film lenses (Pentax user), and although the one I don't have is the 1.2, I love using them. Some of my proudest/luckiest shots were on my 2.0 I found at a pawn shop for $10!
This is a fantastic lens. Yes its a bit soft at 1.2 but I use it for live concert photography stopped down a little and it is super sharp with great rendering in low light (on A7III with no flash).
After watching the video at 2:56, I realized that all the people who I thought didn't like me were actually just adjusting the focus.
On their invisible camera.
Inherited one from my grandparents in perfect condition! Now been used on a host of cameras including Pentax, Canon and currently Fujifilm!
I agree. Pentax SMC lenses are excellent for sharpness and build quality. I've used them since 1981 (and got my Photography Degree using a Pentax ME Super film camera and SMC 50mm f1.7 lens as my main optic). The 50mm f4 Macro (1:2) is the sharpest lens I've used, adapted for my Sony A7 and A7iii bodies. They are still reasonably priced too, so ideal for 'hybrid' photography - using vintage lenses on modern digital bodies in fully Manual Mode.
I've had several versions of this lens as well as Nikons, Canons, Minoltas etc. The best overall ~50mm 1.2 lens I ever tried was the Konica Hexanon AR 57 mm F1.2 believe you me. A bit of a secret and can be had for cheap still.
Yup. The AR57/1.2 and Topcor 58/1.4 are ridiculous good. Honestly though, this PK (which I also have) comes in third place for me. I've had a few of the other big fast fiddies over the years but let them go. Not these three however.
For the budget conscious, the f1.4 version is an absolute steal.
I decided that near 300 quid wasn't quite worth it for the slightly better bokeh over the f/1.4 version, which I picked up for about 100 instead.
Beautiful bokeh and an all round great little lens, as are many of the SMC and Super Takumars.
Hello, Kai! This man reminds me exactly of you. In this video at 1:14 -> "Sat nav - without a satellite - in the 1970s?" from the BBC Archives
Quite the enthusiastic salute at 2:55 😂
I have the 1.4 but I'd love to try the 1.2 one day.
I don't get the "if you don't mind the fact that it says Pentax on it" comment. at 3:48. Why would it be a problem???
Love the S5. Seems to be a perfect pair the two. Enjoy the camera!
I think the Pentax 50/1.4 used to be a legend in terms of cheapo bokehliciousness. There are some other great bokehlicious lenses that fly under the radar of many - Zuiko 55/1.2, Minolta Rokkor 58/1.2 and 1.4 in some versions, the classic Helios 58/2, also the Contax Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 considering its price in some places. My latest find is the original Canon 50/1.2 LTM from the late 1950s. The focusing distance is garbage but it's easy to modify some adapters to make it close focus oriented.
Great video my friend! I bought an S5 and 20-60 and 35 f1.8 +B+W variable ND 1-5 steps.
I went down the Takumar rabbit hole a while ago.
They are good at that sharp but bokehlicious thing.
Well most of them are. There are one or two that are just good not great.
But I've yet to spend more than $100 on any of my Takumars. So it's all good.
Also, pretty sure my Super Takumar MC is the ancestor of the 50 you have there.
I have this and use it with a K1. Really fun lens, really need to get out more at night with it.
Asahi Pentax lenses, delve in, there’s some absolute beauties if you can spent the time researching them. Thanks for bouncing their prices but still won’t be selling any of them. Keep up the top content bro 😎
The focus throw, is fairly long! [Flips us all off]
I had an Olympus 55mm 1.2 for a while, got it for free because it was borked. The repair was pretty simple, just a bent focus ring. It was sharp enough when stopped down to f/2 but it was definitely soft wide open. The problem with it, though, is the front element's thorium oxide likes to turn brown and darken. At f/1.2, it ended up letting around the equivalent light of my Sigma 56mm 1.4 set to f/3.5. Ended up selling it because of that, but it was fun. It was also very very heavy, and got especially unwieldy when at the end of an E-mount adapter on my a6500.
Ultra violet light exposure can correct the discoloration from old thoriated glass. Recently got an old Pentax Super Multicoated Takumar 35mm (also radioactive) and it took a few days in bright sunlight to fix.
I got the SMC 100 mm F/4, it took me a while to figure it out, but when you do it's a incredible lens.
I love you still not forgotten the Pentax.
It's true. If I compare my Sigma vs my Pentax lenses what you said is correct: perfection vs appeal.
I would love to find one of these. Maybe one day I'll come across a good deal. But everytime I look they're like 500cad lol
Great video as always, you're one of my favorites Kai!
That middle finger focus through was amazing 😅😋
LOL! Very nice again! :D I'm the same plant expert. I see, that it's green. That's it 😅
I always wondered what happened to you, Kai! I enjoyed your Digital Rev videos and happy that the YT suggestions brought this channel up to me!
You might already know this but if you haven't tried the S series 85mm f1.4, it's a lot like the K 50 1.2. Just a little longer but they make a nice pair.
I'd love to see the Pentax 50mm f1.2 go up against the Nikkor 50mm f1.2
Their used price is pretty close so it would be interesting to see how their sharpness compares
The Nikkor is better.
I have always loved Pentax Glass.
I'm amused by how Pentax is sticking heavily with the old style lens design, with all the busy dials and notches and bumps and such. So while on one end of the extreme, you've got Zeiss with their barely-there tubes, and Sony's nicely streamlined but slightly more busy lenses, and then on the far end, you've got Pentax desperately trying to keep the Minolta style lens insanity in the modern age.
I have a pentax 55mm f1.8 its beautiful 👌 got it slapped onto my canon 1ds 😊
I got a bunch of classic Pentax lenses and I like them all. Sadly don't have this one though 😅 They are rather rare and I don't dare mail order them 😶
The 135mm is a fun one as well. Surprisingly tiny for that vocal length. And it has a build in lens hood. Such a smart design.
It is a radioactive lens. It has thorium which is radioactive but delivers excellent optical performance.
Isn’t that radioactive ☢️
Best voice on TH-cam. No one else is close.
I bought the 1.4 version years ago when I was low on money after I bought the Sony A6000 and used it on that. The images were amazing.
I’m so curious how many delicious vintage lenses are left to be discovered by treasure hunting photography nerds
I love Pentax Takumar lenses. I have a collection of m42, and k mounts. All top gems, except for the one you have on the video.
Amazing review, I have the m42 55mm f1.8 also great on m43
Kai and Lok‼️ 💛🙏🏽
the Cannon 85 1.2 changed my life! $$$
i love pentex class vintage
I am subscribing to your channel. Not because I like your camera content, which I do, but because you sound like Tony Harrison from The Mighty Boosh.
2:40 to 2:51 is some serious lens porn. I love vintage lenses, and that 11 seconds made me want that lens sooooooo much.
Luv my older film pentax
Just bought a bunch of Pentax K mount lenses (tokina 26mm and a misc brand 135m) for my gh5 after using the 50mm f/2 version. Going to be great for weddings this year
I managed to nab a Canon FD 55mm F1.2 S.S.C. for 200 euros a couple of years back. Best lens purchase I have ever made
Zeiss and Asahi were the best glass of their era.
Pentax is perhaps the only photo company that sells all matrix formats, APS-C, FF, MF.
Pentax has character, unfortunately that is no longer appreciated in this sanitised world.
I've wanted this lens for a long time. This and the Zeiss 50mm f2 Macro, which has bokeh to die for. That would bring my 50mm collection up to an even dozen.... Nikon 50mm f1.2 is also a nice lens of the same vintage and for some reason much less sterile than the almost identical optically designed f1.4G.
Want to do something "normally" interesting? Try Canons 45mm TS lens.
Digging the new hairstyle!
Kai opens the door were he stores all his great thousands of 50mm lenses come spilling out😂
I have the Pentax-A SMC 50mm 1.7 I paid just £15 for it and that included the Pentax ME Super SLR camera it was attached to⚠️😳😁
'Low vignetting' too. I like a bit of vignette
Hellios f/2 is great too for this kind of fun stuff.
I don't know about your island, but our arboretum had labels on the trees and near the bushes
I got my S5 about a month ago... Love it
You should try the rest of the K series, and the not so old but still vintage limited primes 1.8/31, 1.9/43 and 1.8/77
My faverite camera youtuber ❤❤
The Art side....that is where I live. I use a Kamlan 50mm f/1.1(1st gen) on a Canon EOS-M . Bokeh !!!
Also check out the 55mm f2. About 1/4 the price and still a great lens.