SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (2024)

Pentax Lens Review Database » Digital Era Pentax K-Mount Lenses » DA Prime Lenses


Sharpness

9.2

Aberrations

8.6

Bokeh

9.0

Autofocus

8.1

Handling

8.7

Value

9.4

Reviews Views Date of last review
76 439,993 Sun August 11, 2024
SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (2)
Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
96% of reviewers $135.18 9.11
SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (3)


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Description:

The SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 lens is designed for the APS-C sensor format and performs like a small telephoto lens in that format (75mm eqv.).

Pentax promises a superb rendition of depth and a natural bokeh (out-of-focus) effect in part thanks to the rounded aperture blades.

It features a lightweight plastic construction with a plastic lens mount similar to that of the DA 35mm F2.4. The large maximum aperture of F1.8 produces a shallow depth of field which is ideal for portrait photography.

The front element is SP coated so as to repel dirt and grease and be easier to clean.

This lens is an affordable alternative to the DA* 55mm F1.4 lens. It will cost $249 and be available in late June / early July, 2012. It has a plastic bayonet.

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8
© www.pentaxforums.com, sharable with attribution
Image Format
APS-C
Lens Mount
Pentax K
Aperture Ring
No
Diaphragm
Automatic, 7 blades (rounded)
Optics
6 elements, 5 groups
Mount Variant
KAF
Check camera compatibility
Max. Aperture
F1.8
Min. Aperture
F22
Focusing
AF (screwdrive)
Quick-shift
No
Min. Focus
45 cm
Max. Magnification
0.15x
Filter Size
52 mm
Internal Focus
No
Field of View (Diag. / Horiz.)

APS-C: 31.5 ° / 27 °

Hood
RH-RA52
Case
S70-70
Lens Cap
O-LC52N
Coating
SMC,SP
Weather Sealing
No
Other Features
Diam x Length
63 x 38.5 mm (2.5 x 1.5 in.)
Weight
122 g (4.3 oz.)
Production Years
2012 to present (in production)
Pricing
$96 USD current price
$224 USD at launch
Engraved Name
smc PENTAX-DA 1:1.8 50mm
Product Code
22177
Reviews
User reviews
In-depth review
Unofficial Full-Frame Compatibility Tests by Pentax Forums
★★☆Full coverage at some F-stop and focal length combinations
Show details
Notes
Lens hood and case are not included. Several hoods will fit, hereunder RH-RA52.
Plastic lens mount.

Features:
SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (4)SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (5)SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (6)
Purchase:
In-Depth Review:
Sample Photos: View Sample Photos
Price History:

Author:

Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-15 of 76

pquirk

Pentaxian


Registered:February,2013

Posts:313

Review Date: August 11, 2024 Recommended |Price:$94.10 |Rating:10

Pros: Best lens for the dollar, better image quality than more expensive lenses
Cons: No water sealing, 52mm thread (should be 49mm)
Sharpness: 10 Aberrations: 10 Bokeh: 10 Autofocus: 10 Handling: 10 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: Pentax KP

One of the best kept secrets of the photography world is that there really is only one lens that brings out the best a SLR or DSLR has to offer, and it's also the cheapest; and that lens is the nifty fifty. The nifty fifty is great on a full frame camera; it's all I shot with for years on my K1000. On my crop sensor APS-C camera, it's even better.

The main reason why you want this lens is because it "Sees" the same way the human eye "Sees." This is very helpful with one of the most important aspects of photography, and that is composition. Once I got used to framing with the crop factor of APS-C, I came to realize that this lens on an APS-C camera better represented my own central field of view. Some have argued that a 35mm is better on an APS-C as it more closely approximates the field of view of a 50mm on full frame, but I would argue that this better represents compositions as I see them, one is sacrificing nearly a full stop along with the greater bokeh effect, and are introducing some slight wide angle distortions which doesn't help when training the eye to "See" compositions, and I get to pay more.

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (9)

This "Fantastic Plastic" "Nifty Fifty" is a great jack of all trades lens you can just leave on your Pentax all the time. Its plastic construction makes it very light, which will make your camera light. While it's no pancake lens, it doesn't protrude very far out from the camera, and in spite of being a short lens, the glass is recessed a good centimeter, which offers a degree of protection of the glass as well as provides a bit of a "Lens hood." I would recommend adding a proper lens hood, but since they changed the thread size from the long standing standard of 49mm to 52mm, you can't just use one from an older lens, and while it might be tempting to just go with an older used 50mm lens, many of the ones I've found have a lot of dust inside of them, which is why I wanted clean, new glass, and this was that.

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (10)

This lens is great for all types of photography, including travel, street, landscape, wildlife and portrait. While it's not a macro lens, it can get pretty close to my subjects and brings out a lot of detail. The kit zooms we get with our cameras typically make us think we need to "Fit it all in" from whatever perspective we are at. With this lens, your creativity grows. You learn that you don't always need to "Fit it all" in. Or if you do, you can change the angle of your perspective. Or you can stand further back from the subject. Or at times when your options are very limited, you can take multiple shots and stitch them together in post with Hugin to get as wide of an angle you could ever want with zero distortions. Suddenly your camera isn't just a tool to take snapshots; it's a tool that creates art.

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (11)

There might be other 50mm lenses that are a few fractions of a stop faster, but for the money, this lens on any APS-C Pentax is photographic perfection that will help you capture the compositions you see exactly as you envision them.

These photos were taken from my 2024 Track and Tower trail hike collection which was shot exclusively with this lens. To see more, click here: https://www.paulquirk.ca/posts/algonquin5/

JohnTaylor

Site Supporter


Registered:January,2012

Posts:20

Review Date: July 27, 2024 Recommended |Price:$75.00 |Rating:9

Pros: Attractive, bokeh, cheap, lightweight, good colours
Cons:
Sharpness: 9 Bokeh: 9 Autofocus: 9 Handling: 9 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: K5ii

Only received it yesterday, I'm a Pentax enthusiast with more enthusiasm than skill. Bought this to try out since it was cheap .

So far it's pretty good. In good light, focuses quickly, picture is good. I don't pixel peep as much these days, don't see any issues. I declined giving many 10s due to lack of experience and expertise.

I don't know why people mention the screw drive. Most Pentax lenses have it still, so it should hardly be a surprise. I thought it was no louder than other lenses ( subjectively slight less noisy than the 77mm f1.8 screwdriver)

I uploaded a photo to gallery as per instructions, a sombrero in good light, 50mm f1.8, k5ii, 1/2500

Link below:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/images/46186/large/1_IMGP6291.JPG

shawnbo

New Member


Registered:July,2013

Posts:6

Review Date: December 27, 2023 Recommended |Price:$76.00 |Rating:10

Pros: Price, size, weight, optics
Cons: Plastic mount, no hood
Sharpness: 10 Autofocus: 10 Handling: 10 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: K-70

This lens has been reviewed extensively, so this isn't so much an evaluation, rather encouragement to get one. I have two other 50mm primes, a SMC-A 1.7 manual focus and a Sigma DG EX 2.8 macro. I justified purchasing the DA 50mm on the basis that I didn't have a 'fast' 50 with autofocus. What I really wanted it for is astrophotography, for which it should outperform my older 50s. Amazon had it priced at $76 including delivery recently; what's to think about? Along with the 35mm f2.4, two Pentax must-haves.

scwinn

New Member


Registered:December,2015

Location:Montreal

Posts:18

1 user found this helpful

Review Date: November 23, 2023 Recommended |Price:$120.00 |Rating:8

Pros: Affordable Nifty Fifty! Very sharp. Great color profile.
Cons: Really noisy. Plastic.
Sharpness: 8 Aberrations: 9 Bokeh: 9 Autofocus: 7 Handling: 9 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: k-5 and k-50

I just wanted a lens with a short telephoto reach, that was light, had a wide aperture and could be used for street photography. This lens was inexpensive, so I took a chance. It checked all the boxes and I am pleased with the results. I encourage you to take advantage of the versatility and value that this lens brings to the table!

junkbench

Senior Member


Registered:July,2022

Location:Ocala, FL

Posts:115

2 users found this helpful

Review Date: March 11, 2023 Recommended |Rating:10

Pros: Sharpness, Color, Bokeh, Weight & Price!
Cons: Plastic mount & Noise
Sharpness: 9 Aberrations: 8 Bokeh: 9 Autofocus: 7 Handling: 7 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: K5, K3, KS-2, K10D, K20D, K1

This is a lens that I initially did not think I liked it, it is noisy in an irritating way when hunting in AF and has a plastic mount and I have had many of these break through the years so pardon me if I dont trust it! - there, both negatives out of the way.

This lens has grown on me as I've used it, its very small and compact and lightweight and it takes great photos.

I love its colors, contrast, sharpness and bokeh.

I have a FA 50mm 1.7 and an FA 50mm 1.4 as well as many - many - 50mm MF primes and this little lens holds up well to all of them and is better than most.

Great all-around lens, not very good close focusing abilities but this comes down to preference and isn't a negative.

adamjwilson.work

New Member


Registered:March,2023

Location:Toronto

Posts:3

1 user found this helpful

Review Date: March 11, 2023 Recommended |Price:$80.00 |Rating:9

Pros: that price!, sharp, fast, great colour!
Cons: aberrations on older models
Sharpness: 8 Aberrations: 6 Bokeh: 7 Autofocus: 9 Handling: 8 Value: 10 New or Used: Used Camera Used: Pentax *ist

This lens was included with a K-5 body so I "guesstimated" the dollar value. This lens has impressed me on the digital bodies, so much so I sought out a Pentax film body with autofocus just to see what it could do... and I'm pleased to report it works great. It's as fast as the *ist body can focus, and the vignetting is only noticeable under extreme conditions (but I often cultivate a slight vignette in my photos anyway.)

All photos:

Pentax *ist
SMC Pentax-DA 50mm f1.8
Fujicolor 200

NS_Sailor

Loyal Site Supporter


Registered:April,2012

Location:Dartmouth Nova Scotia Canada

Posts:1,033

4 users found this helpful

Review Date: May 24, 2021 Recommended |Price:$110.00 |Rating:9

Pros: Good price, Very Sharp, Works well on K1
Cons: Plastic Body and Mount
Sharpness: 9 Aberrations: 9 Bokeh: 7 Autofocus: 7 Handling: 9 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: K100D, K70, K1ii

Had bought this lens primarily for use on my APS-C Bodies which worked extremely well but was pleasantly surprised with how well it worked on the K1 in Full Frame Mode.
Vignette is very mild at F-1.8 to F-4 and blended very well with any bokeh to become almost invisible
Vignette was almost non existent at F-5.6 to F-16 but became more pronounced above that point but still not terribly bad

Conclusion: If you have this Nifty 50 in your bag alongside your K1. Try it in full frame you will be impressed

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (15)

Jonathan Mac

Pentaxian


Registered:April,2009

Location:Madrid, Spain

Posts:11,300

3 users found this helpful

Review Date: February 9, 2021 Recommended |Price:$65.00 |Rating:8

Pros: Lightweight, compact, very fast AF, nice image quality, pleasant to use
Cons: Plastic, AF unreliable below f/2.8, bokeh could be smoother

For a few years I had the other cheap plastic Pentax prime, the 35/2.4, and never took to it. Focus was totally unreliable and it wasn't sharp below f/2.8, negating it's advantages over the 35/2.8 Limited. The 50/1.8 though, is a different kettle of fish. The lens is light but build quality is decent enough and it feels good to use.

Autofocus is very fast but, at least on the K-3, is not too reliable at apertures wider than f/2.8, leading to missed focus on a lot of shots. When focus is right, the lens is pretty sharp even wide open and improves progressively to f/2.8 where it's extremely sharp and good for portraits. Beyond that I really haven't tested critically but it's very sharp. Bokeh is good enough but not the smoothest available.

Image quality overall is very nice. For portraits or other subject-isolation shots f/2.8 provides excellent sharpness and a decently de-focused background. If you have time to take several shots and ensure good focus then wider apertures will isolate more, though sharpness will decrease. Colours and rendering are nice and the lens is pretty good at giving a 3D rendering to images. Wide open, if you can get accurate focus, contrast is low but sharpness is sufficient though not great, but it's a good look for some types of image. Colours are vibrant without being cartoonish and contrast is very good.

The lens looks good on the camera and feels good to use, despite it's low weight. The front element is significantly well recessed for a hood to be unnecessary.

This is a fun little lens to use and I would recommend it as it can do a lot for the money. If you're considering adding this as a first prime in addition to the 18-55mm kit lens then this 50mm will give results that are far-and-away better at the focal length while letting in a lot more light.

I also have the FA 43mm Limited and the big differences are build quality, the 43mm is a bit sharper at apertures below f/2.8, and the 50/1.8 has better 3D and overall rendering. Yes, the little plastic 50/1.8 is better than the FA Limited.

I've used this on film but haven't scanned anything yet so can't comment on it's performance, but it is nice to use on a Z1 or SFXn.

Some sample images:

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (18)
On the roof
by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (19)
Fujifilm 'industrial' colour negative 400
by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (20)
Moo
by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (21)
Colours of solidarity
by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (22)
Wall boot
by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (23)
Lashes
by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

Buntzbooze

Forum Member


Registered:October,2018

Posts:60

2 users found this helpful

Review Date: January 23, 2021 Recommended |Price:$100.00 |Rating:9

Pros: Lightweight, very sharp
Cons: Noisy autofocus
Sharpness: 9 Aberrations: 9 Bokeh: 9 Autofocus: 9 Handling: 10 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: K70 KP

Can't fault this lens. The image quality for the price is hard to beat. One thing I like is that the front element is quite deeply recessed into the body of the lens so there is little need for a hood, which adds to the compact nature of this little prime. It's also very light, and the manual focus ring is actually very well dampened and pleasant to use. One downside is the rather noisy screwdrive autofocus, but it's a necessary compromise for the small size.

hjoseph7

Site Supporter


Registered:May,2014

Location:Minnesota

Posts:2,126

1 user found this helpful

Review Date: May 22, 2020 Recommended |Price:$100.00 |Rating:8

Pros: Cheap, fairly sharp
Cons: Lacks character, plastic
Sharpness: 8 Aberrations: 8 Bokeh: 7 Autofocus: 8 Handling: 7 Value: 9 New or Used: New Camera Used: Pentax K5 IIs

I retired this lens a few years ago and never looked back. Actually I'm not sure where I placed it but the funny thing is I don't miss it at all ? The reason why I say that is that to me, the lens lacked character. I know a lot of people rated this lens very high and maybe I just had a bad copy. However, I tested this lens against the 50 mm f1.7 and the Takumar 50 mm f1.4 (8 element) and this lens didn't stand a chance.

It couldn't even beat out my Takumar 55 mm f3.5. It's a good lens if you are on a budget and are just starting out it's just that there are better options out there like I just mentioned. The lens is sharp enough, it's just that the Pentax colors and rendition are not really there like in my other lenses. The Bokeh is "Meh", nothing to write home about. I took this lens out and tested in all sorts of lighting because I really wanted to like it. Once in a while I would get a keeper, but at other times the images just looked dull and lifeless. It was that inconsistency that made me move up to something better.

johnjbloomfield

New Member


Registered:October,2016

Posts:4

2 users found this helpful

Review Date: April 19, 2020 Recommended |Rating:N/A

Pros: Small, Light, Cheap, Good All Rounder, Bang For Buck
Cons: Noisey AF
Sharpness: 9 Aberrations: 9 Bokeh: 7 Autofocus: 8 Handling: 9 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: K-S2, K-3, K-1

Awesome little lens that even performs well on the K-1 - Some are put off by the plastic mount but I think that the weight saving in this lens that you can genuinely put in a coat pocket makes it worth the trade off.

My full review including Sample images on YourTube https://youtu.be/t5CfB1UUE0E

carabez

Pentaxian


Registered:July,2017

Location:Cinco de Mayo

Posts:830

5 users found this helpful

Review Date: March 23, 2020 Recommended |Price:$75.00 |Rating:10

Pros: Bokeh, Sharp, Cheap
Cons: No WR, No Metal Mount.

I have been experiencing many manual lenses: Takumar 1.4, A 1.4, A 1.7 and A 2.0; Carl Zeiss 50mm f2.8 and 3.5

This lens has fulfilled all my expectations for a very low price.

I think I could replace all vintage lenses with this gem... if you don't care about UNIKE bokeh in vintage lens.

For sure, the bokeh is a bit distracting, but by closing a click or two of the diaphragm the distracting disappears and really begins to shine.

Whoever decides to try it will not be mistaken: Modernity reflected in something as simple and cheap as this lens.

All samples at f1.8


Mirsad

New Member


Registered:August,2018

Posts:2

2 users found this helpful

Review Date: March 13, 2020 Recommended |Price:$100.00 |Rating:10

Pros: Inexpensive, Great rendition of colour, Sharp
Cons: Plastic build but expected for the price
Sharpness: 10 Aberrations: 9 Bokeh: 10 Autofocus: 9 Handling: 9 Value: 10 New or Used: New Camera Used: Km, K-01, K-50

I use this lens on the APS-c crop sensor bodies Km, K-01 and K-50. It works great as a portrait lens and short telephoto. 50mm on crop sensor is approximately 76 mm on full frame. Its aperture of f1.8 is great for low light situations. The compact size and light weight are a bonus. The pictures from this lens are sharp and the colour contrast is very pleasant.

Bertrand3000

Veteran Member


Registered:February,2019

Posts:2,007

Review Date: December 30, 2019 Recommended |Price:$130.00 |Rating:8

Pros: Light, Maximum Aperture, Bokeh
Cons: No distance scale, Classic autofocus, No hood
Sharpness: 8 Aberrations: 8 Bokeh: 10 Autofocus: 7 Handling: 8 Value: 9 New or Used: New Camera Used: Pentax K-S2

This lens is the second Plastic Fantastic (the first one being the DA 35 F2.4). This lens is very similar on the outside compared to the first Plastic Fantastic, but it is "improved" with its greater maximum aperture, front element being recessed when focused to infinity (lack of hood is less problematic), 7 rounded blades diaphragm, and center-pinch front cap.

Indeed, the F1.8 maximum aperture is the strongest point of this lens (which is also the cheapest Pentax lens available!). Pentax do not offer many lenses that can do F1.8. Add this with the 7 rounded blades aperture and you get really creamy bokeh ; it's the most interesting aspect of this lens, ideal for portraits, and this is a good thing since this lens is made for that usage.

Like the first Plastic Fantastic though, you have no distance scale, no quick-shift and no hood.

That said, as much as I love my DA 35 F2.4, this one is so-so for me. Image quality is good, but, to my eyes, subpar to both DA 35 F2.4 and DFA 50 Macro. The DA 50 closed down to F2.8 (more than 1 stop) has a lesser image quality than the DFA 50 Macro at F2.8 (wide open).

Still, I recommend this lens, since it is cheap and the DFA 50 Macro does not have such a beautiful bokeh nor such a high maximum aperture.

VILLAINofOZ

Veteran Member


Registered:January,2019

Location:Geelong, Australia

Posts:341

2 users found this helpful

Review Date: December 19, 2019 Recommended |Price:$68.00 |Rating:9

Pros: Lightweight, auto focus
Cons: doesn't seem solid enough

I decided to buy this lens because it was cheap on eBay and brand new in the box.
I didn't expect it to be as good a value for money.

Being lightweight is for me a big bonus.
I am used to using "M" & "A" 50mm lenses and this performs slightly better in my opinion.

SMC Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Reviews - DA Prime Lenses (2024)

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