Pentax-M 50mm 1.4 with Leica M10

[raid]

I used the M10 with an adapted Pentax-M 50mm 1.4 the past two days. The lens is a joy to use. It is sharp and the colors look very good too with the M10 without any PS applied.
Here is a link to the images: https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize...50mm14-OCT2021

 

[p.giannakis]

Lovely colours, the Pentax-M 50mm 1.4 is a brilliant lens. I regret selling mine.

 

[raid]

Thanks. I use this lens as often as possible. Focusing with it is a snap, and it gives such lovely looking images. I took 9 snapshots, and I posted each image above.

 

[raid]

 

[raid]

I took out the M10 with the 50m 1.4 Pentax-M this morning. We had wonderful fall weather. No fall colors in the trees, but a very dark blue sky and reflections in the sea water,

 

[PRJ]

I still have mine too Raid. It is a great lens. Easily one of the best 50s ever made. I don't have an M10 to use it on though otherwise I'd post some pics.

 

[Monz]

Hi Raid. Which adapter are you using?

 

[raid]

No adapter is used here. The lens was modified by Roland (Federer) for someone at RFF, and I bought it from him. The Pentax mount was changed to Leica M mount. Roland posted in detail about the conversion.

 

[Monz]

No adapter is used here. The lens was modified by Roland (Federer) for someone at RFF, and I bought it from him. The Pentax mount was changed to Leica M mount. Roland posted in detail about the conversion.

Ok thanks. Is it rangefinder coupled?

 

[raid]

I still have mine too Raid. It is a great lens. Easily one of the best 50s ever made. I don't have an M10 to use it on though otherwise I'd post some pics.

I heard that the Olympus OM 50 1.4 is also a great 50mm lens. I think that the Canon 50 1.4 is an excellent lens overall. Some of these SLR 50mm lenses do not have a nice looking OOF bokeh.

 

[Ronald M]

I had 3 or 4 of these new . All looked ok for color, sharpness ok from 2.8 or 4 to 11. Not a one was even decent at 1.4 or 2.0.

All looked like garbage in monochrome when I tried for YEARS to match what I saw in the sample books at the photo store. We moved in 1976 and had a neighbor who had a large wedding business and he provided Leicas to all his photographers. He loaned me a M3 and Summicron Rigid and I took one roll. It was from my 100 foot master roll of Plus X and same developer I always used, Microdol x 1:3. THEY MATCHED THE SAMPLE BOOK EFFORTLESSLY. The Pentaxes and a dozen lenses were soon replaced.

I ran across a 125 mm Hector 2.5 and bought it. First try was an adaption to Pentax . Random pic were made at a party in the middle of a roll of slides. It was no problem picking out the Hector frames from the rest.

I must say why do people get so excited over Pentax. I tried some Zeiss and it was better than Pentax and close to Leica but not the same.

 

[raid]

I have tried at least 30 RF 50mm lenses so far, and having an SLR 50mm lens for RF photography is icing on the cake. Each lens has a different profile and it shows certain characteristics. I love using my Rigid Summicron 50/2, and also the 50/2.8 Schneider from the Retina camera (in M mount). They are different. The J-3 is an excellent lens when properly shimmed, as is the grandfather of the J-3, the Zeiss Jena 5cm/1.5. The same applies to the J-8 and the Zeiss Jena 5cm/2. We explore different lenses to (hopefully) identify different possibilities. I find the Pentax-M that I happen to own and use to be a very capable 50mm lens for my digital M cameras. The most important factor (for me) when I use a lens is to have in the end images with beautiful rendering. I never check with any "sample book". I have to like the results and not the sample book.

 

[PRJ]

I've used tons of 50s too and the only thing on par is the Zeiss Planar. I have no doubt that the Summilux is there too but I dont' have one of those. All lenses are different in little ways though. You just gotta go with what you like.

 

[raid]

Some people swear by the latest Summicron versions 50/2 as the best 50mm lenses around. The Rigid Summicron has high resolution but medium contrast. The Summilux 50 1.4 seems to be highly regarded too. Supposedly, the Nikon Millenium 50 1.4 has similar characteristics to the Summilux.