Pentax DA 50mm f/1.8 50mm
An f/1.8 aperture and built-in stabilization make this a versatile 122g prime for Pentax APS-C cameras, offering sharp portraits with smooth bokeh. Its affordable price and 4.6/5 customer rating across 5,328 reviews highlight its value for budget-conscious photographers. Best for Pentax DSLR owners seeking a lightweight, fast standard lens for portraits and low-light shots.
Snapshot
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong build (94th percentile) 94th
- Strong user sentiment (91st percentile) 91st
- Strong social proof (83rd percentile) 83rd
Cons
- Below average bokeh (15th percentile)
- Below average aperture (23rd percentile)
- Below average optical (33rd percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
What owners think
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
- Q3 201595/100
Buyers praise the lens for excellent sharpness, consistent across the frame, and great value. Some note plastic build but find it robust. Minor issues: color fringing wide open, loud screw-drive AF, and no QuickShift.
- Excellent sharpness, especially from f2.8 to f8, with consistent edge performance.
- Plastic build and mount feel robust but lack premium materials; acceptable at this price.
- Autofocus is accurate but loud due to screw-drive; hunts in low light.
- No QuickShift, aperture ring, or distance markings; some color fringing wide open.
- Q4 201395/100
Buyers praised the lens as excellent value, sharp, and lightweight, ideal for amateurs and portraits. Minor noise and narrow focal length noted.
- Excellent value for money, great image quality and sharpness.
- Lightweight and good build quality, suitable for everyday use.
- 50mm focal length is narrow, better for portraits than general use.
- Autofocus is a bit loud, but not a dealbreaker.
Based on 63 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Prime |
| Focal Length Min | 50 |
| Focal Length Max | 50 |
| Elements | 6 |
| Groups | 5 |
| Coating | SP Coating |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | f/1.8 |
| Constant | Yes |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 |
Build
| Mount | Pentax K |
| Format | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | No |
| Weight | 0.1 kg / 0.3 lbs |
| Filter Thread | 52 |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | Autofocus |
| Stabilization | No |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 451 |
| Max Magnification | 1:6.67 |
vs Competition
| Spec | Pentax DA 50mm f/1.8 50mm | Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 VXD G2 | Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR | Panasonic LUMIX S S-R2060 | Sigma Art 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art | Viltrox WCL-X100VI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 50mm | 28-75mm | 16-50mm | 20-60mm | 28mm | 9mm |
| Max Aperture | f/22 | f/2.8 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | f/1.4 | f/2.8 |
| Mount | Pentax K | Sony E | Nikon Z | L-Mount | Nikon F | Fujifilm X |
| Stabilization | false | false | true | false | false | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | true | false | true | true | false |
| Weight (g) | 122 | 540 | 135 | 350 | 865 | 130 |
| AF Type | Autofocus | VXD | Stepping Motor | stepping motor | HSM | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | prime | zoom | zoom | zoom | prime | wide-angle |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | AF | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | User Sentiment | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pentax DA 50mm f/1.8 50mm | 54.6 | 14.5 | 94.1 | 59.3 | 33.1 | 22.6 | 90.8 | 33.6 | 83.1 | 38 |
| Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 VXD G2 Compare | 54.6 | 88.1 | 67.2 | 87.3 | 87.8 | 85.8 | 80.4 | 78.2 | 83.1 | 38 |
| Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR Compare | 87 | 77.8 | 91.8 | 42.4 | 71.5 | 79.8 | 0 | 82.9 | 73.7 | 94.9 |
| Panasonic LUMIX S S-R2060 Compare | 87 | 86.1 | 80.6 | 66.2 | 76.4 | 79.8 | 0 | 81.5 | 64.9 | 38 |
| Sigma Art 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Compare | 54.6 | 96.8 | 45.8 | 74.5 | 96.6 | 96.9 | 80.4 | 33.6 | 59.2 | 38 |
| Viltrox WCL-X100VI Compare | 54.6 | 83.5 | 92.7 | 99.2 | 3.6 | 85.8 | 63.3 | 33.6 | 87.9 | 83.2 |
Price
Value & Pricing
B&H Photo 1 offer From CA$161
Amazon.ca 1 offer From CA$186
Price History
Usage Scores
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.
