Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm

Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm

Pentax
45 Overall Score
vs
Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm

Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm

Nikon
97 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm

82 out of 100 medium confidence 19 reviews

The Pentax 50mm f/2.8 macro lens is widely praised for its sharpness, color reproduction, and value for money. Users find it excellent for macro work, general photography, and digitizing documents or artwork. Common criticisms include autofocus hunting in live view and a focus ring that rotates continuously, which some find unusual. Overall, it is considered a compact, high-quality lens that performs well above its price point.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Great color reproduction
  • Excellent value for money
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Versatile for macro and general use
Cons
  • Autofocus hunts in live view
  • Focus ring rotates continuously
  • Plastic barrel instead of metal
  • Narrow depth of field at wide aperture
  • Learning curve for close-up focusing
👍 Sharpness 8
👍 Value for money 6
👎 Autofocus performance 4
🤔 Build quality 4
👍 Color reproduction 3
👍 Versatility 3

Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm

85 out of 100 low confidence 9 reviews

This Nikon 18-55mm lens is widely praised for its sharpness, light weight, and excellent value for money, especially as a kit lens. Users highlight its vivid colors and quiet autofocus, though some note the plastic build feels fragile and the barrel can wobble at extended focal lengths. Overall, it's considered a fantastic starter lens that outperforms its modest price point.

Pros
  • Sharp image quality
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Excellent value for money
  • Vivid color reproduction
  • Quiet autofocus
Cons
  • Plastic build feels fragile
  • Barrel wobbles at extended focal lengths
  • No image stabilization
  • Loose tolerances can affect focus
👍 Image quality 6
🤔 Build quality 4
👍 Value for money 5
👍 Weight and portability 4
👍 Autofocus performance 3
👎 Image stabilization 2

Scores

Street
Pentax
40
Nikon
91
Budget
Pentax
39
Nikon
90
Macro
Pentax
63
Nikon
89
Travel
Pentax
42
Nikon
86
Portrait
Pentax
24
Nikon
83
Video Cinema
Pentax
34
Nikon
77
Wildlife Sports
Pentax
31
Nikon
71
Landscape
Pentax
35
Nikon
70
Professional
Pentax
37
Nikon
70

Specifications

Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mmNikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm
Optics
Typemacrozoom
Focal Length Min50 mm18 mm
Focal Length Max50 mm55 mm
Elements87
Groups75
Aspherical Elements02★
ED Elements01★
CoatingsmcSuper Integrated Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/32f/3.5
Min Aperturef/2.83.5-5.6
Constant✓★✗
Diaphragm Blades8★7
Build
MountPentax KNikon F
Formatfull-frame★APS-C
Weather Sealed✗—
Weight0.26 kg0.20 kg★
Filter Thread49 mm55 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocuspulse stepping motor★
Stabilization✗✓★
Stabilization Stops—4 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm55 mm★
Max Magnification1:1★—

Pros & Cons

Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm

  • Strong macro (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong build (78th percentile)
  • Strong social proof (75th percentile)
  • Below average aperture (5th percentile)5th %ile
  • Below average bokeh (6th percentile)6th %ile
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm

  • Strong macro (95th percentile)95th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile

Pricing

Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm is €295 cheaper (2.9x less).

Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm0.100score per dollar
vs
Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm0.627score per dollar

Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm offers 6.3x better value for money

Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm

Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm

Verdict

★ Winner: Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm

Scores 97 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.

Nikon NIKKOR 20059 18-55mm Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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