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 (93th percentile) 93th
- Strong user sentiment (92th percentile) 92th
- Strong social proof (83th percentile) 83th
Cons
- Below average bokeh (16th percentile)
- Below average aperture (25th percentile)
- Below average optical (26th 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 | 22 |
| Min Aperture | 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 | Canon RF RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM Macro | Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS | Tamron Di III-A 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD | Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR | Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 50mm | 28-70mm | 16-300mm | 18-300mm | 16-85mm | 28-200mm |
| Max Aperture | 22 | 2.8 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | f/3.5 | f/4 |
| Mount | Pentax K | Canon RF | Sony E | Fuji X | Nikon F | L-Mount |
| Stabilization | false | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | true | true | false | false | true |
| Weight (g) | 122 | 495 | 615 | 92 | 59 | 413 |
| AF Type | Autofocus | STM | HLA | VXD linear motor | AF-S | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | prime | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom | macro |
| 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 | 55.1 | 16.3 | 92.6 | 55.3 | 25.9 | 25.4 | 91.6 | 34 | 83.2 | 35.8 |
| Canon RF RF28-70mm F2.8 IS STM Macro Compare | 86 | 88.2 | 67 | 77.7 | 84.5 | 86 | 98.6 | 77.4 | 52.9 | 98.2 |
| Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Compare | 55.1 | 86.6 | 57.6 | 86.7 | 98.9 | 79.9 | 0 | 99.6 | 78.1 | 99 |
| Tamron Di III-A 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD Compare | 98.2 | 78 | 96.2 | 88.6 | 73.5 | 79.9 | 30.3 | 99.2 | 83.2 | 80.7 |
| Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Compare | 55.1 | 78 | 98.5 | 59.9 | 64.2 | 79.9 | 81.4 | 94.2 | 88.1 | 92.3 |
| Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 Compare | 55.1 | 80.8 | 73.5 | 71.7 | 90.9 | 74.5 | 0 | 95.6 | 62.7 | 99.4 |
Usage Scores
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.
