I have to admit… this little write up stumped me.

Initially, this was meant to be a review of the smc Pentax-FA 50mm F1.4 “Classic” which was re-released alongside a HD variant, both announced in May and finally available in July 2023. However, as I started shooting and dug deeper into the lens itself, I wonder what more could be said about a lens that has been around since 1991 with the 2023 contemporaries sharing a very similar optical formula.

So let’s take a look at some film and digital images, and see how the flares fare…

THE DIVERGING DUO

Let’s take a quick dive into the two simultaneous releases and their features:

HD PENTAX-FA 50mm F1.4

  • HD coating delivers clear, high contrast images
  • New exterior design matches the latest DSLRs (note the textured focusing barrel and the green ring which signifies HD coating)
  • Round bokeh with circular diaphragm
  • Superior ghost control in backlit situations

SMC PENTAX-FA 50mm F1.4 “CLASSIC”

  • Optically tuned to produce unique rainbow flares
  • Retro housing design and nostalgic matte finish
  • Clean image output once stopped down to F/4
  • Includes a 49mm ND16 filter, for achieving rainbow flares in bright conditions

THE “NEW” OLD LENS

For this post, and to appease my love of character-driven lenses, let’s focus on the “classic” variant:

The two new 50mm lenses side by side, showing off the external differences.
The ND16 filter that comes included with the “classic” variant.

TEST DRIVING ON A FILM BODY

With my only digital Pentax DSLR camera is the APSC sensor K3 mkIII, I decided to send the “classic” on its first shoot on my trusty MZ60 loaded with a roll from the archives, Fujichrome Provia 400X.

As the fastest shutter speed of the 2002 model MZ60 maxes out at 1/2000, the ND16 filter is a welcome inclusion for the lens.

Let’s take a look to see how this lens performs for the first time with Taylor (Insta: @milkdoves):

Not bad for its first rodeo, but lets attempt some rainbow flares:

With the sun right behind @milkdoves, its amazing what a small step back can make in terms of the flare dominating the frame. However, you will need to meter before the viewfinder gets washed out with hard light.

DIGITAL DAILY DRIVING ON THE APSC K3MIIII

Having now satiated my curiosity on the retro aesthetic of the above analogue pairing, it was time to give the “classic” a good run on the latest Pentax body. Not so much flare chasing, but being a tourist in my own city and seeing how the retro optical design and coatings hold up in everyday use in a variety of scenes:

BOKEH BALLS?!

Bokeh balls from LED lights, taken with the Pentax SMC 50mm Classic lens
You could have almost mistaken this image as having been taken with a Trioplan lens.

Taking a look the OOF specifically now, we can probably guess the adjustments on the formula for the enhanced rainbow flare. The bokeh balls in the shot above exhibit a ring in what’s otherwise called “bubble bokeh”, an effect of over corrected spherical aberration. This explains the painterly feel in the out of focus areas in the previous daily example photos. Perhaps it is this adjustment that intensifies the rainbow flare.

AND SOME DIGITAL PORTRAITS…

Carrying the new “Classic” to a studio shoot, the retro flaws such as chromatic aberration are much more pronounced due to the white background contrasting with the leaves, however the softness is quite flattering…

Danielle (Insta: @mmwaih)

The above images were only slightly adjusted with minor colour grading in Capture One, no optical corrections have been applied to remove the chromatic aberration.

FINAL MUSINGS

After testing this lens for a few weeks, I really didn’t know what more I could add to the abundance of existing reviews based on the original model, so maybe I’ll talk about the “why”. I often find myself reaching for vintage lenses (you can probably tell from my prior reviews or portfolio) for a less clinical rendering. For this release, the inherent “flaws” of the smc Pentax-FA 50mm F/1.4 Classic may seem counter intuitive compared to contemporary optical designs. However, in use I find it relatively inoffensive and adds to the charm.

It may serve a stylistic choice when emulating a “look” for a shoot, era-specific concepts may require period correct optical designs for visual coherency. As time progresses, original lenses fall out of circulation, and prices on the second-hand market slowly climb. There are now lens manufacturers re-releasing older optical designs with modern production methods; such as Meyer Optik Goerlitz, Light Lens Lab and now Pentax… leading to higher quality, tolerances and hopefully longevity. This is good for the artists, as some of these iconic renderings should be preserved and these new releases allow a new generation to capture with stylistic intention, at an accessible price point with the assurances of reliability and warranty.