| Author: | | New Member Registered: February, 2020 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: February 18, 2020 | Not Recommended | Price: $110.00
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Excellent 1.4 lens for its low price | | Cons: | Nothing | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Sony7RII
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Very pleased with the lens I didn't expect much from. I recommend! | | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2017 Posts: 2,029
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 17, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Good sharpness colour rendition build quality value | | Cons: | no A setting possibly | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3,KP,K1 ii
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I was looking for a fast 50mm for my K3, and after lots of research followed the advice from this thread.
First off it is a really well made lens - I think it must have been manufactured as a premium product. The focus and aperture rings behave exactly as they should. Nice compact lens too.
The IQ is just what a fast 50 should be - stopped down a little, as sharp as you could wish for. Colour rendition is great if a little on the cool side when compared with similar Pentax lenses. Not a problem as you can easily warm things up in post, and for some images the coolness is a definite plus.
Downsides are also what you would expect from a MF fast 50 - focusing can be difficult with modern screens but easy with old fashioned film bodies. You have to rely on the green button and manual mode for your metering as there is no A setting on the aperture ring, but this does not bother me.
Considering the lower price of this lens compared to Pentax equivalents there is no rational reason not to buy one of these if you are in the market for a fast 50 other than the lack of A setting, if that bothers you . And now a few pictures to show its capabilities   
UPDATE NOVEMBER 2021
A recent purchase of K1 ii has prompted me to go though my 50-55mm lenses for use on that camera. Honestly, if you do not mind MF and green button metering, this lens is as good on FF as it is on crop, other than some slight softness in the corners and edges at the wider apertures. Not all lenses behave the same on FF as they do on APSC regarding perceived resolution. This one though is very consistent on both formats. As such this increases the lens versatility so I have bumped my score for value upto a 10.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,879
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 16, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Compact, excellent image quality, superb build quality | | Cons: | Dreamy wide open | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3, Fujifilm X-M1
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I bought this lens quite cheaply having read a few reviews and I'm extremely happy with it. My copy is in almost mint condition.
The build quality and image quality are very similar to my M & K 50mm f/1.4 lenses and IQ is better than the (seven element) Takumar. The A-R is possibly slightly more dreamy wide open but I've managed to get some close-focus shots at f/1.4 which I really like and which look sharp enough for most purposes. Focus is very smooth and the aperture ring clicks nicely. Like the Pentax manual 50/1.4s there's no click between f/1.4 and f/2 but there is at f/2.4.
Wide open it's a bit dreamy, by f/2 it's significantly better, at f/2.4 it's very good and at f/2.8 it's very sharp. Beyond that it's super sharp. There's no unpleasant colour cast as with some third-party lenses and bokeh is generally superb.
Given that the image and build quality is virtually on a par with Pentax-made equivalents but it costs significantly less, I'd say this is possibly the best value 50mm f/1.4 manual lens around. Highly recommended.
Some sample shots, the first two taken wide open.
Leaf by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Auto Revuenon 50mm f/1.4 quinto de los molinos by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Auto Revuenon 50mm f/1.4 quinto de los molinos by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Auto Revuenon 50mm f/1.4 quinto de los molinos by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Auto Revuenon 50mm f/1.4 quinto de los molinos by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
Update - added some photos taken on film (Kodak T-Max 400 and scanned on an Epson V500). Any lack of sharpness is a result of the scanning, not the lens itself.
SFXn, T-Max 400 015a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
SFXn, T-Max 400 031a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
SFXn, T-Max 400 024a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
SFXn, T-Max 400 022a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2016 Location: Lower austria Posts: 9 | | Review Date: February 4, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $110.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Great lens for low light | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-30
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I got this lens used for € 100 a few months ago and have been using it regularily since.
At first i was a bit worried since I hadn't used a completely manual lens before, but after a short while getting used to a completely manual lens I was getting quite nice results. - This was made a lot easier with the Focus highlighting the K-30 has (especially in the beginning and on shorter distances).
Here are some test photos:
 | | | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: October, 2012 Location: Medina, OH Posts: 7,224 | | Review Date: December 9, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $75.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Dreamy at f 1.4, and quickly jumps to sharp at 2.0 and on. Manual focus is easy to use, and seems to hold focus well. | | Cons: | Flare is only moderately well controlled. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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I suspect that many Pentax users are like me and have way too many 50 mm lenses. It is easy to get a good 50 mm lens, and hard to use all of them that I have. This is a good one, quite sharp and excellent rendering. It sustains good sharpness across the image from corner to corner when used with my K-3, as one should expect with the crop sensor using the "best" part of the image circle. My loyalty to Pentax is questioned every time I pass over the M50 1.7 and the A50 1.7 and pick up this lens instead. This lens is made well, and is a pleasure to use from a tactile and mechanical standpoint. It would be nice if the flare were a little better controlled, but this lens was produced before today's coatings were developed. Mine is the 8-blade edition, and in nice condition. I use a longish hood on it to help control flare. I know I need to get rid of some of my 50 mm lens collection, about 12 in all, but this is one that I will not get rid of. At a price of $75 or below, the lens is well worth having. Its sharpness is equal or better than any other 50 in my collection except the D FA 50 mm f 2.8 macro, which possesses sharpness beyond ordinary requirements to the point that it is not easily usable for portraiture.
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2015 Location: Poland, Lublin Posts: 1 | | Review Date: September 11, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $62.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | The sharp, build quality, good price. | | Cons: | Lack of intermediate aperture values between 1.4 and 2 ;-) | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-5 II
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I can easily confirm, what others said about this lens. It's sharp from @2,8, beautiful bokeh, solid construction, vivid colors. Fine for taking pictures with distance rings. And the price ofc...!
Samples:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133399258@N08/albums/72157658485341901 | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2015 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: June 11, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $48.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp (more when stopped a little) versatile, good combo with FF Sony A7 | | Cons: | Drops from F1.4 to F2 when closed one step | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 5
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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Very sharp lens with Sony A7 full format camera. Nice Bokeh too.
Sharp enough at full aperture, better when stopped one step down, though it drops from F1.4 to F2 directly.
Got mine for 48 bucks, wondering whether it will not be challenging my SMC Pentax M 50 F1.7.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: December, 2013 Posts: 81 | | Review Date: February 8, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $65.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | A joy to use, very sharp images, a true competitor to SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.4 | | Cons: | None for me (not complaining about the thin focus field because it's a 1.4 lens) | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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I bought this lens for 1.4 aperture, at that time also having the excellent SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7.
My copy of this lens is in good condition; the only downside is that aperture ring is a little wobbling, but nothing serious or a reason to (really) complain.
I noticed that the bokeh of this lens in much smoother than the kind "nervous" bokeh that almost all Pentax lenses (that I own) have.
The sharpness is excellent, I find it to be sharper than both SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.7 and SMC Pentax-M 50mm F1.4 - the later bought just because the comments on this forum made me belive it's superior to this one (and it's not). Now I wonder if it's worth having two 1.4 50mm lenses, and the one who's maybe going to be sold it's not this one!
I certainly recommend this lens to everyone who like a good old manual focus lens.
Like all others reviewers said, it's a strong contender to every other 50mm Pentax lens out there.
When you find one, just buy it !
P.S. because a review of a lens is not very usefull without pictures, I'll post a few for now:
@1.4
https://www.flickr.com/photos/120508193@N05/16473874945/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/120508193@N05/22910226304/in/dateposted-public/
@5.6
https://www.flickr.com/photos/120508193@N05/16476115195/in/photostream/ | | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2012 Posts: 17
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 3, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Seems every bit as good as the Pentax-M f1.4 50mm, and is usually cheaper | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Samsung GX-20
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Mine was the 6 aperture blade version, with a rear element that appeared to be flat. The overall dimensions, and the handling, are very similar to the Pentax-M 50mm f1.4. It was just that the rear element of the Revuenon seemed a bit more prominent.
I didn't have this mint condition lens for long, since I bought it to give as a Christmas present. But before handing it over, I took a few shots, at f1.4 and f2, at the sort of distance that one might use for a portrait, to compare it with my Pentax-M 50mm f1.4.
I was impressed.
I used the same aggressive hood for both lenses. I have found that it gives an enormous benefit on the Pentax-M 50mm f1.4 at f1.4, and I am sure this must be the case also for the Revuenon, whose construction closely resembles the Pentax.
The Revuenon seems to be a bit longer than the Pentax.
The images were very similar in the middle of the frame.
However, the Revuenon images were far, far sharper, with better contrast, in the corners.
Fringes when they appeared were the same colour, but the Revuenon fringes were smaller.
I don't know whether the Pentax would have benefited in comparison from its 8 aperture blades if I had reduced the aperture further, but at f1.4 and f2 the Revuenon had a definite edge.
I handed it over on Christmas Day most reluctantly!
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: June, 2013 Posts: 4
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 14, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Good sharpness from f2.8, nice bokeh f1.4. | | Cons: | manual handling | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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Good bokeh in f1.4, Well-built, good half-length portrait lens.
 
Made at f1.4...
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2012 Location: Pamulang, Tangerang Posts: 1
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 11, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Quite sharp, Compact, Easy to handle | | Cons: | Flare at max | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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It's valuable lens overall. at 1.4 soft and low contras indeed, but still usable in some scenes.
at f2, this I love at medium range portraiture shot. The rest is similar like Pentax-M 50/1.4.
Just sample shot at max wide open, cropped 70%, using 550D, the rest is just it is..
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4717984601935&set=a.1185577653969.285...=photo_comment | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2012 Location: Kosice,Slovakia Posts: 440
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 23, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $90.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharpness, build quality, overal feel and look, price value | | Cons: | nothing found yet | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
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This is my first manual lens, i cant compare results with other manual lenses yet but i am very pleased with IQ and sharpness. I uploaded few images, unedited one and 100% crop as second image. You can inspect quality by yourself. Cropped image created from center of original image.
http://www.romansolarphotography.com/Photography/AutoRevuenon50mm/26109419_QsvMxB
- images taken with Pentax K-r and Revuenon 50mm f1.4
- color balance set to cloudy (within camera before shooting)
- Contrast and sharpness value within camera set to 2
- raw images opened with photoshop, no editing, no sharpening applied
- 100% crop created from original image and saved as jpeg quality level 11
- original image finally resized down to 1000px longest side and saved as jpeg quality level 11
- All images taken handheld
- Jenaer Glaswerk 49mm Cpl Filter used
- Use smugloupe for detailed inspection
- Click on photo to see it larger
- Sadly i did not write down F values during shooting. I used something between f2-f8. So not wide open
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2012 Posts: 6
1 user found this helpful
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: March, 2012 Location: Augsburg Posts: 26 | | Review Date: August 1, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | very sharp at f5.6, round bokeh still at f2.0 | | Cons: | soft wide open | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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Get it for 40€ in a very mind condition, really like new!
No signs of Use at all.
There are 2 versions (6 and 8 blades) the lens with 6 blades was in a kit with an old manual cam.
the 8 blade version was single sold.
this is the 8 blade version, very nice bokeh and at f5.6 its very sharp.
got an warm color touch overall.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: February, 2012 Posts: 41
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 28, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Built quality, sharpness from f2.8 to f11 | | Cons: | - | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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I'm french and my english is... ...
Very sharp from f2.8. well rendered colors. top impressions in the grip and excellent mechanical.
I'll post a picture as soon as possible.
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