[trevorgrout]

Thanks for all the feedback. I have the kit lens with the k-x. I got the DA 55 -300mm (which I love). I also have an old A50mm F2 my wife (yes she actually supported my LBA got at a garage sale for dirt cheap. I am noticing that the prime is pretty soft wide open, but it takes some pretty good portraits.

So of course I want another lens....I was thinking of replacing the 18-55 with a faster zoom...there are some options from third party and from pentax. Or I could get a limited prime (seems to be a big reason why people choose pentax).

Obviously I love the convenience of the zooms...but if the prime can take that much better pictures than the zooms...then I will just get the DA 40 for now and then just keep the kit lens when I need zoom. But if the picture quality is about the same between prime and zoom then why not upgrade my zoom.

Anyhow, I promised my wife this would be my last lens of the year. So I will have to get a lens that will keep me occupied till Jan 1!!

[kevinschoenmakers]

Thanks for all the feedback. I have the kit lens with the k-x. I got the DA 55 -300mm (which I love). I also have an old A50mm F2 my wife (yes she actually supported my LBA got at a garage sale for dirt cheap. I am noticing that the prime is pretty soft wide open, but it takes some pretty good portraits.

So of course I want another lens....I was thinking of replacing the 18-55 with a faster zoom...there are some options from third party and from pentax. Or I could get a limited prime (seems to be a big reason why people choose pentax).

Obviously I love the convenience of the zooms...but if the prime can take that much better pictures than the zooms...then I will just get the DA 40 for now and then just keep the kit lens when I need zoom. But if the picture quality is about the same between prime and zoom then why not upgrade my zoom.

Anyhow, I promised my wife this would be my last lens of the year. So I will have to get a lens that will keep me occupied till Jan 1!!

The A50mm f2 is a somewhat poor example of how good primes can be. In its day it was the equivalent of a budget zoom nowadays: A cheap-as-possible lens you got when you bought your camera.

Taking a stab at one of Pentax's 'limited' primes is never a bad decision (well, hardly ever). Though, be sure you choose a prime that fits your photography well (and not just the one that's cheapest). If you find you don't like taking pictures at 40mm then, well, you can't really zoom in or out.

[Rondec]

This (I guess) is a zoom versus prime question. I personally like primes better (due to small size, good image quality), but end up using zooms more (due to more flexibility). So, while I might rather use the DA 40 as a walk around len, I end up using my DA 16-50 more because it is much more flexible. Truthfully, that is the lens that I have on my camera 80 percent of the time. It is really solid through the middle of its range -- just really good image quality.

I wouldn't worry too much. If you don't like the DA 40, you can always sell it down the road without too much loss...

[dadipentak]

Thanks for all the feedback. I have the kit lens with the k-x. I got the DA 55 -300mm (which I love). I also have an old A50mm F2 my wife (yes she actually supported my LBA got at a garage sale for dirt cheap. I am noticing that the prime is pretty soft wide open, but it takes some pretty good portraits.

So of course I want another lens....I was thinking of replacing the 18-55 with a faster zoom...there are some options from third party and from pentax. Or I could get a limited prime (seems to be a big reason why people choose pentax).

Obviously I love the convenience of the zooms...but if the prime can take that much better pictures than the zooms...then I will just get the DA 40 for now and then just keep the kit lens when I need zoom. But if the picture quality is about the same between prime and zoom then why not upgrade my zoom.

Anyhow, I promised my wife this would be my last lens of the year. So I will have to get a lens that will keep me occupied till Jan 1!!

Oh, well, since you have the 18-50mm and 55-300mm, I definitely think it's time for a prime and the DA 40mm (or FA 43mm ;~) would be a good choice if that's a FL you like.