[nater]

I agree on the A50mm F/2. It might not be the best but it is a remarkable piece of glass for the money. I used it for my single in Sept challenge and was shocked at what this throwaway could do. I think that anyone wanting to try manuals should just get one of these for 20 bucks and seriously use it for a week or two.

The A 50mm f/2.0 was my first SLR lens, and I always took it for granted, until a few years ago I shot some macro photos on my K200D with extension tubes with the lens fully open, and was blown away by the color, contrast, and resolution. I realized I had seriously underestimated what the lens could do most of my life.

[yeatzee]

To me, the best of the best must have a certain *feel* to them.... that certain indescribable quality. This does not always mean they are necessarily the sharpest, have the best bokeh, etc. however.

For me, the best of the best really depends on the category of photography also.

So...

for macro photography, the best of the best in Pentax land IMO is the.....
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PENTAX M 50mm F/1.7 Im convinced its the sharpest lens I own for macro work bar none.
LARGE photo: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1255/5104954877_cbe58dfaa8_o.jpg

for portrait photography, the best in my arsenal is the.....
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The wonderful Pentax M 85mm F/2. I've already expressed my love for this lens enough, so i'll spare all of you What I will say is that it has something all of my other lenses do not.... I will call it pixie dust for lack of a better word


Overall though, the best of the best Pentax lens I own would have to be the K 50mm F/1.2. It is by far my most versatile lens, and is the first I grab when going out, no matter the occasion. If im just planning on hanging with friends I'll bring it, if its portraits well F/1.2 does make things interesting, if its landscapes this lens is about as sharp as they come when stopped down, etc. etc.

Honorable mention:
#1 - F 135mm F/2.8: An amazing lens, with stupidly fast AF and fantastic image quality. I have not used it enough however to call it my best of the best

the rest are all *ok* for various personal and/or technical reasons

[Zav]

My best experiences so far with Pentax are the all rounder FA31, the tele DA300 and the monstruous FA*600.

[SpecialK]

I'm trying to determine whether there is a joke here, is that real english?

I believe it is Haigspeak, named after Alexander Haig, an Army general, Chief of Staff for President Nixon, and Secretary of State under President Reagan. Immediately after Reagan was shot and the Vice-President was in transit, Haig famously and erroneously said "I'm in charge, here."

[pickles]

I think you'd have to go a long way to beat the Tak 1.4.
A 1.2 would be fine, ( I used to own an "A" 1.2) but in most situations the 1.4 is just as good, & sometimes better.
"K" 200 2.5 would also be hard to beat.
If we're talking zooms, then I thought the "A"70/210 was brilliant.
Cheers, Pickles.

[Ex Finn.]

A50-1.7, A70-210 f4 and DA* 60-250, in that order, I can pick 3, right.
Both A`s make the K7 output look fantastically natural and warm.

[Ron Kruger]

DA 15mm Limited.

[robbiec]

The underrated goodness that is the K55 f1.8, I sold it when I got the FAs 43, 50 f1.4 and 77 but dammit if I missed it too much, so I had to get another

[Blue]

Three D FA Primes for the Macro-Kings Under the Sky,
Five DA Limited Primes for the APS-C Lords with Their Crop Sensors,
Three FA Limited Primes for the Discerning Masters,
One Lens for the Low Light Lord (A* 85/1.4),
In the Land of Images Where the Shadows Lie,
One Lens to Rule them the All (FA 31 LTD), And One lens to Find Them (FA* 600/4),
One Lens to bring With Them (DA 35 LTD), and in the Low Light Find Them (A 50/1.2),
In the Land of Images where the Shadows Lie







O.k. So I'm not a poet.

[bilybianca]

I don't understand the question. If it was "what P&S camera is the best?" I'd understand it, but as were talking of exchangeable lens systems I don't.
Which veichle is the better, a Porsche or a Scania bus? Well, maybe it depends on wether you want to impress on a chick down on the club or you want to bring a football team to a match.
The A*-series is hard to beat when it comes to optical and build quality. But my F* 300 has AF...
The FA 35mm had an unbeatable price/performance ratio before the lens price hike, I still consider it the best of my shorter lenses. But I've never tried a FA 31mm Limited...
So my answer to the original question would be that with Pentax, you can find a dream lens for any FL between 10mm and 1200mm. That's why we have the LBA...

Kjell

[jopenmx]

From my experiences among the Pentax lenses used :

K 28 f/3,5 = K 28 f/2, FA 31 ltd. , and FA 50 f/1,4

[Damian]

Three D FA Primes for the Macro-Kings Under the Sky,
Five DA Limited Primes for the APS-C Lords with Their Crop Sensors,
Three FA Limited Primes for the Discerning Masters,
One Lens for the Low Light Lord (A* 85/1.4),
In the Land of Images Where the Shadows Lie,
One Lens to Rule them the All (FA 31 LTD), And One lens to Find Them (FA* 600/4),
One Lens to bring With Them (DA 35 LTD), and in the Low Light Find Them (A 50/1.2),
In the Land of Images where the Shadows Lie







O.k. So I'm not a poet.

No not a poet, but definitly a lord of the rings geek. don't worry, so am I.

[Shutter-bug]

Friendly Bump on topic