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12-12-2010, 10:50 AM   #16
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I personally think the M40 is only worth it to a collector, really, but it does have a cool factor associated with it. I've heard the optics are not on par with the DA 40.

12-12-2010, 11:08 AM   #17
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I have the 43 Ltd and FA50/1.4.

When I am using one the other is out in the cold .... currently the 43 Ltd is on my camera more than any other (though over the course of the year it was the 10-20, but only because the World Expo was on here and that was the perfect lense for it).

Last edited by Frogfish; 12-13-2010 at 11:44 AM.
12-12-2010, 12:03 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by paperbag846 Quote
I personally think the M40 is only worth it to a collector, really, but it does have a cool factor associated with it. I've heard the optics are not on par with the DA 40.
I doubt that the optics are too far different, since it appears to be the same design.

For now, I guess I can accept a slightly larger body and use the DA40 with a Superprogram to get a 40mm on film perspective.
12-12-2010, 01:39 PM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by GeneV Quote
I doubt that the optics are too far different, since it appears to be the same design.

For now, I guess I can accept a slightly larger body and use the DA40 with a Superprogram to get a 40mm on film perspective.
it does seem to be the same design but some say that the shape of the rear element changed a bit. By side by side comparisons I've seen, the M40 is not shabby but not as good as DA40 in terms of OOF and sharpness. If you don't need aperture ring, than just slap your DA40 on film body, it'll work just fine (to clarify that it is if you have film camera capable of controlling the aperture).

as for the opinion that M40 is worth only for collectors, well, I don't think it's that bad... and as for the price? Well in UK they go for £75-£150... in other words, nowhere near that of DA40 used or new...

12-12-2010, 02:31 PM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by axl Quote
Well in UK they go for £75-£150... in other words, nowhere near that of DA40 used or new...
For that price, maybe. I've seen them go for more... closer to the DA 40 price, I believe due to their rarity. At a price like that, it would only be worth it to the collector IMHO.
12-12-2010, 04:06 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by paperbag846 Quote
For that price, maybe. I've seen them go for more... closer to the DA 40 price, I believe due to their rarity. At a price like that, it would only be worth it to the collector IMHO.
possibly a collectors' item but not worth the price they are going for right now. I have seen most nowadays even selling for more than the DA40. although rare, but not quite as rare as other excellent old Pentax primes which sometimes are sold cheaper.
12-12-2010, 04:46 PM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxor Quote
not quite as rare as other excellent old Pentax primes which sometimes are sold cheaper.
I would agree there. They are fairly different, but I would prefer a 50mm 1.7 or 1.4 over the M 40, personally.

PS Did not mean to disparage the FA 43 + K/A 50mm 1.2 set up... that looks to be the ultimate solution .

Sounds like a good life goal for me .

12-12-2010, 08:41 PM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by paperbag846 Quote
I would agree there. They are fairly different, but I would prefer a 50mm 1.7 or 1.4 over the M 40, personally.

PS Did not mean to disparage the FA 43 + K/A 50mm 1.2 set up... that looks to be the ultimate solution .

Sounds like a good life goal for me .
for me it would be the FA31 and 50/1.2. my preference for the FA31 over the FA43 is more on the focal length use that I'm accustomed to. too bad the FA31 isn't that so easy to purchase (expensive).
12-12-2010, 10:48 PM   #24
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Also unusual for a wide angle, but I prefer the shallow DOF shots with the 31 over the 43. The 31 is my dream lens (and will remain dream-only for a long, long time ).

However the 31 - 50 is a really reasonable spread. 15 - 31 - 50 - 77 or 85 would be incredibly flexible.

It's nice to dream .
12-13-2010, 12:28 AM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by paperbag846 Quote
Also unusual for a wide angle, but I prefer the shallow DOF shots with the 31 over the 43. The 31 is my dream lens (and will remain dream-only for a long, long time ).

However the 31 - 50 is a really reasonable spread. 15 - 31 - 50 - 77 or 85 would be incredibly flexible.

It's nice to dream .
I agree on 31-50-77. It's possibly the best middle section money can buy in K world (although some would dispute the long end here and propose A* or FA*85 instead) but the gap from 15 to 31 is HUGE (IMHO). Especially if you think of it as there is no f2 or faster lens below 31! And that is the achilles' heel of current Pentax line up. Why do I keep 43? The FOV suits me well and if you put 31+50 on one side of a scale and 43 on the other, you'll see where I'm coming from
12-13-2010, 07:06 AM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by GeneV Quote
I doubt that the optics are too far different, since it appears to be the same design.

For now, I guess I can accept a slightly larger body and use the DA40 with a Superprogram to get a 40mm on film perspective.
I have both and they're quite different imho. DA 40 is definitely the better lens; resolution, bokeh and color is much nicer; stopped down the DA version is not bad at all though. I can't use the M on my ME super so I don't really have a choice

I keep thinking I should go the same path suggested here as well (sell DA 40 and FA 50 and get FA 43), but reluctant because both of my copies are very good. Not sure if I'd risk it for a lens that I might not end up liking (I love DA 40, just warm to FA 50 on digital but it's indispensable on film bodies).

Last edited by Andi Lo; 12-13-2010 at 08:55 AM.
12-13-2010, 08:44 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by Andi Lo Quote
I have both and they're quite different imho. DA 40 is definitely the better lens bokeh and color is much nicer; stopped down the M version is not bad at all though. I can't use the M on my ME super so I don't really have a choice

I keep thinking I should go the same path suggested here as well (sell DA 40 and FA 50 and get FA 43), but reluctant because both of my copies are very good. Not sure if I'd risk it for a lens that I might not end up liking (I love DA 40, just warm to FA 50 on digital but it's indispensable on film bodies).
I doubt if selling the the DA40 would ever be part of the plan. The lightweight pancake on the K-x is so unique and useful that I would keep both the 43 and the 40.

I just ran a roll though the P5 with the DA40 attached and will scan tonight. I'll see how the program settings work out with that. I really like the FOV of the 40 on film, and I wonder how much difference the 3mm of the 43 would make. Oddly, I don't seem to own a 135 zoom that includes that FL right now.
12-13-2010, 08:52 AM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxor Quote
possibly a collectors' item but not worth the price they are going for right now. I have seen most nowadays even selling for more than the DA40. although rare, but not quite as rare as other excellent old Pentax primes which sometimes are sold cheaper.
B. Dimitrov's site maintains this lens is not particularly rare, and it was cheap when new. I tend to put the price of this lens in the same head-scratching basket as that of the K1000. I have used both many years ago (though I never actually owned the M40) but would not pay almost half the cost of a K5 for a good working combo of the two.
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