I was just getting ready to purchase the 40mm ltd. when I saw the XS. Based on the specs on both at the Pentax site, the guts are identical (including both having SP coating) except for:
- The XS is plastic (v. ltd. metal)
- The XS is smaller and lighter
- The XS has a press-on lens cap (v. the ltd screw cap) - note: Perhaps the 40mm ltd. owners out there can purchase this cap aftermarket v. using their 135 fujifilm cap
- The XS is less expensive
- The XS has some serious "world-famous" designer mojo
Not apparent on the Pentax site:
- The XS is listed as having "rounded" aperture blades (but wouldn't the 40mm ltd. also have rounded - I say "curved" - blades? The FA 31mm ltd. and other FA ltd's, for example, do have curved - perhaps not "rounded"? - blades although it doesn't state that on the site; and the 31's bokeh is just fiiiiiiine) Can anyone out there with a DA 40mm ltd. please confirm if it at least has curved blades? Of course, anyone else let me know if I am off here. I'm all confused with the "rounded" v. my term "curved".
- The XS is not listed as having Quick-Shift v. the 40mm ltd. which does.
- The XS manual focus is more smooth - from comments.
Anything else? Can you see I'm trying to make a decision here?