Originally posted by abieleck This is the route that I took, not only because I wanted a fast 23mm (35mm) focal length, but I also wanted a more compact camera to accompany my K5. All of the options mentioned above sound great and I'm sure they perform well, but I wanted a small fast normal focal length for more candid shots....which is hard to do if the lens is massive. The camera itself is gorgeous, nice to have the shutter/aperture dials. It performs very well at higher ISO's, is crazy quiet, and is a lot of fun to use. I still shoot my Pentax system for most occasions but the X100 is great to take on a street walk or to the bar w/ friends. Plus while it isn't a 1:1, the macro feature is pretty handy. It is quirky as I'm sure you have read and the autofocus isn't lightning fast but it has worked for me. If you are looking to catch fast action you probably won't be using a 23mm-24mm focal length anyway. If you buy a grey market one make sure that it is still under warranty or it has a new lens, as you could encounter "sticky" aperture blades which need replacing.....I did.
I wish Pentax would come out with a 23mm f/2 DA Ltd pancake lens the size of the 40mm Ltd...while I love the 21mm Ltd it is a bit too wide/slow for some situations. In fact I was hoping the K-01 would be similar to the X100/X-Pro 1, and rangefinder style that I could use my pancake Ltd's....but anyway. That would be my suggestion.
Here is a few photos with my X100 if you care to take a look.
Fuji X100 - a set on Flickr
Good luck on your hunt!
Thanks, I really, really wish Pentax would make faster lenses on the wide end. My widest lens right now is an FA35, which I love dearly, but I do need something wider. DA21 is not fast enough, though close, I guess. DA15 is too slow, then a whole bunch of things in between, all mostly very slow. Meanwhile, some of the APS pancakes for MILC are already there with fast, wider lenses, or they are built on.
With a used X100, since I'm in the EU, warranties transfer for two years, which is why I mentioned that above. I'm not a huge bokeh fan, preferring slightly weaker bokeh, but it's nice that it has an ND filter so I can get it during the day.