[Jonathan Mac]

I think from what you have the DAL 35/2.4 is the best choice, but you would do well to also include the kit lens for the added flexibility of the focal range.

[treetop flyer]

I realised you don't own it, but I thought that you were asking for suggestions of lenses you might buy - such as the DA 35, 2.4.

I have that lens too, and can certainly recommend it. But if keeping your kit as small as possible is important, I'd go for the 40mm instead - so that you can take the kit lens and the prime. And the XS version isn't that much more expensive than the 35mm.

I see what you were saying...that's good advice. I hadn't really even considered the 40mm XS until you mentioned it. Looking at images of that lens mounted on a K5, I realize how small it really is. Amazing.

Thanks again, I've got two weeks to decide!

[mgvh]

I'm voting for the DA 18-135. I spent a month in Israel, and about 80% of my shots were with that lens. (About 15% were with my lovely Sigma 10-20 and the rest were with the DAL 55-300 or macro shots.) Shots were a mix of landscapes, architecture, people, objects... I did one trip primarily with the DA 16-45, and, while it is a very nice lens, I just had too many shots in the 50-80mm range. The 18-135 is quite light and small (and WR) for its range. My copy gets a little soft longer than 110mm, but it is particularly good in the 24-100mm range.

[hchan]

I see what you were saying...that's good advice. I hadn't really even considered the 40mm XS until you mentioned it. Looking at images of that lens mounted on a K5, I realize how small it really is. Amazing.

Thanks again, I've got two weeks to decide!

BTW, it looks like both the 40mm XS and the 35mm are still on special at Adorama. So either one would be under $200, with the 35mm being slightly cheaper.

[nanhi]

We were in Spain last August/September, and a 10-20 mm WA lens is a must. My AL II Kit lens was pretty much useless capturing those magnificent churches and plazas from the narrow European streets. Could not capture the full church view from across the road even in vertical orientation with my kit lens - see samples from Zaragoza and Barcelona. This is more so true in Italy where the streets are still narrower and the monuments gigantic.
Regards.Nanhi.
camp; Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.