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01-17-2013, 06:16 AM   #1
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40mm Limited Vs XS

Hi guys,

I've just bought a K-5 recently with the 18-135mm Kit, and I'm looking to get a 40mm prime.
I've taken a look around and found a 40mm Limited for around $330, but then I had someone offer to sell me their 40mm XS for $200. Then I took a look around on this forum and found on Amazon, the K-01 and 40mm XS Kit for around $330.

I've taken a look through the reviews and it's still left me a bit undecided.

So my question I'd like to put to the Pentax community, is which of the three options would be the best choice?
So, firstly, is it worth getting the Limited over the XS, and secondly, is a K-01 for $130 a good deal.

Thanks for your time everyone!


01-17-2013, 06:25 AM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by cpho Quote
40mm Limited for around $330
At that price, buy it.

Or find a used F50 f1,7, which can be bought for about 200$ also, and will serve you well.
01-17-2013, 06:36 AM   #3
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I already had a 40 Limited when I was looking at the K-01 and the kit price was too good. So I have both. The lenses perform identically. The Limited has a very nice lens hood, which, in my opinion this lens does need. The XS Is considerably smaller and much more annoying to mount and handle. It also sounds like a torture device while it is autofocusing.
01-17-2013, 06:57 AM   #4
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Aesthetically, I find the XS ugly. But, That probably has no bearing on the photos it takes

01-17-2013, 07:25 AM   #5
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I think I remember reading on here that the LTD and XS are identical optically, but the LTD can be used on FF/Film SLRS and the XS can not (I could be wrong though)
01-17-2013, 08:11 AM   #6
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Frank in Singapore tested the XS on a film camera and it works:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/178336-da40xs-...old-200-a.html
01-17-2013, 08:40 AM - 1 Like   #7
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The Limited has Quik-Shift manual focusing.

I personally think there is also the matter of aesthetics. The Limited is, well, limited - all metal, silky smooth, positively beautiful and really striking mounted on a dSLR as well as on the K-01.

Here's a Link to the Full Comparison between the two


Last edited by monochrome; 01-17-2013 at 08:48 AM.
01-17-2013, 08:47 AM   #8
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Get the K-01 and 40xs and sell the K-01. Done.
01-17-2013, 08:48 AM   #9
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I own both and I have to say that the XS is so amazingly slim and tiny! Even compared to the DA 40 (especially with its hood attached, as small as it is). It's like a camera body cap that can take gorgeous photos. Anyway, my take is: Get the Limited if you want quick-shift, all-metal build, and a hood. Get the XS if you want to save $150-175 and want the smallest possible lens attached to the K-5. You could also get the K-01 with DA 40XS deal but you may have to wait a few months to get it delivered/fulfilled by Amazon. When that happens, you have 3 choices-- (1) keep the K-01 and 40XS, (2) sell off the K-01 and you'll have an even cheaper 40XS, or (3) sell the 40XS and have a very cheap K-01 backup body.
01-17-2013, 08:55 AM   #10
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I would get the K-01 kit with XS lens and if you don't like the lens and want to upgrade to the DA limited, you can sell the XS lens and get 200-ish for it. At the same time, I don't know that the XS is any upgrade optically, the big difference is that the limited has a hood and quick shift (and a better build overall).

The true upgrade at that focal length would be the FA limited (which is, of course as expensive as both the DA 40 and XS 40 combined).
01-17-2013, 10:21 AM   #11
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I also have both 40's since I could not pass up the $360 K-01 with lens. I prefer the Limited for all the reasons pointed out in other posts. I would however recommend buying the K-01. You get the lens, an extra battery for your K5 and a backup body for a song. That's what I did and it was an impulse purchase.
01-17-2013, 01:07 PM   #12
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40 limited. Was my second lens purchase and I'm still incredibly happy with it. The only time Ill part with it is if I end up picking the FA variant.

Its a terrific lens, I would go for the better build and the hood any day of the week over the XS. A old cap off a film canister (the clearish ones) works to replace the screw on cap with a push fit one.
01-17-2013, 02:23 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by miltona580 Quote
The lenses perform identically.
QuoteOriginally posted by Codazzle Quote
I think I remember reading on here that the LTD and XS are identical optically
I'm pleasantly surprised by those comments. Reviewers on the web (photozone and slrgear, namely) consider the Limited to be quite superior optically. Users in this thread suggest otherwise. I'd be pleased to read more about this.
01-18-2013, 04:42 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by bdery Quote
Reviewers on the web (photozone and slrgear, namely) consider the Limited to be quite superior optically. Users in this thread suggest otherwise. I'd be pleased to read more about this.
Photozone doesn't have a test of the XS.

Bear in mind that SLR Gear
tested the Limited on the 10MP K10,
and the XS on the more demanding16MP K5.

Even so, the XS seemed to fare well
(compared against the slightly decentered Limited),
despite the comments made.
01-18-2013, 06:28 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by lytrytyr Quote
Photozone doesn't have a test of the XS.
My bad. It must have been another review site.

QuoteOriginally posted by lytrytyr Quote
Even so, the XS seemed to fare well
(compared against the slightly decentered Limited),
despite the comments made.
I re-read Pentaxforum's review of those two lenses, and it seems there are some optical differences, mainly regarding aberrations. But the XS fares well indeed.
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