[Nicolas06]

There's nothing "clinical" about the 70mm Limited lens. It's an outstanding lens and if it leaves you wanting something more, ain't nothing gonna make you happy. Buy it and never look back.

All is relative man . Also it doesn't mean it is bad. I brought the 35ltd for this very property. But if are after more pop and pixie dust this is the FA77you'll want, not the DA70. The DA70 will do better landscapes, but that maybe not the primary use for that focal length.

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Last edited by Nicolas06; 11-21-2015 at 04:34 AM.

[BigMackCam]

All is relative man

And all is subjective, including pixie dust

[DanGleabols]

Cheers for all the advice, although I really didn't intend to reignite the 70 vs 77 debate, lol.

Well, I've bought the 70 hd, a used one in good condition. I'm pretty confident that I can shift it on at little to no loss if it doesn't work out for me!

Looking forward to receiving it!
I fully expect it to be an awesome lens and I can't wait to see what I can do with it!

I think at some point I will own the 77, but right now I'm focusing on my Da limited collection!

[UncleVanya]

I really need to do some a/b shooting with the 70/77 - I love the 70 and only got the 77 since I sold my A* 85 and wanted a really wide open portrait lens to replace it.

[BigMackCam]

Well, I've bought the 70 hd, a used one in good condition. I'm pretty confident that I can shift it on at little to no loss if it doesn't work out for me!
...
I think at some point I will own the 77, but right now I'm focusing on my Da limited collection!

Congratulations, Dan - I'm sure you will love it. And, as you say, easy to move on if you decide it's not for you. I sold my first one at no loss and ended up wishing I hadn't - so I bought another

I made the same decision to concentrate on the DA Limiteds, and haven't regretted it one little bit. Maybe one day I'll acquire one or more of the FA Limiteds, maybe not - but if I do, it would be in addition to the DAs...

[DanGleabols]

I really need to do some a/b shooting with the 70/77 - I love the 70 and only got the 77 since I sold my A* 85 and wanted a really wide open portrait lens to replace it.

Well worth doing... Forum and google searching show it as a very frequently asked Pentax questions!

[jeffryscott]

I'm looking to add to my 15 and soon to arrive 77. Had initially thought the 21, but am seriously considering the 20-40.

With the 20-40, I could potentially sell my 16-50 and recoup some of the financial cost. My question is whether the 20-40 is a good alternative to the 16-50. Is the 20-40 a good "photojournalists" lens. The 20-40 eliminates the flare issues of the 16-50.

But with the 21 I could have an ultra compact 15, 21 and 77, K3 kit to carry and keep the other K3, 16-50, 50-135 and 300 as more a do everything kit. I'd probably carry both cameras in either kit unless I really wanted lighter.

I don't think there is a bad choice ...

[pathdoc]

15, 21, 77 would be a little too skewed toward the wide end for me - I'd rather have a 35, 40 or 43 in the middle - but for all I know it suits the sorts of photos you take. It would certainly be small, though if you were driven primarily by minimum volume concerns I suspect/believe a 21, 40, 70 combination would be smaller still. But again, it depends on the focal lengths you commonly use and the size of your carry-bag.

[UncleVanya]

I carry the 15, 40, 70 sometimes. Very small and lovely kit.

[BigMackCam]

I'm looking to add to my 15 and soon to arrive 77. Had initially thought the 21, but am seriously considering the 20-40.

With the 20-40, I could potentially sell my 16-50 and recoup some of the financial cost. My question is whether the 20-40 is a good alternative to the 16-50. Is the 20-40 a good "photojournalists" lens. The 20-40 eliminates the flare issues of the 16-50.

But with the 21 I could have an ultra compact 15, 21 and 77, K3 kit to carry and keep the other K3, 16-50, 50-135 and 300 as more a do everything kit. I'd probably carry both cameras in either kit unless I really wanted lighter.

I don't think there is a bad choice ...

The 20-40 is a lovely lens - really lovely... however, to get the best from it across the frame, you really want to be stopping down to f/5.6 or more, and for the best performance, f/8. Centre sharpness is pretty good at faster apertures, but the edges don't start to pick up until f/5.6. So - it's not a fast lens if edge-to-edge consistency is important to you. Plus, at the wider end, it doesn't perform quite as well as the 21. And it certainly isn't ultra-compact But, the small focal length range is actually very convenient and versatile. The 21 is my favourite lens, but I often choose the 20-40 just because of its flexibility.

Like pathdoc, I think your 15, 21 & 77 kit would be missing something in the "normal" focal length range, so if you decide to go with all primes, I would consider the 40. Super lens - perfectly good even wide open, stellar from f/4, and extremely compact.

[jeffryscott]

The 20-40 is a lovely lens - really lovely... however, to get the best from it across the frame, you really want to be stopping down to f/5.6 or more, and for the best performance, f/8. Centre sharpness is pretty good at faster apertures, but the edges don't start to pick up until f/5.6. So - it's not a fast lens if edge-to-edge consistency is important to you. Plus, at the wider end, it doesn't perform quite as well as the 21. And it certainly isn't ultra-compact But, the small focal length range is actually very convenient and versatile. The 21 is my favourite lens, but I often choose the 20-40 just because of its flexibility.

Like pathdoc, I think your 15, 21 & 77 kit would be missing something in the "normal" focal length range, so if you decide to go with all primes, I would consider the 40. Super lens - perfectly good even wide open, stellar from f/4, and extremely compact.

The 40 focal length holds no interest for me. Nor has any "normal" lens interested me for the last three decades or so. So, I don't think I'd be missing much for how I shoot. And that, frankly, is one of my hesitations with the 20-40, I'd likely keep it pinned at 20ish. I think I probably just answered my own question!

Although, at the price 40's are selling for used, it could eventually be an option, just to have. Especially since I wouldn't even know it is in the bag due to its size. How does this happen, now I'm considering a lens I had no interest in

[BigMackCam]

The 40 focal length holds no interest for me. Nor has any "normal" lens interested me for the last three decades or so. So, I don't think I'd be missing much for how I shoot. And that, frankly, is one of my hesitations with the 20-40, I'd likely keep it pinned at 20ish. I think I probably just answered my own question!

Although, at the price 40's are selling for used, it could eventually be an option, just to have. Especially since I wouldn't even know it is in the bag due to its size. How does this happen, now I'm considering a lens I had no interest in

Ha ha Well, it sounds like you might have worked things through to a conclusion. If you do get the 21, I think you'll love it - an exceptionally nice lens to use... Funnily enough, I don't shoot with the 40 as much as I feel I ought to - but I do like the images it produces and the form factor. If I'm looking to use something around that focal length, I tend to go with the plastic fantastic DA35 F2.4...

[filoxophy]

The 21 was my first, and though my next three were the Three Amigos it still holds a special place in my bag. I think it's a stellar environmental-closeup lens. Colors are awesome. Flare resistance and starbursts both. Quick shift. Fantastically fun hood. Tiny size.

The 77 I connected with immediately. Sharp as hell, small, pull out hood. Awesome bokeh.

The 31 is sweet, though I don't have the same affection towards it as the 21 and 77. Don't know why that is--it's a wonderful lens and the default on my K-5II. I think I'm just spoiled by the tiny size of the others, and it throws off the 49mm filter thread pattern... petty, I know!

The 43 I'll admit I don't know very well. I adore that FL on film, so it sees good use there. And when I put it on APS-C I don't think of it as an awkward focal length necessarily...I just don't find myself with the urge for that FL.

I have the 40XS and love it, especially on film... But I still think about upgrading to the 40 Ltd for the quick shift, 49mm threads, focus distance scale, and hood. Hmm, that's a lot of reasons, haha.

I also consider adding the 35 at some point. I would definitely use the macro range, if not the full 1:1. And the size difference vis a vis the 31 combined with quick shift, pull out hood, and standard 49mm threads make it worth it to add IMHO.

That leaves the 70, the 15, and the 20-40.

The 77 leaves me wanting nothing... Okay maybe quick shift! So the 70 is out, for no fault of its own.

I would like to add the 15 for sure, I just don't want to shoot that wide very often. Some day...

The 20-40 I definitely want. But frankly I wonder if the 18-135 will be my first WR zoom.

[pathdoc]

The 40 focal length holds no interest for me. Nor has any "normal" lens interested me for the last three decades or so. So, I don't think I'd be missing much for how I shoot.

I suspected this might be the case.

How does this happen, now I'm considering a lens I had no interest in

Three little letters, my friend, and you know what they are.

But frankly I wonder if the 18-135 will be my first WR zoom.

It has a lot to recommend it in terms of flexibility (wide range, WR, near-silent focus), even if it's a bit slow at the long end and not all that much smaller than my old 18-250. If WR weren't an issue, though, I have to admit I'd never have bought it.

And the size difference vis a vis the 31 combined with quick shift, pull out hood, and standard 49mm threads

I think I'm just spoiled by the tiny size of the others,

It's not just the size; it's the heft. I tried a 31mm on my K-5 once and I had a sensation of it being very front-heavy, something I certainly don't notice with the 35 (and certainly not with the 40, LOL). If I'd known at the time that the 31 was thought of by many as Pentax's AF God lens, I might have been tempted to overlook that.

I have the 40XS and love it, especially on film...

Which film body or bodies are you using it with? I've put the DA 40 Limited on my P3 and P30T and it works with both (program mode).

Next time I stumble across a film-era Limited Prime, presuming it's a good copy, I've promised myself I am NOT walking away.

I really didn't intend to reignite the 70 vs 77 debate, lol.

I wouldn't worry - we all have fun talking about why we bought the lenses we did. I think what we can all agree on at the end of the day is that every one of these is a fine piece of glass, and nobody who buys one has done badly in quality terms. (You may find a particular one is not for you, naturally, but that's another matter.) Congratulations on your new HD-DA70, BTW.

[BigMackCam]

I wouldn't worry - we all have fun talking about why we bought the lenses we did. I think what we can all agree on at the end of the day is that every one of these is a fine piece of glass, and nobody who buys one has done badly in quality terms. (You may find a particular one is not for you, naturally, but that's another matter.) Congratulations on your new HD-DA70, BTW.

Well said. These are indeed all excellent lenses - each, perhaps, with small advantages for specific purposes - but all extremely capable. Which of them has "pixie dust" is down to the individual to decide