[Matt_Dodwell_UK]

I have just seen a photo of the Pentax MX with 40mm 2.8 Pancake lens. It looks like a tech piece of art :-).

I also love 40mm focal length and used to shot the Voigtlander 40mm f2 Nikon mount for my old FM (miss that lens).

I've just read some reviews on it and it seems to be a bit of a duff lens. Is this really the case or are we to obsessed with perfect sharpness etc. Does it have any qualities to make it worth shooting with?

Or should I leave it well alone.

[normhead]

I really quite like my 40XS 2.8.
If I like the images, the focal length and I like the rendering I don't really care what reviews say.

Look here.....
Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 Limited samples - PentaxForums.com
Do you like the images or don't you?

No lens made in the last 20 years is a seriously bad lens (although any lens can have bad copies.) . I'd say there are more reviewers who's opinions are based on very limited experience than there are bad lenses of any type.

[boriscleto]

I tend to take reviews with a grain of salt and look for real world samples...

Search: pentax m 40mm | Flickr

Unfortunately you have to find the M series photos...A Flickr search shows all Pentax 40mm photos that are tagged...Most are from the DA Ltd / XS & DA Ltd 20-40...

[pres589]

Norm, he's talking about the M 40; I doubt he was seeing a lens without an aperture ring on an MX.

SMC Pentax-M 40mm F2.8 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

The modern 40's seem clearly ahead of the old M 40 in image quality, I assume due to improved coatings as much as anything else.

[boriscleto]

I really quite like my 40XS 2.8.
If I like the images, the focal length and I like the rendering I don't really care what reviews say.

OP is asking about the M series 40 And the M series lens is from 40 years ago

[aslyfox]

I have just seen a photo of the Pentax MX with 40mm 2.8 Pancake lens. It looks like a tech piece of art :-).

I also love 40mm focal length and used to shot the Voigtlander 40mm f2 Nikon mount for my old FM (miss that lens).

I've just read some reviews on it and it seems to be a bit of a duff lens. Is this really the case or are we to obsessed with perfect sharpness etc. Does it have any qualities to make it worth shooting with?

Or should I leave it well alone.

I really like my DA 40mm 2.8 XS

Here is a review of it and the 40mm limited

Pentax DA 35mm F2.4 vs 40mm XS vs 40mm Limited Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

You might want to look at this thread

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/203708-da-40-xs-flat-wonder

and you will find more photos from the 40mm in this thead

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/291019-prime

[timw4mail]

I have just seen a photo of the Pentax MX with 40mm 2.8 Pancake lens. It looks like a tech piece of art :-).

I also love 40mm focal length and used to shot the Voigtlander 40mm f2 Nikon mount for my old FM (miss that lens).

I've just read some reviews on it and it seems to be a bit of a duff lens. Is this really the case or are we to obsessed with perfect sharpness etc. Does it have any qualities to make it worth shooting with?

Or should I leave it well alone.

Depends on what you are looking for. It takes acceptable pictures, but it is fairly pricey for what it is (on the used market), and it is optimized for size.

It has the same optical design as the more modern DA 40mm limited, and DA XS 40mm lenses, so this has all the disadvantages of being a pre-A series lens.

[Matt_Dodwell_UK]

I am referring the the 40mm M lens as I will be attending it to the Pentax MX so I need an aperture ring on the lens.

[aslyfox]

Once again. The OP is asking about the M series 40mm on the MX. The DA series lenses do not really get bad reviews, and are just about useless on an MX...

A bunch of us offered comments about the same time

Amazing response

I left mine to give the OP info on the current lenses

[boriscleto]

I left mine to give the OP info on the current lenses

OP uses a Fuji for digital

[Adam]

I have just seen a photo of the Pentax MX with 40mm 2.8 Pancake lens. It looks like a tech piece of art :-).

I also love 40mm focal length and used to shot the Voigtlander 40mm f2 Nikon mount for my old FM (miss that lens).

I've just read some reviews on it and it seems to be a bit of a duff lens. Is this really the case or are we to obsessed with perfect sharpness etc. Does it have any qualities to make it worth shooting with?

Or should I leave it well alone.

The M-series 40mm never impressed me on digital. It's cool because it's tiny, but the DA versions are far better.

[Matt_Dodwell_UK]

Cheers all for your feedback I really do appreciate it and you taking the time to respond.

Just to clarify, I am not considering a 40mm (any version) for my Fuji as that would be a 60mm focal length eqv on the crop sensor.

What I am looking at is a 40mm on 35mm film. Specially to go on my new MX or other K Mount Film camera.

[aslyfox]

OP uses a Fuji for digital

But the OP could come into the light and change to Pentax

[Cambo]

I have just seen a photo of the Pentax MX with 40mm 2.8 Pancake lens. It looks like a tech piece of art :-).

I also love 40mm focal length and used to shot the Voigtlander 40mm f2 Nikon mount for my old FM (miss that lens).

I've just read some reviews on it and it seems to be a bit of a duff lens. Is this really the case or are we to obsessed with perfect sharpness etc. Does it have any qualities to make it worth shooting with?

Or should I leave it well alone.

...now when you do a search for threads on the modern versions of this lens, which are just this side of 'magical', you'll be confronted with "Are they really this bad'?

Here's how awful mine is at iso 3200, handheld...





Cheers,
Cameron

[boriscleto]

I will agree with the OP that the M 40 is a piece of art on an M series camera.



Unfortunately all my M series cameras need a CLA before I can use them...