Originally posted by bertwert It now leads to the question for the 15 Ltd; SMC or HD?
I guess I'll see what pops up in the marketplace...
I'm thinking along the same lines. I have the smc DA 15mm and often use the FA 50mm f2.8 macro as my second lens when hiking. The wide angle 15mm isn't always the best choice for landscape. Sometimes a narrower angle emphasizes a subject and makes a more pleasing composition. I like to have both options.
I now have the 55-300 plm, which is a wonderful hiking lens, but adds some weight, so I've substituted the HD DA 40mm for the FA 50. The 55-300 plm is WR; I'd suggest keeping your 18-55 WR for a while as an WR option in case you find yourself in (or want to shoot in) inclement weather . When you're absolutely sure you won't need this, or anything in its range that the 40mm doesn't cover, that's the time to let it go.
I have the smc (Starburst-making Mind Controller) 15mm. Do you want that feature? I like it, but bear in mind that it does it fairly easily even at wider apertures (f5.6, f6.3) and you can't shut it off.