[que es tu]

That was what kept me for the longest time as well. I couldn't even justify buying used. Once we got our debt out of the way, and my wife was working again, I treated myself to used copies - it also helped that the price came down a lot. - the 35 and 70 were 179 shipped for each one of them, and the HD 21 was, I think 229.
Now she's no longer working and we're having a hard time building up savings again so I'm glad I bought them while I could... we're back to where we were a few years ago. Sans the debt, thankfully....

I forgot to say, the 70 Limited has proved quite effective for sports - f/2.4 is a perfect combination of speed and depth of field. The main sport for all my 3 sons is basketball and I find the 70 and the SMC-F 50mm f/1.7 are really good for that. The SMC-M 100mm f/2.8 is also surprisingly good - I get a lot of keepers, probably because it's so sharp and contrasty wide open. In comparison, I get almost no keepers with the Takumar Bayonet 135mm f/2.8 - while a good lens, the contrast wide open is low.

The 21, as you would expect, is the one that has been getting the most use.

I know what you mean about the debt. My wife and I worked our patooties off to pay down our debt when we were younger, and life is STILL hard! I couldn’t imagine having to start out right now!

As far as the lenses go, call me crazy, but I forgot to mention that the green ring is essential! I love the distinctive Pentax green ring, especially on the limiteds!

[Church Key]

I have all the DA Limited's except the 40 (too close to the 35). The 21 is my favorite and stays on my beater KP. Bought them all used.

[Des]

As far as the lenses go, call me crazy, but I forgot to mention that the green ring is essential! I love the distinctive Pentax green ring, especially on the limiteds!

And the starbursts, surely! Going by the images I have seen, the green 21 Ltd has about the best starbursts of any lens.

(But don't pass up a red-ring lens if you come by one. The HD coatings are nice, even though you lose the starbursts.)

[pepperberry farm]

I have all the DA Limited's except the 42 (too close to the 35). The 21 is my favorite and stays on my beater KP. Bought them all used.

not to be pedantic... but the 42?

[3by2]

I always liked the limiteds, but never thought I could afford them until I learned the joys of buying used!! I will have to decide between the 40 and 35 as I agree, they are too close in FL. A lot of the fun for me in getting new gear is the research that goes into it. Then I am more likely to get what I wanted the first time. It doesn’t always work, but it works more often than not!

---------- Post added 11-02-22 at 17:57 ----------


Yes they are high on the consideration list. 40 for general purpose, 70 short telephoto and portrait. I could see myself using the 21, 40, 70 trio in my small camera bag.

Don't discount the 40 it's got beautifully smooth rendering and lovely colour reproduction. Of course I never owned the 35 to compare but...

[que es tu]

not to be pedantic... but the 42?

You know, “…all except the 40, too!”

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 11:06 ----------

Don't discount the 40 it's got beautifully smooth rendering and lovely colour reproduction. Of course I never owned the 35 to compare but...

It seems like they are all very good and I should not discount any of them! Which makes my decision on which to get even more difficult! Since I don’t want to have a lens sitting around unused, hopefully I can get it right the first time! I will be doing research and evaluating my shooting style so I can hopefully make a good choice.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 11:23 ----------

I’m reading the posts and wondering just what it is that makes the limiteds so special? I mean what is the allure? I was intrigued by them when I first saw one, just the overall design is something special. Not cookie-cutter impersonal at all. I am still learning how to use my 21mm for the best results, but everyone raves about the rendering even though they might not have the ultimate sharpness. I would take a limited over a DA* any day, I just can’t articulate why, or quantify what makes the limiteds so special. This might be a topic all it’s own! I wonder if anyone had posited that here before?

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 11:27 ----------

And the starbursts, surely! Going by the images I have seen, the green 21 Ltd has about the best starbursts of any lens.

(But don't pass up a red-ring lens if you come by one. The HD coatings are nice, even though you lose the starbursts.)

It’s fun to elicit starbursts! I still get a bit dopey about it and try to overdo it sometimes! I don’t know if I would go after a red ring HD version. I REALLY like the Pentax green, I even envy my son for his DA 55-300 even though I have the HD version(red ring)!

[mikesbike]

Congrats for getting your first Limited in the DA 21mm- it is indeed the most versatile limited prime for all-around use, and in being marvelously small. Great imaging, great carrying, especially with the KP! I've had my 21mm Ltd for over 10 years.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 10:58 AM ----------

I even envy my son for his DA 55-300 even though I have the HD version(red ring)!

Don't be envious. I had the non-HD version for years, even after the filter threads were damaged, then gave it away to friends along with my K-r and DA 18-55mm II lens after getting a great deal on a new K-S2. I wanted the WR factor in the newer HD version, and was surprised when I found its imaging was better, even sharper and with better contrast than the old one without the HD coatings. This difference was apparent when used on my K-5 II, with which I often used the older lens, or on the new K-S2. With the KP, I was also surprised to find its AF performance is better as well.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 11:06 AM ----------

I’m reading the posts and wondering just what it is that makes the limiteds so special? I mean what is the allure? I was intrigued by them when I first saw one, just the overall design is something special.

I have a bunch of Ltds. Some factors making them so special are- outstanding build quality, very fine imaging performance as powerful photographic tools in a very transportable, compact form.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 11:20 AM ----------

I used to have the 35 f2.4 and DA 50 f1.8, but never used them at that stage of my photography, so I sold them

I have the others lenses you have, and all are capable of very good bokeh. They are very good, very useful lenses. The DA 50mm f/1.8 you had is a marvelously inexpensive lens for portrait photography, as its FL is very good for this purpose as is its large f/1.8 aperture capability for controlling DOF- how much the background will be blurred to make your subject stand out more or not as much from it. It is also very useful for hand-held low-light purposes and for fast-action subjects as well. It can provide many times the shutter speed compared to other lenses of more average apertures. I have the FA 50mm f/1.7 instead, now for some 30 years.

I would suggest, the next eventual Limiteds for a very compact and very capable trio kit with your DA21mm, would be the DA 15mm and DA 70mm. I have both in the HD versions and they are absolutely great for small lens carrying and for tremendous imaging! The 15mm Ltd lives in the front accessory pouch of my holster-type camera case whether I'm carrying any other lens, whether zoom or prime, outside of another ultra-wide. When I need to go wider, it is already right there to serve! it is one marvelous little lens. The 70mm can deliver very fine results as a short tele prime with a pretty fast f/2.4 aperture for this FL and can deliver excellent edge-to-edge performance across the frame. Very good for portraits also.

---

Last edited by mikesbike; 11-03-2022 at 11:38 AM.

[que es tu]

Congrats for getting your first Limited in the DA 21mm- it is indeed the most versatile limited prime for all-around use, and in being marvelously small. Great imaging, great carrying, especially with the KP! I've had my 21mm Ltd for over 10 years.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 10:58 AM ----------



Don't be envious. I had the non-HD version for years, even after the filter threads were damaged, then gave it away to friends along with my K-r and DA 18-55mm II lens after getting a great deal on a new K-S2. I wanted the WR factor in the newer HD version, and was surprised when I found its imaging was better, even sharper and with better contrast than the old one without the HD coatings. This difference was apparent when used on my K-5 II, with which I often used the older lens, or on the new K-S2. With the KP, I was also surprised to find its AF performance is better as well.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 11:06 AM ----------



I have a bunch of Ltds. Some factors making them so special are- outstanding build quality, very fine imaging performance as powerful photographic tools in a very transportable, compact form.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 11:20 AM ----------



I have the others lenses you have, and all are capable of very good bokeh. They are very good, very useful lenses. The DA 50mm f/1.8 you had is a marvelously inexpensive lens for portrait photography, as its FL is very good for this purpose as is its large f/1.8 aperture capability for controlling DOF- how much the background will be blurred to make your subject stand out more or not as much from it. It is also very useful for hand-held low-light purposes and for fast-action subjects as well. It can provide many times the shutter speed compared to other lenses of more average apertures. I have the FA 50mm f/1.7 instead, now for some 30 years.

I would suggest, the next eventual Limiteds for a very compact and very capable trio kit with your DA21mm, would be the DA 15mm and DA 70mm. I have both in the HD versions and they are absolutely great for small lens carrying and for tremendous imaging! The 15mm Ltd lives in the front accessory pouch of my holster-type camera case whether I'm carrying any other lens, whether zoom or prime, outside of another ultra-wide. When I need to go wider, it is already right there to serve! it is one marvelous little lens. The 70mm can deliver very fine results as a short tele prime with a pretty fast f/2.4 aperture for this FL and can deliver excellent edge-to-edge performance across the frame. Very good for portraits also.

Hello! I never could get the 50mm to “work” for me. I could get sharp pictures with it, but at that stage of my photography, it just didn’t click with me. Too narrow for general use, and not quite long enough for portraits. It languished in my sock drawer for a while, and now I have a DFA 100mm macro which is a lot of fun!

I like the idea of the 70mm Ltd for portrait use, plus its so compact I can bring it with me easily. I am going through the reviews of the 70, so that one is still on the list. What do you think about the 35mm? It seems to be super sharp and the macro function can increase it’s versatility, even if not used at 1:1.

I will definitely consider a 15, 21, 70 trio. Perhaps if I find that I am lacking the middle FL I could pickup a 40 or 35?

I will be evaluating which FL I use on my 18-135, and also will spend some time with the zoom set at a specific FL to maybe see how it works out and stimulates my eye.

Still, what is so special about the limiteds that make them stand out so much? Maybe their uniqueness in that other brands have “pro level” glass but nothing so special as the limiteds. They seem to be the best of all possible combinations. Anyway, I guess I’d better stop before I get too much more carried away!!! When I finally figure out how to articulate the limited allure, I will see if I can convey it here!

[mikesbike]

Like Des, I too find the 35mm FL not meeting my needs for APS-C. But people do differ. I've long had the FA 35mm f/2 bought for 35mm film yes and was very happy with it, but when it came to APS-C DSLR use it just sat. Too much like 50mm on a FF body. I only had a 50mm lens for 35mm film for many years when I first started out, and then found a 40mm or the FA 43mm Limited to be a more versatile option. The DA 40mm on APS-C provides a short tele view with more in the frame, and it is remarkably small. Its imaging performance is very good, Edge-to-edge. That said, I like this FL better on a FF camera. I still have both it and the FA 43mm Ltd. Now, these last couple of years after finally getting into FF digital with the K-1 II, these lenses, the FA 35mm f/2 which is very good even wide open with a quite fast aperture, and the 40 and 43mm Ltds have once again become much more appealing for me.

A 28mm lens presents a view on APS-C about like the FA 43mm on a FF camera. It is compact and is quite versatile as a mid-FL semi-wide/normal view. I would tend to prefer it over a 35mm lens for APS-C. Too bad there is not a DA HD 28mm Ltd available. The FA 28mm f/2.8 is a very good lens and not expensive. You can get a screw-on hood for it for not much. I use it for both FF as a WA prime lens, and on APS-C as a semi-wide/normal in which case I use my FA 43mm Ltd screw-on hood with it.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 02:29 PM ----------

I will be evaluating which FL I use on my 18-135, and also will spend some time with the zoom set at a specific FL to maybe see how it works out and stimulates my eye.

A good idea and with a very good zoom lens. Zoom and prime lenses each have their own place and uses, according to situations. When needing a good all-around zoom lens with a wide FL range while avoiding lens-changing, hard to beat the DA 18-135mm for versatility and performance.

[que es tu]

Like Des, I too find the 35mm FL not meeting my needs for APS-C. But people do differ. I've long had the FA 35mm f/2 bought for 35mm film yes and was very happy with it, but when it came to APS-C DSLR use it just sat. Too much like 50mm on a FF body. I only had a 50mm lens for 35mm film for many years when I first started out, and then found a 40mm or the FA 43mm Limited to be a more versatile option. The DA 40mm on APS-C provides a short tele view with more in the frame, and it is remarkably small. Its imaging performance is very good, Edge-to-edge. That said, I like this FL better on a FF camera. I still have both it and the FA 43mm Ltd. Now, these last couple of years after finally getting into FF digital with the K-1 II, these lenses, the FA 35mm f/2 which is very good even wide open with a quite fast aperture, and the 40 and 43mm Ltds have once again become much more appealing for me.

A 28mm lens presents a view on APS-C about like the FA 43mm on a FF camera. It is compact and is quite versatile as a mid-FL wide/normal view. I would tend to prefer it over a 35mm lens for APS-C. Too bad there is not a DA HD 28mm Ltd available. The FA 28mm f/2.8 is a very good lens and not expensive. You can get a screw-on hood for it for not much. I use it for both FF as a WA prime lens, and on APS-C as a wide/normal in which case I use my FA 43mm Ltd screw-on hood with it.

---------- Post added 11-03-22 at 02:29 PM ----------



A good idea and with a very good zoom lens. Zoom and prime lenses each have their own place and uses, according to situations. When needing a good all-around zoom lens with a wide FL range while avoiding lens-changing, hard to beat the DA 18-135mm for versatility and performance.

Hmm… good advice about the 35 and 40. When I had the 35 f2.4 and 50 f1.8, the former wasn’t quite wide enough and the latter wasn’t quite long enough. It seems like the 40mm Ltd would be a happy medium between the two. So, a 15, 21, 40, 70 kit would be just about perfect for a compact prime kit, or added quality and aperture options when using a zoom. Does that logic make sense?

The 18-135 is a great “Swiss army lens”, but is a bit heavy and non-discrete. I really enjoy the lightness and simplicity of a prime, especially if it is a very light, compact, and classy limited!

[mikesbike]

The 18-135 is a great “Swiss army lens”, but is a bit heavy and non-discrete.

True, though very compact for what it is. Note my amended post above regarding the FA 28mm f/2.8 for a compact, lightweight semi-wide/mid-view on APS-C. Might serve better than either a 35mm or a 40mm on APS-C. Some people consider the 40mm as their "normal" view lens, though it is really a short tele view but good enough for them. The 28mm FL would be a more true (semi-wide) mid-view very useful normal. It would not be a regular WA like your 21mm nor a short tele like the 40mm and very different than the moderate telephoto 70mm (which is like 105mm on FF).

[que es tu]

True, though very compact for what it is. Note my amended post above regarding the FA 28mm f/2.8 for a compact, lightweight semi-wide/mid-view on APS-C. Might serve better than either a 35mm or a 40mm on APS-C. Some people consider the 40mm as their "normal" view lens, though it is really a short tele view but good enough for them. The 28mm FL would be a more true (semi-wide) mid-view very useful normal. It would not be a regular WA like your 21mm nor a short tele like the 40mm and very different than the moderate telephoto 70mm (which is like 105mm on FF).

Yes, I have entertained the idea of an F or FA 28mm off and on. I finally decided on the 21mm limited because it’s a bit wider and, well, a limited! I am pretty sure I am going to collect some more limiteds as my prime lenses, at least in the foreseeable future!!

[Des]

Too bad there is not a DA HD 28mm Ltd available.

There is ...


And it does 20 other focal lengths as well, all with that Limited quality. :-) (It's f3.5 at 28mm though.)

[Hayashi]

Congratulations! Enjoy all the photography fun with it!

Believe of not, I picked Pentax 10 years ago because of Limited lenses !

Actually 21mm is already the best for daily use, if you want some more flexibility 20-40mm would be a great choice

You can switch in between compactness and versatility.

[mikesbike]

There is ...


And it does 20 other focal lengths as well, all with that Limited quality. :-) (It's f3.5 at 28mm though.)

Ha! Yeah, of course and I have it too. Indeed, it is at f/3.5 instead of the f/2.8 of my FA 28mm prime lens, and of course is not near as compact. But I do love my DA HD 20-40mm f/2.8-4 WR, especially on my KP, and it is compact for a fast-ish all-around zoom lens, and it fills the quality expectations of a Limited. It too makes a great center-piece with the DA HD 15mm and 70mm Limiteds. I do this arrangement all the time.