[emaruyama]

Hey folks! how's it going?
I'll second that... it's an awesome lens for portraits/stage/concert photography, with ambient light!

It might be "too short" for huge venues, or "too long" for tiny "clubs", but still, I think it's tack sharp even wide open... tad bit heavy, but beautiful bokeh...


Regards,
Ed

[CSoars]

For pure IQ, I'd say the DA 70 ltd, but now that I'm shooting film, the SMC K 35/2 is incredibly useful, fast, and giving good results. The 8/7 element grouping and post-takumar build makes it a bit bulkier than the M and A counterparts, but I don't mind too much.

[nostatic]

easy question for me - 77ltd. The focal length is a bit too long for many of my uses, but when its on the camera it is magic.

[dadipentak]

I'm in with Creampuff: 77mm ltd.

[Finn]

Depends on the format

Film: 43/1.9
Digital: 31/1.8

But can I also give a shout-out to the S-M-C Tak 50/1.4?

[wlachan]

FA*24/2 - optically imperfect, but the phyical size and balance just work for me like no other lens, and 24mm has been my favour focal length for film, and still very usable on APS-C.

[8540tomg]

I'll preface my choice by saying I haven't used all the Pentax lenses and I'm limiting my selection to lenses I own and have used a lot. Glad I don't have to but if I had to pick just one lens it would be the SMC Pentax K 200mm 2.5.

Cheers,
Tom G

[Ron Boggs]

Current:
On Digital...31 Ltd.
On 67II...100/4 Macro (also used as normal lens)

No Longer With Me--regretable sales...
A*200/4 Macro...sold this one to a forum member in Singapore last year and kept the FA*200/4 Macro. Probably should have sold the newer model and kept my old favorite. Both are delicious, I just had such a love affair...
FA*300/4.5...sold due to lack of built-in tripod collar, image quality was sooo good I should have just put up with using a jury rigged collar...or found a copy of the F*300/4.5 (same optics) which included a tripod mount.

[hinman]

A picture is worth a thousand words...

I thought I have a problem with LBA. Are you having two copies of 77mm limited? I'll be damned if you still keep two copies. Excellent picture as that is my all time favorite primes. Not the 31, not the 21 but the insanely good 77mm

[nostatic]

hinman, I don't think you're qualified to answer this question as clearly you haven't owned enough different lenses...

[felix68]

Well sort of... On digital, the FA31mm f1:1.8 Limited hands down. I love the FOV and there is no beating a lens that is that sharp from f1.8. It also has a magic to it I find...
On film, I love the FA50mm 1:1.4, followed closely by the FA31mm. The 50mm wins because I love the FOV on film and I find it a better performer on this format. The 31mm is stunning on film, arguably better than on digital, especially with some Plus-X behind it.

[a a i b]

I'm in with Creampuff: 77mm ltd.

Me too. FA77 my favorite, although FA31 is my most used.

[monochrome]

SMC K35/3.5

Using Kodachrome and a KX this lens documented the early years of my maried life and children. Amazing color rendition, espcially outdoors under indirect lighting; sharp, sharp, sharp. I don't mount it to my K10D enough because I would have to remove the close runner-up FA35/2.

[Marc Sabatella]

DA40, because I love the focal length, the size, the sharpness, the colors, the bokeh, the focusing speed, and the price was great. Do I sometimes wish it was f/2? Sure, but not enough to outweigh what I love about it.

[Nesster]

I'll pick two as they represent different eras: SMC Tak 35/3.5, 43mm Limited. I'm not big on longer lengths, and both of these give excellent results on both film and digita.