I have been shooting Pentax for some time, but I have never owned a Limited lens. Not that I haven't wanted one, but my needs led me largely to zooms.
Well, I have been thinking about it for a long time, and reading many threads here about these wonderful lenses, that I decided to "blow" some store credit on one: The Pentax SMC-DA 70mm f/2.4
I won't have the lens for a couple of days. I am excited to try it out!
Here was my rationale: I chose the 70mm focal length because I already have the FA35 and FA50. Although they are not limiteds, they are excellent lenses, so I really didn't want to get the 40, or 43 right now. Having the 70 will also give me some reach when I am in a relatively fixed setting, without having to bring my 50-135. Now the question that may be controversial here: Why didn't i get the 77? Well, that is what I struggled with the most. That lens is obviously legendary, and one of the best Pentax lenses of all time. It basically came down to 4 reasons for me. In order of importance for me:
Quick shift on the 70
Across the FOV sharpness tests on the 70 (Per Photozone)
43% higher cost of the 77
Size and weight of the 70 (It would be nice to have an all Pentax Pancake kit some day where 3 lenses together are about the same size and weight as a single zoom, but one has to start somewhere)
Now don't make me feel bad about not getting the '77. I will always wonder "what if," but in my situation the 70 seemed the best buy, and I am really looking forward to my first limited...