Haha… ya know what? I think that may be the case. I’ll probably end up buying both and like both and then be in the dilemma of WHEN to use either!!
I had a chance to try it out (the DA70) and the feel of the pictures reminds me of the FA50 F1.4 that I just sold to try to fund the DA70. DOH! However, 2 things that really stand out for the DA70 over the DA*50-135… make that 3 things:
1) The sharpness of the DA70 is amazing. It has that “Limited” look that both my DA21 and DA40 have that make images pop out at you.
2) The compact size of the DA70 makes it much easier to handle and easier to carry around. The pop-out hood is kind of neat and small. I could throw the DA21-DA40-DA70 in a small bag and be done, where as the bigger DA*50-135 would need a larger bag.
3) The focusing distance for the DA70 feels much closer than the DA*50-135. I can be about 3 feet from an object and it will focus on the DA70. I usually have to be a bit farther away with the DA*50-135 in order for it to focus on the same object.
However, I love the DA*50-135 for the following reasons:
1) The image quality is flat out stunning. Not as mind-blowing as the DA70, but very very close. And this is for practically any focal length and even at F2.8
2) The ability to zoom is really nice when I’m stuck in one area and want to take a picture of something a little farther away. Or if I need a slightly wider angle all of a sudden, I just twist a ring!
3) The ability to create bokeh! I found that sometimes I’d have to angle and position things a certain way to blur the background the way I wanted with the DA70. But with the DA*50-135, I simply backed up and then zoomed in (to 80mm or 100mm or something) and I’d get that great bokeh effect.
I think part of the dissonance in my mind comes from spending money on a lens (DA70) that I “technically” already have (DA*50-135). I can’t justify the price of the DA70 when the images of the DA*50-135 are almost equally as good (and the only major major advantage of the DA70 is the small compact size).
For those that have both (or had both), when did you guys use the DA*50-135 and when did you use the DA70 Ltd? I think knowing when to use either MIGHT help me justify the purchase