[Winnie]

Ok, here's where you can tell us all what lens(es) does it for you.

[Lowell Goudge]

if there was one lens that "does it all" why do I have so many lenses???

however, If I am allowed to imagine a magical lens, I think I would want a 10mm to 600mm F1.0 lens that can fit into my shirt pocket and weighs about 5 ounces.

I guess I'll be waiting quite a while for that little baby.

[jeffrey r]

I presume you are asking what lenses we own that give us some "magic". If that is the point of the thread, I will say that for this novice photographer and hobbyist, the three lenses that truly make me look like a better photgrapher than I am, are the DA 35mm Macro Limited, the DA 70mm Limited, and the DA* 50-135mm (when it works). With the DA 35 Macro, walk up to pretty flower, get close, press shutter, lens focuses, you've got a beautiful macro shot. The DA 70 just seems to nail every shot, and has wonderful rendering and sharpness. The 50-135 produces photos largely unlike anything my other lenses can produce, for the better, again when the lens decides to actually work.

[Ash]

Realistically, the FA 31 ltd.
Magically, what Lowell said. But it must blow away the IQ of the 31 ltd for it to be my pixie dust lens.

[panoguy]

Here's a non-typical anwer: Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm f/4 medium-format lens, adapted for Pentax w/ tilt/shift.

I seriously cannot believe how sharp and "natural" the images from this lens are on a sensor about 1/8 the size of the image circle. It even beats my calibrated DA*50-135 at 50mm by a sharp hair, but with more "realistic" (lower) color contrast and better detail at infinity. The complete lack of flare and added tiltability don't hurt, either! That's the "magic."

Naturally, its gigantic, heavy, and f-stop "slow" for a 50mm... but great for landscapes on my tripod and quite useable handheld. Even in the 1970s, the folks in Jena knew how to build 'em!

**Everyone else, feel free to list your "limited" lenses.** (haha)

[Indianadinos]

Hi,

Mines are FA-31, FA-43, K-85/1.8, K-105/2.8 and K-135/2.5 ...

Still looking for some good 20 and 24mm ...

Cheers

[Blue]

Isn't Pixie Dust ~= SMC?

That said, I'd have to say the DA 35mm ltd, FA 77mm ltd, Macro-Tak 50mm f3, Auto-Tak 55mm f1.8 Zebra, 105mm Auto-Tak, 85mm f1.8 Auto-Tak, 85mm f1.8 S-M-C Tak, and some other Taks.

[Marc Sabatella]

I'm taking this term in the sense I usually hear it used when people try to describe the difference between the DA70 & FA77: "the DA70 is very good, but the FA77 has pixie dust". Meaning some extra undefinable quality that makes you like the images more than you do from other lenses of that focal length even when those other lenses are, on paper at least, just as good. I also hear this sometimes about the DA40 and FA43 (with the latter usually being the one said to have pixue dust).

For me, the DA70 *does* have pixie dust of it own, although I don't have the FA77 to compare it to - just a couple of consumer zomms in that focal length. But the DA70 not only outperforms them (as should be expected!), but it also seems to outperform my primes of *different* focal lengths in some way I have a hard time putting into words. It might not be my favorite focal length, but almost every picture I take with it does catch me off-guard with some undefinable quality.

But the lens that *most* strikes me that way is the DA15. Here, I have nothing of similar focal length to compare it to (unless you consider the 18mm end of the kit lens similar), so it's a bit more of a stretch to claim it has anything over other similar lenses. But I still can't shake the feeling that images it takes are special in some way that goes beyond just being sharp wide angle shots.

[stevebrot]

Here are my "Pixie Dust" lenses (in order by dustiness):

• Pentax-FA 77/1.7 Limited (Duh!)
• KMZ Helios 44M 58/2 (Surprise!)
• LZOS Jupiter-9 85/2
• Auto Rikenon 50/1.7

Nope, the FA 35/2 does not make the list. Darned nice lens, super sharp, impressive images, wonderful value, on my camera all the time, but no pixies in sight...

Steve

(Ummm...wonder if I should re-evaluate that 35/2...two of three of my PPG picks were taken with the 35...based on that logic, maybe there are pixies in the Zenitar as well?)

[Winnie]

That's exactly the point, Marc.
Every now and again as I'm researching lenses on this board I come across a "...this lens has the pixies dust." Comment.
So I was curious as to, not necessarily your favourite lens...but a lens that makes you really smile at the result of a shot after you take it. Like you knew the 'subject' would make a good picture, but you got back a work of art somewhere along the way.

[jsherman999]

M 85 f/2
FA 77ltd

And a recently dusted lens...

DA 15mm Limited!

(achooo! Lotsa dust in here!)



.

[yeatzee]

M 85 f/2

.

+1

(------)

[m8o]

.
. I think I have to say my Voigtlander 125/2.5 Macro APO Lanthar is filled with the magic smoke and sprinkled with the pixie dust.
. I haven't been using it nearly enough lately. ... actually, haven't used it at all in I can't remember how long.
.

[Mechan1k]

DA15 would be one of those lenses I'd dream about getting.
Tamron 70-200 f/2.8
or
Sigma 100-300 f/4

they are the other 2 on my dream list.

[freewheeler]

My m85/2 and Helios m44 are blessed with magical powers.
My K135 and m 28/3.5 has got some of it and surprisingly:
the K 45-125 I own has a good deal of it too!
The m28 and Helios are sharp and contrasty aswell.