Originally posted by DSims I almost sold mine a while after I got my DA*50-135. I'm so glad I didn't. Now it's seeing more use than the DA* zoom - sometimes for its compactness (I can take only a small fanny pack all day), sometimes for its unobtrusiveness (small with IF means no one sees you "zooming in" on them), and sometimes for its faster AF (for action or sports).
I'm not sure it's fair to say either one has better overall IQ than the other, but as the samples attest, the images from the FA135 just come out good. I've been shooting it alongside the FA*85 and F*300 lately - two very good lenses. I'll shoot the FA*85 around f/2.8, the FA135 between f/3.2 and f/4, and the F*300 at f/5, and the IQ comes out comparable.
Yes, it is excellent lens, and I'll be sorry when is gone. I really don't know why pentax don't have new version on a roadmap. but hey, it's Pentax.