| Author: | | Forum Member Registered: January, 2012 Location: Ajman, United Arab Emirates Posts: 55
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 27, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $246.95
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Very small, lightweight. | | Cons: | No lens hood, No weather resistance sealing. | | Sharpness: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 8
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: Pentax K-30
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My first Pentax prime.
Samples
 | | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: October, 2009 Location: Winchester Posts: 2,523
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 19, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $190.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size, lack of abberations, price | | Cons: | Sometimes difficult to mount on camera | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K5 and K30
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I bought this on a bit of a whim, as it was available new (sans box) for £129. I found it an excellent buy. Autofocus on both the K5 and K30 is fast and accurate. The lens is sharp enough wide open, and very good at 5.6, and nice and even across the frame. Contrast is excellent and the bokeh is smooth. I much prefer the general IQ to the DA-L35mm f2.4 that I used to have. There is a little CA wide open and at 3.5, but stopping down further seems to get rid of this. I find 40mm works well on APS-C, when in conjunction with a 24mm it is a nice walk round lens.
Build quality is fine, manual focusing is surprisingly easy considering the tiny size of the lens- and this is my only negative, it can be quite hard to physically attach the lens, my copy has a quite tight fighting bayonet, and mounting requires a firm twist on a small lens! I use a 27mm -49mm step up ring as a hood, which also means I can use a 49mm snap-on front cap. This lens often sits on my K-30 as a back-up body with an optically useful body cap!
Some shots with this lens....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arleimages/8570476428/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arleimages/8520082220/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arleimages/8514656316/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arleimages/8514634652/in/photostream/ | | | | | Forum Member Registered: January, 2010 Location: Nanaimo BC Posts: 91
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 12, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $155.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small, light, well built, good IQ | | Cons: | lens cap, slight roughness when attaching to camera | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used?: Used
Camera Used: K-5
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This is a very good lens and a bargain for the money. It is very obviously made of plastic but I can't find any faws in its construction and cosmetics. IQ is good, probaly very good, but not great. I say this bacause perhaps a little unfairly, I compared its results with my Petax-F 50mm F1.7, FA 50mm F2.8 Macro and M 55mm F1.8. The 40mm came in last, although the results were more than aceptable. First place belonged to the 50/2.8 macro, although the three oldies were close together.
I'm not sure yet where the 40mm XS belongs in my arsenal. I only got it a few weeks ago and am not sure if I'll keep it or put it back on the market. It appears to be a duplicate in many ways, but its small size could be an advantage in some situations.
I certainly recommend this lens. The combination of colors, bokeh and IQ makes it an excelellent choice and the price is certainly right. I would consider anything under $200 a real steal.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: February, 2013 Posts: 150
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 9, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $189.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | small, sharp, fast | | Cons: | lens cap, minimum focal distance | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: Used
Camera Used: K-30
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Very nice walk around lens, wirh WR could have been a real winner. | | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: May, 2010 Location: Hong Kong / Irvine, CA Posts: 636
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 18, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | small, fast focus | | Cons: | lens cap | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K30
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Very good lens.
fast focus, sharp, the rounded blade makes the bokeh very good.
My only complains are the lens cap is very hard to put it on and it is not designed to put on a filter.
I found a 27mm filter for it but it doesn't feel right to put it on.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2008 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 2,497
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 12, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $180.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size, Ultra fast focus, Full frame compatible | | Cons: | Nothing that bothers me, lens cap could have been better though | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-01, Super-A
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I got this lens with K-01 and I was planning to sell it off as I have a few lenses in this focus length already (35mm & 50mm). However, I fell in love with this lens after using it a few times and going to keep it.
First thing, size, it's so small that it just looks like a body cap. Quality wise, it appears to be in par with DA 40 LTD at half the cost and may be size too. AF is ultra fast compared to other Pentax lenses and accurate.
Being a DA lens, I thought it would vignette on Full frame so I tried it on my Super-A and it performed beautifully, sharp from edge to edge and it looks cool too.
On a flip side, I can safely say that it came with the worst lens cap ever made by Pentax. I would have expected a better lens cap, but anyway, I can live with it.
Overall, I certainly recommend this lens.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2011 Location: ON, RH Posts: 2,181 | | Review Date: January 3, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | small, light, well built, sharp, great price | | Cons: | no aperture ring | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: Pentax K10D, K-5, K-01
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I love these lenses and so far haven't had any kind of issues.
If I would have to complain (gun on the head), than it will have to be the fact that there is no aperture ring.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2012 Location: Dubai Posts: 144 | | Review Date: January 3, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $175.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Fast, VERY SMALL!!! | | Cons: | not weather sealed | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-5
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I bought this lens along with the K-5 body last month as I wanted a fast, small lens for everyday shooting and this seemed to be the best buy. Would have gone for the DA 40mm but with the holidays around the corner I had to cut down on costs. I am very happy with this lens and have had the pleasure of proudly showing off in a few camera stores!  I just enjoy the Bokeh offered by this lens as I shoot 95% of the time wide open! Definitely a show stopper!!!
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: April, 2010 Location: California Posts: 484
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 30, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small, light, sharp, smooth bokeh | | Cons: | Purple fringing wide open, only f/2.8, relatively large minimum focus distance, flimsy cap | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-01, K-x
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I got a great deal on this lens in the discounted package bundled with the K-01. If a small form factor is crucial, it is hard to beat, but I also own the DA 35 f/2.4, which has the wider aperture, the shorter minimum focus distance and better control of purple fringing going for it. With a single camera body, it would be a tough choice between them, but since I have two, the DA 35 lives on the K-x and the DA 40 on the K-01. Problem solved. 
31.3.13 by Ludger Solbach, on Flickr
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: September, 2012 Posts: 100 | | Review Date: November 30, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $145.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Very thin, IQ, sharpness, cheaper than 40 Ltd | | Cons: | No Quickshift, must have a hood for protect the lens | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K20D, K7, K5
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Just bought it yesterday @ ~145USD. I live in Vietnam and there're saleoff of Vietnam Pentax's dealer.
Like a "Pankake", it's very small, a tiny lens. But when handling my K5, my finger can easy touch in front len .
The lens is sharp at f2.8, very suitable for portrait. Stopdown, anhd your image will more and more sharpness.
When i test on a K7, it's back focus. When i test on K20D, i have adjustment AF to +10. But when use on my K5, AF is very correct
A very good len at very low price | | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2011 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 15 | | Review Date: October 27, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Optics, Size | | Cons: | No Quickshift | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-01
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Excellent lens in every way except one - I miss having quick shift. I couldn't recommend this lens more highly, it makes the perfect companion to the K-01, and even after picking up several other DA Limited lenses, it still finds its way only my camera regularly.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2011 Posts: 134
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 16, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Ultra light and small, good IQ stopped down | | Cons: | A bit soft and some CA wide open, odd focal length | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-01
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Had the opportunity to buy a new K-01 with DA 40 2.8 XS for 399€, so I jumped on it !
The focal length of the DA 40 2.8 XS is a bit long for a standard lens, but it always stays on my K-01 as it is so small that it allows me to carry my camera in a really small holster.
The DA 40 2.8 XS could be sharper wide open, but it gets really sharp at F/5.6, and produces nicely contrasted images with vibrant Pentax colors and a smooth bokeh.
All in all a good lens, especially for the price at which I got it !
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: October, 2008 Location: Japan Posts: 1,146
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 18, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size and overall picture quality | | Cons: | | |
It was either The DA40 XS new, or a used DA 40 Ltd. for a slightly higher price.
I stand by my choice as the XS is a fine lens indeed.
First off, the size is unbelievably small.
It looks great on the K-5 and makes for a great take anywhere kit.
It's also very unassuming for street photography and very light.
Two small points to make:
It's so thin that it can be a slightly awkward to put on as there isn't much to grip and turn, or at least a lot less than any other lens.
And, at times, my thumb has caught the AF ring in use.
Not really problems, but just takes some getting used to.
Other things to consider:
The build quality isn't the best, but that's not to say it is bad, just that it's all plastic with no frills.
It has a metal lens mount.
It rotates smoothly in MF mode.
Whilst there is no doubt the 40 Limited is a better built lens, I'm not sure the extra cost can be justified.
Picture quality is great and AF speed is very good.
I'm getting some wonderful night shots with it on my K-5 and it seems to handle flare very well.
Bokeh is very smooth and colours are wonderful.
It's sharp at 2.8, but I find it excellent at f4.
In conclusion, a great no-frills prime that is not much bigger than a body cap, but exceeds expectations.
A highly recommended lens.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: October, 2009 Posts: 137
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 13, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp; Flat Wonder; small; light | | Cons: | CA/PF (easy correction with LR4.1 defringe) | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: Used
Camera Used: K-5
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Just received this little FLAT WONDER and bought a 27mm hood for it
here are some example pictures:
1 close distance; slight crop
2 sharp IMHO (small crop)
3
4
5
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 4,002 | | Review Date: May 22, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Size, weight, IQ, focus ring | | Cons: | Lens cap | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-01 (& K-7)
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I bought the DA40mm xs with the K-01. First the lens design is amzing: its tiny size, its small weight and the fast AF are outstanding. The focus ring is also very nice to use. I like to use the lens MF with focus peaking and the results are great.
I do not know the DA40mm ltd, but I am truly impressed by the DA40mm xs IQ. With the K-01, the results are exceptional IMHO.
For me the most amazing aspect of the lens is its size which gives the K-01 a size almost comparable to a large P&S or any mirrorless, without comprising the IQ of a SLR.
The only annoying thing is the lens cap. It is so mall that I almost lost it twice.
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