| Author: | | New Member Registered: August, 2018 Posts: 2
6 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 13, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Super small, sharp and light | | Cons: | Due to small size harder to put on and off camera | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-01
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I use this lens on my K-01 and find the focal length of 40 mm (61mm full frame equivalent) great for walking around the city as well as the parks. Some people prefer DA 21mm F3.2 limited or DA 35mm f2.4 for walk around lens but once one gets used to 40mm it has its advantages. I can put this camera (K-01) and the 40mm lens in the pocket of my winter jacket (the jacket needs to have big pockets) and that convenience alone makes me take this camera-lens combo out most of the time. The f 2.8 aperture is great in low light. For the wide angle shots I can take photos with my phone (which has an eq. of 18mm APS-c or 28mm full frame lens field of view). Combining K-01 with 40 mm f2.8 and the phone camera makes for convenient, easy to carry but somewhat unorthodox set up. Overall love this lens.
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2022 Location: Glyfada, a southern suburb of Athens Posts: 208
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 7, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $113.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | What lens? This is a camera cap with shooting abilities ! | | Cons: | no pouch, no hood provided, flat/dull colors | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 5
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: KP
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POP QUIZ: Where's the lens!? 
We've actually bought the XS, a.k.a the biscuit, for the silver KP of Depy, my wife, and it's perfect in size to fit even inside a lady's bag; even in the pocket of a coat. Together with the KP it's like having a (fat) pocket camera. It's a solid 10! if you like doric minimalism or you're... an IKEA fan 
[EDIT]: we finally decided I keep the XS as a constant "camera cap with shooting abilities" and my wife will get the sibling of XS, the much better HD 40/2.8 Limited in Silver that looks much better with her silver KP and the 7mm difference in height is truly negligible. On the other hand, my black KP will always have an extra lens in the bag and I will be using the back lens cover of the glasses I will be switching to protect the XS.
It was a kill deal. Purchased at 113 €/$ all inclusive, brand new, from a Japanese eBayer. Current street price in Greece at 299 €/$ 
The first thing that's upsetting though is that it comes without a pouch that is vital for the protection of this biscuit of fashion.
So you definitely need to buy a pouch; and we bought a pink leatherette pouch from Lidl at 4 euros. Not bad.
The second thing that's annoying is that Pentax does not provide a hood.
Sure, the hood would kill the "biscuit fashion" factor but for God's shake, Pentax did not apply HD coating and that means that the lens is exposed to flares and will most certainly provide images comparable to smartphones and not DSLR lenses. Why no HD coating when you know that your customers will be shooting without a hood???
Unbelievable !!! 
So I purchased a metal hood that fits on it's miniscule 27mm filter ring. I also made a DIY hood cover using a cap purchased on a hardware store. I did warm it to make it fit better and I also put a touch of polishing cream for plastics  inside so it won't scratch the hood
(attention: someone sells on the...bay chinese hoods as japanese)
The hood does improve mostly the quality of the photos because we have a problem without. The photos are DARKER ! without a hood and there is a big loss of contrast, For example:
 
I am kind of disappointed that Pentax played cheap on many aspects with its one and only "designer lens".
To be honest I mostly find the colors dull and boring with flat contrast (missing hood is partially guilty) when I compare this lens with the Limited. Nothing to admire. It just takes clean photos.
I've read the tests and I just don't feel that the colors or sharpness or basically the pentax quality is there. Something is seriously missing; sacrificed for the looks.
For me it's a lens for fun and definitely not for serious photography or magnificent results. Yet it's a compromise for its size and you know that you're buying a "lens in fashion" not a real lens for sweet photos.
It's a fashionable lens for point and shoot in AUTO. Nothing more, nothing less.
Judge by yourself. All photos shot without a hood.
First photo with the two toys is at f/2.8 ie maximum with ISO400.
Second with the plants at f/22 ie minimum with ISO4000.
Third photo with a flash again at f/2.8 with ISO4000 ( don't know why the ISO remained that high).
  
And since it becomes a custom to use our pets as our review models , below the portraits of Luther and Larry.
The black 20lbs "kitten" at ISO5000 and the  cat at ISO1000; both at f/2.8 ie maximum lens aperture.
  | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: June, 2013 Location: Utrecht Posts: 255
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 1, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Extreme light and compact, fast focus, covers Full Frame | | Cons: | blue halos in harsh areas wide open | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K01 K1ii
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In 2013 I grabbed this new with a white K-01 for $ 350 from Amazon, my best deal ever. On the K-01 it works fine, for my needs it focuses well too with the latest software update. APS-C is covered completely, only little vignetting wide open. At F2.8 this lens shows a lot of sharpness, although around contrasty areas you will get deep blue halos. At F4 this completely disappears, from F4 - F11 this little lens is very sharp. Compared with other lenses the 40XS renders somewhat flat, you can pimp this up in post with the levels and contrast sliders. Focussing is fast and snappy.
Looking at the optical formula this XS40 is very similar with the FF pancake M40. So it is not surprising this XS40 is very useful on the K1 too. Wide open you get noticeable vignetting and the extreme corners (only) are unsharp. Stopped down a bit the vignetting almost disappears and 95% of the frame renders sharp. A XS40 on a K1 looks a bit odd but for street shooting it really is an ideal combo.
I never had any problems with the rubber cap, it works fine.
Full Frame Pictures: Fields at F 5.6, Castle wide open, extreme crop with blueish halos.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2017 Location: Kiev Posts: 12
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 23, 2018 | Not Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Nice picture. Universal focal length, convenient for everyday use. Lightweight and small lens dimensions. Low cost in relation to image quality. | | Cons: | Inconvenient lens cap. There is no blend in the kit, which is necessary to improve the contrast of photos. Auto-focusing with this lens is not as simple as with others close in focal lengths (35mm., 50mm.). | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 6
Handling: 8
Value: 10
New or Used?: Used
Camera Used: K-5
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This is a very good lens! I like it more than 40 limited! Because KCC has rounded aperture blades. And the photos are more voluminous. And bokeh is more interesting and more beautiful.
I consider this lens as one of the best glasses for everyday use, in terms of price-quality photos! This lens is suitable for a leisurely, thoughtful shot. And although his autofocus works very quickly, the focus point often misses the target. Than napimer, 50mm lenses. Getting to the point of focusing with it becomes even more difficult if there is poor light. Or motley background behind the subject.
In addition, chromatic aberrations will appear on the open diaphragms in the photographs. If there is a strong contrast between the lighted and unlit areas in the picture. But this is not very pronounced. And the positive qualities of this lens are much more than unpleasant details.
For commercial use, I would not recommend 40XS, for the reasons described above. But for personal use this lens, I think a real find! It is so small and light that any camera with it will have the minimum dimensions and weight. And at the same time you will have a lens with a convenient focal length, for outdoor photography, for portraits, for genre and creative photography. In any situation where you have the opportunity to approach, or move away from the subject. If this is not possible, then it is better to purchase a zoom lens.
I definitely recommend this lens, because of its small size, low cost, good picture, beautiful color, pleasant bokeh!
The intensity of the bokeh and its drawing can be viewed in the attached photos below. Photographed with a f-number: 2.8; 4.0; 8.0
F 2,8
F 4,0
F 8,0
Below, in the photograph, a comparison of shots taken with different aperture values:
Below, in the photograph, a comparison of shots taken with different aperture values, with a 100% increase in the photograph:
Using these photos, you can understand the nature of the background blur, bokeh, depth of field at various apertures. I hope that someone my small review will help determine the choice of the lens.
P.S. I recommend this lens! But for some reason, the site itself puts "no" instead of "yes." I do not want. so that someone would think that I would not recommend this lens! Quite the contrary!
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2013 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 114
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 18, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | 3D pop!! - Color, Sharpness, Flare resistance, size | | Cons: | purple fringing at wide aperture, easy to fix | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-01
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I've had this 40mm XS ever since I got my K-01 kit a couple years ago. I have a slew of lenses to play with and only recently did I pull this pancake out to put it to work again.
The only issue I have with it is some purple fringing on high contrast points or edges at wider apertures. But this is very easily fixable in post. I gave it a high aberrations rating because purple fringing is so minor and fixable. The kind of aberrations that really bug me are the smeary, coma types where the optical quality is truly visible and un-fixable. This lens does not suffer from those issues.
Lately I've been shooting a freind's Leica M3 and M6 with some classic Leica glass. There's something to those lenses that makes the in-focus subject really pop with a 3D realism. It's more than bokeh or shallow DOF. There is a contrast and sharpness factor that really brings out this dimensionality. I think that's what stands out to me as a Leica "look". So I've been playing with my collection of Pentax and Takumar M42 glass to see what I have here that does a nice job of that strong 3D rendering. Fortunately, lots of Pentax/Takumar lenses are pretty good at that thing. But what really struck me recently is this 40mm pancake. It really does do THAT thing I was after. It's really quite special honestly. This is a fantastic and absurdly affordable lens, but this 3D realism it brings is just very much a big standout for me. I'm sure the Limited does it just as well too.
So I kind of see my little K-01 kit with this 40mm XS pancake as my digital Leica at a fixed 60mm equivalent. And the XS is really fun on a DSLR too.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2013 Location: Storrs-Mansfield, Connecticut Posts: 223
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 3, 2015 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Tiny, sharp, downright cute and very useful | | Cons: | Stupid lens cap | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K--01
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UPDATED REVIEW Nov. 2017
It amazes me that this tiny lens can be so very good. I should use it more but have been on a tear to find the perfect "fast 50" and mostly have ignored it. While deleting some lesser pix, I found these forgotten samples. I checked and sure enough it was this little devil that I've been ignoring--mea culpa. Here are some pix I snapped quickly on a woods walk when I first got the lens. It was getting dark and I had to push the lens pretty hard. I am now using it more often. It's truly a fine lens, worthy of a 10 but for the lens cap, but I fixed that--see below.
(I hate having to jump through hoops with the gallery searching out my uploaded photos--so I tried using another link, but those don't show. No wonder I don't "participate" with photos more often. )
https://www.flickr.com/photos/150644791@N05/38575240226/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/150644791@N05/38598720252/in/datetaken-public/
Lastly, here is my answer to the idiotic, expensive, original lens cap that always wants to come off and get lost. It's simply a plastic lid; I shaved the inside to make a tight fit and it never comes off except when I want it to. Also, it protects the whole lens extremely well, is color coordinated and cost me nothing.
 | | | | | 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/ | | | | | 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
 | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2013 Location: NE England Posts: 13
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 31, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | compact, build quality, sharpness, image quality | | Cons: | no aperture ring | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used?: Used
Camera Used: K-01, KP, MZ-s, Z1-p
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When I first saw this lens I thought it was a toy or gimmick........
I couldn't have been more wrong! A superb lens. Some of the HDR and software IR images I have taken with my KP are superb!
I have the original M series pancake, which I rate highly but this lens is just superb for being A: auto focus and B: having rounded aperture blades.
I haven't tried the 40mm limited but I suspect that this lens will give you much more for your money and with a reduction in size!
Works with full frame film too! When I put this on my MZ-s it makes for a tiny combo!
Highly recommended!
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: December, 2009 Location: Glenorie NSW Posts: 45
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 25, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | light, small, excellent | | Cons: | lens cap | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K5, K3, K01, KP, K1-II
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I bought this lens as a kit with the K-01 for $AUD240 (about $US170). To quote Elwood Blues "They were practically giving them away". I figured a genuine Pentax battery and 40mm lens were worth it. The K-01 was a bonus. Due to an Amazon ordering anomaly I ended up with 3 bodies & batteries plus two lenses. I also have a Voigtlander Ultron f2 which is a manual focus lens. Generally the Voigtlander is superior if you ignore the manual focus however for street photography this lens is excellent. It is also a great travel lens and is easy to carry in a vest pocket on my KP. The biggest problem is the rubber lens cap though these can be sourced via ebay. All in all fantastic value for money.
| | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2017 Posts: 2
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 3, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Light l,sharp | | Cons: | Not particularly | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K3-2
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I love it!
I bought it with K - 01, but I think that K3 II is more effective.
It is thin, light, has little distortion, is the highest.
Exposure Time 1/400s (0.0025)
Aperture F/3.2
ISO 100
Exposure Time 3.000 s
Aperture F/3.5
ISO 200
Exposure Time 5.000 s
Aperture F/8.0
ISO 100
https://flic.kr/p/25fAre2
Exposure Time 1/1000s (0.0010)
Aperture F/3.2
ISO 100
https://flic.kr/p/2geey8h
Exposure Time 1/1000s (0.0010)
Aperture F/3.2
ISO 100
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: September, 2010 Location: MD Posts: 1,033
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 27, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | size, sharpness, colors rendered, focal length | | Cons: | OEM cap | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: New
Camera Used: K-30
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I love small lenses, and I love sharp rendering. This little beauty gives me both. Such a fun and convenient little lens! I like it better than the DA 50 f1.8, and I guess I'm more comfortable with the 40mm perspective than the 50mm for most stuff. (60mm vs 75mm FF equivalent)
The DA 40XS actually does a better job than the DA 35 f2.4 which I've used a lot. The DA 35 has been handy indoors. I don't miss the f2.4 to f2.8 jump, but even 35mm is a bit long for indoors, so I'm not sure how much I'll use the 40.
In my testing the lens is soft (but ok) at 2.8 but sharpens nicely by f4. It's best at f5.6-8 and still very good at f11.
I see what others mean about the lens cap that Pentax includes. It does seem like it would be easy to lose. I first tried using a 27mm to 49mm step up ring and then a standard 49mm snap on cap. It didn't work the greatest because there isn't a lot of thread to attach the ring securely, and it added unnecessary bulk to the lens. I then found that you can get a nice little 27mm snap on cap. (Search for "27mm snap on lens cap" at ebay. I got mine for $.71) Works great.
| | | | | 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.
| | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2023 Posts: 1
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 9, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Size, Overall IQ, Aparture Size | | Cons: | Easy to smudge lens, tiny cap, no hood | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 6
Handling: 10
Value: 8
New or Used?: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K10D
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      | | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2018 Location: Hérouville Saint Clair, Normandy, France Posts: 143
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 26, 2018 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small, light, compact, sharp, fast | | Cons: | aperture, screw AF | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used?: Used
Camera Used: KP
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Very light and fast lens, easy to operate. Perfect for portraits.
I used to shoot with the 35 2.4 and the 50 1.8 but now this one is my favourite.
Pentax KP - 1/40 - ISO 400
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