HD vs. SMC Pentax Limited Primes
Conclusion
So, which lens series is better: the old SMC or the new HD Limiteds? It turns out that most of the changes made between these two lineups can only be compared subjectively, including the external appearance, bokeh, and star burst effects. What we can objectively conclude is that the HD lenses do a much better job of suppressing ghosting, and in harsh lighting they may produce images with more contrast. Although ghosting is never fully eliminated, in some cases it is so hard to spot with HD lenses that you won't need to have to apply any post-processing whatsoever to your photos.
Full Black SMC & HD Pentax Limited Prime Lineup - Click to Enlarge
Subjectively, we prefer the SMC 15mm over the HD 15mm for its beautiful star bust rendering; we can safely settle for the SMC version because the observable improvement that the HD coating delivers on this particular lens is smaller than on the others. We wouldn't mind having the HD versions of the remaining 4 lenses, however!
We'd like to point out that you might notice the a bigger improvement in bokeh between the SMC and HD 40mm Limiteds than the other lens pairs. In addition, the HD 35mm should be commended as it does a much better job on handling hotspots than the SMC 35mm and it exhibits virtually no ghosting whatsoever, two traits that are desirable for night photography.
 |  |
| SMC 15mm (right): nicer star bursts (F5.6) | |
 |  |
| HD 40mm (left): smoother bokeh (F4) | |
 |  |
| HD 35mm (left): hardly any ghosting and smoother light (F8) | |
The Pentax Limited primes continue to be fantastic lenses with truly-impressive image quality and unrivaled compactness. You certainly can't go wrong with any of these handy lenses! Our only real complaint about these lenses is that autofocus is still accomplished by the traditional screwdrive system, which while reliable, is quite noisy. In addition, they won't be ideal for all shooting conditions, as they are not fast primes.
While more expensive than the SMC Limiteds, the US prices of the HD Limiteds are still reasonable given the fact that these lenses sport all-metal constructions and premium optics. With that said, Pentax could have made more changes to justify the price increase, such as a slight barrel redesign to incorporate weather sealing, for instance. The manufacturer suggested retail pricing for the HD lenses in the US is indicated below:
During everyday shooting, you will most likely not be able ot tell the SMC Limiteds apart from the HD Limiteds. So, if you find a bargain on an SMC lens, or if you simply prefer the old lettering style, you shouldn't hold back. On the other hand, if you often shoot in harsh lighting or sunny environments, then you might want to step up to the HD lenses for their improved coating. The SMC lenses are discontinued, so chances are that they will only be available second-hand in 2014 and beyond.
All of the Limiteds lenses serve different purposes, and each has its own appeal. If we could only choose one of the five, it would the 35mm Macro, as it offers corner-to-corner sharpness and doubles as a fanstatic standard walkaround lens. Next up would be the 40mm pancake, which turns any Pentax DSLR into a compact camera without making any major compromises.
For user opinions on the SMC and HD Limiteds, please visit our Pentax Lens Database.
Don't miss our in-depth reviews of each SMC Limited lens:
Other Popular Reviews
