Would it be practical to own all the Pentax Limteds?

quiapz · Mar 10, 2008

DA 21/40/70
FA 31/43/77

Would there be any practical advantage in owning all these limiteds?

Of course it would be nice to have all of them... but having both a 40mm and 43mm? Isn't that kind of redundant?

What would you consider as the essential limiteds to own if owning them all isn't practical?

PS: The DA15 should be coming out in some time, so I guess we could add that to the discussion.

KSV · Mar 10, 2008

...to own two full sets of FA limited – one in black and one in silver.

SFT007 · Mar 10, 2008

If you want to own all Ltd's but don't want redundancy then you have to choose between the DA40/FA43 and DA70/FA77 - the DA21 and FA31 have no alternatives really. I see absolutely no point in owning all DA & FA Ltd's as I am not a collector or anything of that sory, I take photographs with them and I see no reason to waste money as owning all would just give me redundancy and would not be of use to me personally.

If I had to choose I would go: DA21, FA31, FA43, DA70 - in fact I own 3 of those already (DA21, FA31, DA70) and use the FA50 instead of the FA43 as I don't see anything from the FA43 that impresses me to make me sell my FA50 and get it instead so my lineup is DA21, FA31, FA50, DA70 but really the DA70/FA77 are very close in terms of rendering (probably as close as it gets in Pentax lineup, I prefer the DA70 for reasons like QS focusing, faster AF, etc.) and the DA40/FA43 choice is interesting because the DA40 is tiny, sharp wide-open, focuses fast and has QS, though some may say the lens is too tiny for comfortable use, the FA43 on the other hand is still very small, lacks QS, etc. but is 1 stop faster with good rendering and sharpness in the center wide-open but quite poor borders at that aperture - it does sharpen up very quickly though when stopped down - so the choice is yours really and I would have a hard time choosing between them.

--
Sinan
http://sinantarlan.zenfolio.com/

KL Matt · Mar 11, 2008

Depending on the price you pay for them, the FA limiteds are looking like excellent investments. They are sure to be discontinued at some point, and when they are, lookout resale value. Buy in dollars sell in euros...

-Matt

--

... interested in .... photographs? Heh? Know what a mean? Photographs? (He asked him knowingly). Nudge nudge, snap snap, grin grin, wink wink, say no more, say no more, know what a' mean? Know what a' mean?

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/home#section=ARTIST&subSection=183820&subSubSection=0&language=EN

frank100557 · Mar 11, 2008

Well, you should check out our King's collection:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/postersprofile.asp?poster=hjiyixiwhv

It's perfectly practical to own all the Liimiteds if you like to have them all. But if you don't need or want them, probably you don't need to buy any of them like many others.

To me, I'd keep the FA Limiteds as long as I'm still shooting w/ a Pentax camera

--
Frank
GMT+8hours

jackbw · Mar 11, 2008

I don't know about practical, but it will be guaranteed fun .

If you add the DA15 and DA35 macro that makes 8 of them. Not sure if they will get equal use though, the focal lengths are pretty close: 15 21 31 35 40 43 70 77. That's 8 lenses between 15-77mm. Practical would be to choose 3 and use them well.

Ishpuini · Mar 11, 2008

I personally own the three FA limiteds and I bought the DA21 limited to complete the line-up. I see no use for the DA40 or DA70 in my collection as they are too close to the FA43 and FA77.

There's the DA15 en DA35 to come...

DA15: this one is certainly on my wish list. I've been wanting a wider compact fixed focal length lens for some time and used the Zenitar for that. A DA15 would suit me better.
DA35: for general purpose too close between the FA31 and FA43, plus not a field-of-view that really suits me. I sold my FA35/2 for that reason. Having it with macro range is sth else indeed, though my personal macro needs are covered by longer macro glass.

Another reason why you could prefer the FA limiteds to the longer DA limiteds... the odd focal lengths. A setup consisting of 15 21 31 43 77 sounds way cooler than one ending with 40 and 70... ;-)

Wim

--
Belgium, GMT+1

chris gunn · Mar 11, 2008

KSV said:
...to own two full sets of FA limited – one in black and one in silver.

Herb does!

--
cheers!

Gunn

-- Get a big lens and get closer™.

http://www.dpreview.pentaxistDS.photoshare.co.nz
http://www.y3m.net/penwik/pmwiki.php/Main/PentaxLensWiki
FAQ: http://www.pentaxuser.org/tiki-index.php

chris gunn · Mar 11, 2008

Ishpuini said:
I personally own the three FA limiteds and I bought the DA21 limited

Same here

Ishpuini said:
to complete the line-up. I see no use for the DA40 or DA70 in my
collection as they are too close to the FA43 and FA77.

And, not as good/interesting (Aside from the focus thingy).

Ishpuini said:
There's the DA15 en DA35 to come...

DA15: this one is certainly on my wish list. I've been wanting a

wider compact fixed focal length lens for some time and used the
Zenitar for that. A DA15 would suit me better.

Yes! The 14 is a bit heavy, with soft corners.

Ishpuini said:
DA35: for general purpose too close between the FA31 and FA43, plus

not a field-of-view that really suits me. I sold my FA35/2 for that

Sorry, is that the 1.4 or the 2.8 macro? I will wait on results.

Ishpuini said:
reason. Having it with macro range is sth else indeed, though my
personal macro needs are covered by longer macro glass.

Another reason why you could prefer the FA limiteds to the longer DA
limiteds... the odd focal lengths. A setup consisting of 15 21 31 43
77 sounds way cooler than one ending with 40 and 70... ;-)

The FL separation is real. 10, 14, 21, 31, 43 (or 50), ~~77....~~

--
cheers!

Gunn

-- Get a big lens and get closer™.

http://www.dpreview.pentaxistDS.photoshare.co.nz
http://www.y3m.net/penwik/pmwiki.php/Main/PentaxLensWiki
FAQ: http://www.pentaxuser.org/tiki-index.php

Ishpuini · Mar 11, 2008

chris gunn said:
chris gunn said:

to complete the line-up. I see no use for the DA40 or DA70 in my
collection as they are too close to the FA43 and FA77.

Click to expand...

And, not as good/interesting (Aside from the focus thingy).

Well... to be honest I compared my FA77 to a DA70 this WE and the DA70 clearly won, more contrast and sharpness. Although I noticed after the DA70 owner and I separated that my FA70's front element was a bit dusty for some reason... Perhaps that influenced too?

chris gunn said:
Yes! The 14 is a bit heavy, with soft corners.

Indeed, it was never really tempting to me...

chris gunn said:
chris gunn said:

DA35: for general purpose too close between the FA31 and FA43, plus

not a field-of-view that really suits me. I sold my FA35/2 for that

Click to expand...

Sorry, is that the 1.4 or the 2.8 macro? I will wait on results.

I believe only the DA35/2.8 macro will be a limited. I expect the f/1.4 will be a DA*35/1.4 lined up with the DA*55/1.4, so big and bright.

Wim

--
Belgium, GMT+1

chris gunn · Mar 11, 2008

Ishpuini said:
chris gunn said:

Ishpuini said:

to complete the line-up. I see no use for the DA40 or DA70 in my
collection as they are too close to the FA43 and FA77.

Click to expand...

And, not as good/interesting (Aside from the focus thingy).

Click to expand...

Well... to be honest I compared my FA77 to a DA70 this WE and the
DA70 clearly won, more contrast and sharpness. Although I noticed
after the DA70 owner and I separated that my FA70's front element was
a bit dusty for some reason... Perhaps that influenced too?

Oho! Different results to the PZ tests :-]
They are supposed to be similar though.

Ishpuini said:
Ishpuini said:

Yes! The 14 is a bit heavy, with soft corners.

Click to expand...

Indeed, it was never really tempting to me...

Contrasty lens though!

Ishpuini said:
Ishpuini said:

Ishpuini said:

DA35: for general purpose too close between the FA31 and FA43, plus

not a field-of-view that really suits me. I sold my FA35/2 for that

Click to expand...

Sorry, is that the 1.4 or the 2.8 macro? I will wait on results.

Click to expand...

I believe only the DA35/2.8 macro will be a limited. I expect the
f/1.4 will be a DA*35/1.4 lined up with the DA*55/1.4, so big and
bright.

This is a Limited discussion, quite right!
As I do little paper reproduction, I don't have much interet in the 35/2.8.

--
cheers!

Gunn

-- Get a big lens and get closer™.

http://www.dpreview.pentaxistDS.photoshare.co.nz
http://www.y3m.net/penwik/pmwiki.php/Main/PentaxLensWiki
FAQ: http://www.pentaxuser.org/tiki-index.php

quiapz · Mar 13, 2008

so guys... considering I want to be as practical as possible and I want to eliminate too much redundancy in my lenses:

What combination of limited lenses then should I go for?

31/43/77?
21/43/77?

blaketake · Mar 13, 2008

If anything buy the 3 original limiteds and the new 21mm. The 77 and the 43 both are faster than the 70 and the 40. The 31mm is just badass and the 21mm is just a sick focal length to have in a pancake.

--
http://pbase.com/blaketake

Ishpuini · Mar 13, 2008

quiapz said:
31/43/77?

A cool trio, the only real limiteds classic style. The 31 and 43 are perhaps a bit close to each other though, and you have no real wide lens in this setup...

quiapz said:
21/43/77?

Possibly the more sensible alternative, giving you a more flexible setup. But potentially missing a real standard focal length (i.e. the 31).

Difficult choice, but I guess the second setup is what I would prefer. My small lens kit nowadays is the DA21 and the FA43. Sometime I add the FA77 if more reach is required. The 31 get some use too, but ofter it's just a bit too big to fit in the bag...

Wim

--
Belgium, GMT+1

KSV · Mar 13, 2008

50 is not limited, but certainly classy. Can be substituted by 55 on that is on the way. I have 14/20/31/50/77 and quite happy (20 is Sigma) really like to add 24-ish. But 24/2.0 is incredibly rare and Zeiss 25/2.8 a bit slowish (he-he-he

)), manual and bl00dy expensive.

can_ka_no_rey · Mar 13, 2008

quiapz said:
DA 21/40/70
FA 31/43/77

Would there be any practical advantage in owning all these limiteds?

Of course it would be nice to have all of them... but having both a
40mm and 43mm? Isn't that kind of redundant?

What would you consider as the essential limiteds to own if owning
them all isn't practical?

PS: The DA15 should be coming out in some time, so I guess we could
add that to the discussion.

It depends if you wan't fast lenses or cheap lenses...

I have 31/43/77 and I'm interested in 15 and/or 21. If I had to do it all over again, and if not having a complete set doesn't bother you, I probably would do for 15/31/40/77
--
Cheers,
Ed
-----------
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7896467@N07/

quiapz · Mar 13, 2008

blaketake said:
If anything buy the 3 original limiteds and the new 21mm. The 77 and
the 43 both are faster than the 70 and the 40. The 31mm is just
badass and the 21mm is just a sick focal length to have in a pancake.

Yeah, those three FA limiteds are just... wow. I could get all three of those somewhere for around $1850 (31=$850;43=$420;77=$580) - are these decent enough prices? In any case, that's still a TON of cash for me.

Anyway... what if I just wait for the DA15 and go for a 15/31/43/77 setup?

argh, this is difficult =p

DLBlack · Mar 13, 2008

Ishpuini said:
I personally own the three FA limiteds and I bought the DA21 limited
to complete the line-up. I see no use for the DA40 or DA70 in my
collection as they are too close to the FA43 and FA77.

I prefectly agree with this. I also have the three FA Limiteds and the DA21 Ltd. A very nice set-up

Ishpuini said:
There's the DA15 en DA35 to come...

DA15: this one is certainly on my wish list. I've been wanting a

wider compact fixed focal length lens for some time and used the
Zenitar for that. A DA15 would suit me better.

I have the DA14 but might be tempted by teh DA15 Ltd. It depends upon what the users commetns are.

Ishpuini said:
DA35: for general purpose too close between the FA31 and FA43, plus

not a field-of-view that really suits me. I sold my FA35/2 for that
reason. Having it with macro range is sth else indeed, though my
personal macro needs are covered by longer macro glass.

I have both DFA macros and normally only use the DFA100 so I don't see why I would want the DA35 macro.

Ishpuini said:
Another reason why you could prefer the FA limiteds to the longer DA
limiteds... the odd focal lengths. A setup consisting of 15 21 31 43
77 sounds way cooler than one ending with 40 and 70... ;-)

I never thought about this but it is another reason to buy this series of lenses.

Dave

Larry Winters · Mar 13, 2008

Hello:

If one can afford it and it makes one happy then buy them all...Only when it puts a strain on ones debt load should concern develop...

lw

quiapz said:
DA 21/40/70
FA 31/43/77

Would there be any practical advantage in owning all these limiteds?

Of course it would be nice to have all of them... but having both a
40mm and 43mm? Isn't that kind of redundant?

What would you consider as the essential limiteds to own if owning
them all isn't practical?

PS: The DA15 should be coming out in some time, so I guess we could
add that to the discussion.

gazonk · Mar 13, 2008

KL Matt said:
Depending on the price you pay for them, the FA limiteds are looking
like excellent investments. They are sure to be discontinued at some
point, and when they are, lookout resale value. Buy in dollars sell
in euros...

Good point. With the ridiculously low dollar right now, the FA limiteds are almost given away for free in the US. I guess for some europeans the WAF/HAF for all the limiteds could be raised if the savings by buying in NYC is used for a romantic weekend with the spouse ;-)
--
Espen

Would it be practical to own all the Pentax Limteds?

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