I think the OP's point was that he wants two things: a small interchangeable-lens camera for taking everywhere, and a FF DSLR for maximum image quality on pre-planned photo exhibitions. In his opinion APS-C is an unhappy medium between these two things which as a result meets neither of his needs.

It doesn't matter - if you're selling it, putting that it's Pentax F-series (and the focal range/apertures etc.) is sufficient for any buyer to know whether it will work with their camera.

Welcome to Pentaxland by the way!

Hope the samples are useful to those trying to decide - they have only made me veer towards the DA35... erm I mean the 'fast-ish standard prime'... THE SHINY METAL ONE

Allow me to explain - I don't have any issue with the technical quality of the sample shots. In fact they are all great. My problem is that I'm perfectly happy with the subject isolation/bokeh of the third photo (the portrait of the younger bloke)... and that was taken at f4. So in other words it isn't a shot that I (had I the same amount of talent as the person who took the sample shots, which is unlikely ) could not have taken with the Macro.

PS: Realise this is a double post. Promise to post some shots with whatever lens I get in exchange for the mods cancelling the tar-and-feathering!

The DAL35? A thread on the Other Forum had a few sample shots from Photokina - looked sharp and the bokeh was very nice. If I find the thread within the editing time limit I'll add it here!

EDIT: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/115913-any-sample-pics-new-pentax-35mm-prime.html

Wouldn't sell the Tammy if it were me. The MFD on the new lens is about a foot - so not in FA43 territory but nor would it make up for the loss of a macro lens.

Not helping!

SRS have the new 35mm in stock - £150. Just in case anyone is interested!

PS: So why have I not already ordered one? They just reduced the DA35 Macro to £375, putting me right back to square one in the decision stakes

Even at £450-ish, I suspect that it might significantly impact sales of the DA17-70. The most common complaint about that lens was that it didn't have WR, and the 18-135 is apparently f4.5 at 70mm (so no great loss in speed).


Park always quote the RRP on yet-to-be-released lenses.

Also bear in mind the Sigma 50mm f1.4 - it costs about the same as the FA 50 but has performance more similar to the DA*55 - in fact for sharpness wide open it is supposedly better than the DA*55. The only caveat is that they often front focus (I speak from personal experience!) so it can take a few attempts to get a good one. Personally though I'd prefer that to playing the SDM lottery

Though with the 16-50 there were apparently two problems: poor quality SDM motors, and also the decentering issues with the lenses themselves. Apparently this (essentially the lens not being built straight), if you're unlucky enough to get a bad copy with this problem, puts extra strain on the SDM motor making it more likely to fail - and they aren't exactly bastions of reliability to begin with.