The small but mighty Pentax DA Limited 40mm F2.8
Just a brief introduction, to my new current favorite Pentax Limited prime, the 40mm F2.8. I picked up this tiny pancake in November at a camera store in Portland, called Camera Solutions. They're a big reseller of Pentax gear, check them out sometime if you're looking for good preused gear deals. Now, as we were, I've never really have owned a pancake prime lens yet. I think my smallest prime I've shot to date has to be the Pre-Ai Nikon 35mm F2.8, from the 1960s, and the Pentax 28mm SMC-M that came with my K1000, perhaps an additional argument could be made for my Olympus Pen D2's Zukio 32mm F1.9 but I don't think it counts since it's not an SLR lens.
I've never quite understood, all the hoopla about small primes until now. What I hadn't realized, what a favorite this would become that has found a permanent home affixed either to my KP or MZ-S. It's razor thin, only being 15mm thick, has an all metal construction that makes Pentax limited lenses all so great and beautiful. I've never liked excessive plasticky high end lenses. It's small size and focus throw make it quick, and snappy to get your composition's in focus very quickly. The FoV is just at a perfect tightness on Full Frame and APS-C, that renders great contrast, detail, and DoF. And the coatings, make lovely colors combined with the KP's sensor.
Here it's at home on my KP, it looks rather ridiculous on such a big camera body. It followed me everywhere, from my past Alaska work adventures. I'd like to pick up the SMC-M 40mm F2.8 one day, it's design inspiration from the film era.
A test shot, on the MZ-S taken with Ilford 3200, as you can see no vignetting, despite being a Pentax"DA" APS-C lens.
Awesome write-up and pics 🙂 I've heard lots of good things about this lens. I think if I didn't already have the 43mm I'd be wanting to check it out. Pancakes can be a lot of fun to shoot, and the 40mm on APSC is actually an interesting focal length to shoot with. It took me a while to get used to be I really enjoyed it (my 43mm on APSC).
Awesome that it works on your MZ-S too!
the helicopter shot is epic.
@kankrat I really lucked out, as soon as I got done shooting sunset on my way out. He came out of the Northeast just 50 feet above the treeline landed near the gold dredge and showed a couple tourists the ruins. They teased me since I had to hike in on the snowmobile trail with my camera bag. It had to be -25 with a -40 windchill that day.
I'd personally be so scared of my rotor hitting the trees, the pilot just did it like it was nothing in his book. I'm a fixed wing aviation mechanic by trade. Helicopters are flying safety wire and lock nuts that pound the air into submission, yeah I'm good. Here's a few more from my memory card I quickly edited!
I had been researching the 43mm limited (such an odd focal length too that's always made me baffled but anyway I'm not an optics engineer) , but I found the DA version for $200 cheaper, I believe even the 40mm XS that came with the K-01 is compatible with FF as well. Someone tested it on the MZ-S as well, and it vignetted just a tad wide open, which to me just added character since it was so subtle.
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