Pentax smc DA 40mm 2.8 Limited

The Pentax SMC DA 40mm f/2.8 exhibits a very harmonious optical performance combined with excellent build quality. It is capable to produce very sharp images across the frame straight from the max. aperture. Distortions are marginal and CAs are a non-issue. Vignetting is quite pronounced at f/2.8 but not a show-stopper. The bokeh (out-of-focus blur) is pretty smooth. The biggest "problem" of the lens is not quality but its application. It is a comparatively slow lens and not faster than many zooms and classic "normal" lenses are about as good at comparable apertures but with a lot more potential for low light photography ... at a lower price. Some users may argue with its size and weight but even with the DA 40mm f/2.8 a DSLR is not a pocketable camera. That all said it remains an excellent performer and as such it is a welcome addition to the Pentax lens lineup.