Pentax smc FA 31mm 1.8 AL Limited

The Pentax SMC-FA 31mm f/1.8 AL Limited is an excellent lens. It is already sharp at f/1.8 and razor sharp at medium apertures. Distortions and CAs are very well controlled. On the downside it vignettes quite a bit at f/1.8 so the ultra-large max. aperture takes its toll here. The bokeh (out-of-focus blur) is very smooth and buttery which is fairly unusual for a lens with aspherical elements. Typical for all Limited lenses the build quality is exceptional and it is a joy to use the lens. It also shares another, rather unfortunate, characteristic with its cousins - a high price tag. Quality comes at a price but 900-1000€/US$ seems a bit over the edge but then it is probably just another example of diminishing returns upon higher investments. Nonetheless it is refreshing to see that Pentax focuses on quality rather than costs - there're enough plastic lenses out there after all.