"But then along comes the SMC Pentax-DA 40mm f/2.8 Ltd. This looks like an interesting lens. Its pros are: Compactness, great image quality, great bokeh, solid construction. Its cons are: wide open is only f/2.8, and it doesn't seem to fit into any particular suite of lenses."
Dave, at first I regarded the DA 40 as a gimmick lens. Then I realized that it, and the D or DS, would make an amazingly compact travel kit. So I bought it. I am pleased to report that optically it is very high quality. There will be a suite by 2006. Pentax plans at least two more lenses in this series, both limited pancakes. There will be a DA20-30 (exact focal length not yet specified) and a DA 60-70. The latter may meet your need for something above 50 but below 135. Based on recent history, I am assuming that these will be f2.8 lenses. I would be pleased to be wrong (i.e., they turn out to be faster). There is also the D FA 100 f2.8 macro for your 50-135 gap. Joe
