I owned the FA31/1.8 Limited. I found it an excellent performer overall, but several things about it annoyed me (size, weight, the clumsy fixed lens hood, the irritating lens cap). I sold it and later bought the FA35/2.
The latter is 1/3 the price and 95% as good a performer as the 31 Limited. It's about half the weight, much smaller in size, and takes standard filters and hood attachments without any problems. I prefer how it feels in my hands over the 31. Yes, the 31 has slightly better oof rendering ... but I'll still take the 35/2. The 77 is the only one of the FA series Limiteds that has much appeal to me. I debated buying it ... they're not cheap ... because I hadn't been using this focal length much and I really really would like the DA lens mount for the QuickShift focusing feature. But the opportunity and the rebate together were too compelling. Aside from the dumb lens cap and built in sliding lens hood (inadequate and bound to get loose over time), it's a marvelous lens and worth the loss of QuickShift focusing. I fixed the lens cap and hood problem (clip on lens cap, B+W metal screw-in telephoto lens hood...). Whether the focal length mix is really the best for the 16x24 format or not is a bit of a toss up. 21 is only ok in my book ... I really would like a 25-28mm f/1.4 that wasn't a monster ... 70-77mm is pretty good if a little long sometimes. 31 is an oddball (between normal and wide-normal), so is 40 on this sensor (long normal? ;-). All together, I'm happy with the 77, didn't care enough for the 31 to keep it, and keep hoping for a faster 28mm that remains compact. Godfrey -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
