Hi Marnie, I like the DA40, the camera is way easier to carry everywhere, and unless you really need to shoot in extreme low light (in a concert, a poorly lit bar or at night) I agree with Godfrey that is proved to be fast enough (provided that you dont mind cranking up the ISO). If you are fond of the manual focus, the diminute ring is not the best, but it focuses really fast in af. It's sharp even wide open, the out-of-focus is pleasing to my eyes (no expert here, but the 9 blades give a round like form to the highlights, one pet peeve of mine). I like the colour rendition but i guess that's not that important in digital.
Other thing that I like is the little hood, makes me feel the lens is protected and doesn't take to much space. Compared to the FA35/2 I would say (no formal testing here) that has less purple fringing/sensor blooming, my guess is that the coatings/design was improved for digital cameras. Having said that, if I have to choose between both I would go for the 35/2 just because is faster. Now, I'm not street photographer (still working on that, but my attemps so far didn't succeed) but I agree with the thought that normal/normal wide looks better for that style of photography, results from telephoto lenses seem to disconect the viewer from the scene, this is something I read in some forums but I tend to agree with it, at least looking at the photographers that I like (winograd and the ones that you can see in "in-public" www.in-public.com). Probably real street photographers can chime in on that (juan are you there?). Based on that if I have to buy a lens for street if would be the DA21, but take it with a bucket of salt ;-). Hope that helps. Fernando sample photos (if you think you can use the originals for some reason let me know and i'll email them to you): http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=420641473&size=o http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=335939586&size=o http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=229621563&size=o http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=229621466&size=o On 3/28/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Well, I ordered the DA 50-200 from Adorama. It was in stock when I ordered, > but they tell me that now it's out, and I'll have to wait. Probably that > rebate thing. > > I'd also like a fast prime. Something for stealth photography, as when I > want to do "street photography," i.e. unaware people shots. Something shorter > than a long zoom -- less conspicuous. Guess one couldn't get much shorter > than > the DA 40. > > Opinions? Focus good? Any focus fall off? CA? Whatever? What would the crop > factor on this one be on digital? Come out to about 55mm? > > TIA, Marnie aka Doe ;-) Course if I do order it, it is bound to go out of > stock just when I do. > > > > > ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. > Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
