Pentax Limited Prime lens vs Zoom?

[astro]

Hi,
I just got my *ist DS today
The kit lens are really nice, but I'm ready to buy my second lens now.
I've read that Pentax Limited lenses are some of the world's best lenses, even beating Leica and Carl Zeiss' offerings.

Secondly what's the difference between the 43mm f/1.9 limited lens and the 50mm f/1.4? The 50mm are half the price.

Would I be better off buying the 50-200mm or sigma 70-300mm APO?

[speaklightly]

Astro-

I have used the Pentax 50-200mm extensively, and I will share with you that it is a very good lens, but not a great lens. It does the job very well indeed, but it will not knock your socks off. It is an excellent "walk around" lens.

Sarah Joyce

[jeisner]

Originally Posted by astro

Hi,
I just got my *ist DS today
The kit lens are really nice, but I'm ready to buy my second lens now.
I've read that Pentax Limited lenses are some of the world's best lenses, even beating Leica and Carl Zeiss' offerings.

Secondly what's the difference between the 43mm f/1.9 limited lens and the 50mm f/1.4? The 50mm are half the price.

Would I be better off buying the 50-200mm or sigma 70-300mm APO?

The limited lenses are amazing, I think the two best ones would actually be the 31mm and 77mm... As for comparing the 50/1.4 to the 43/1.9, they are noth great lenses, you should be more than pleased with the optical quality of either one....

As for being better off with the 50-200 that depends on your needs, it is a decent quality walk around lens and the fact that it is a zoom lens is usefull, but if you want the best optical quality (sharpness, colour, contrast and bokeh) it won't come near the limited lenses or the 50/1.4... they are different classes of lenses..