This is the best SLR lens I've ever used. It's nearly perfect, providing excellent sharpness and contrast with only very minor and largely negligible aberrations or distortion. For those who regard the lens as too slow to be an optimal APS-C normal, well, such photographers would probably be better...

Nearly perfect in almost all respects

None

At some point prior to 2008, engineers at Pentax faced a tall challenge: to design a walkaround prime lens worthy of the "Limited" badge, suitable for portraits and landscapes, with true macro capabilities.

Excellent overall sharpness; especially in the center; Handy "normal" field of view; Superb build quality; Little distortion; Very little chromatic aberration; Very pleasing bokeh; especially at close distances; True 1:1 macro; Built-in hood

Noisy AF; prone to hunt at close distances; Flare and ghosting worse than expected; Some vignetting in uncorrected images; Not as sharp as cheaper DA 35mm F2.4 near edges and corners; 1:1 macro requires the lens to be extremely close to the subject; Lack of aperture ring limits compatible close-up...

The Pentax HD DA 35mm F2.8 Macro Limited ($499.95) is the lone macro entry in the company's line of compact Limited lenses . It's one of the rare standard-angle macro lenses that supports 1:1 magnification, and its sharpness does not disappoint.

Sharp; 1:1 magnification; Compact; Excellent build quality; Built-in hood

No weather sealing; Omits focus limiter function

This compact macro lens provides an angle of view equivalent to a 52.5mm lens on a 35mm format when mounted on a Pentax Digital SLR. It costs around ￡570, provides life size magnification at its closest focus distance and is part of the Pentax Limited range, which means it's one of their premium...

SLRgear Review April 24, 2014 by William Brawley As with the recently reviewed Pentax 70mm ?'/2.4 Limited DA HD , the "HD" version of the Pentax 35mm ?'/2.8 Macro Limited HD DA gets a modern update with Pentax's new High Definition coating, which aims to allow a higher light transmittance and more...

Gary Wolstenholme reviews the new HD PENTAX-DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited lens.

Outstanding sharpness; Lightweight and compact; Well built; Fast focusing at normal distances; Useful built in hood

No focus range limiter; Hyperfocal scale isn't much use due to close markings