True, it's cheaper and the FOV is nice but it doesn't cut it on the edge and loses out on contrast as well. Moving from the 55mm to the 35mm Pan you really do notice that the "closed in" feeling you just had has gone. I think the expensive TV EP's really do spoil you once you use them but I also think they are worth it.
Mind you, the 55m is big and wide and is a great EP in it's own right. It's just not a Panoptic or a Nagler
Arthur