| Author: | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2009 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 242
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 12, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $475.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Size; Build Quality; Contrasty colorful images | | Cons: | None that I can think of... | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K100D Super / K7
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Can't deny the lovely build and image quality of this lens. Whenever I read the zoom vs. prime debates come up and I grab the DA15 out of my bag I remember why I love primes so much. The metal "limited" build just feels like a work of art...a vintage feel that the plastic lenses I own just can't compare to. It's a lot to spend on a single focal length lens to some, but if you consider the combination of IQ, size, and build quality, it certainly is worth what you pay for it!
 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2012 Location: Bergamo Posts: 13 | | Review Date: February 9, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | colour rendition, contrast, compactness, flare resistance, geometric aberrations, build quality, build-in hood | | Cons: | not extremely sharp (to find one cons) | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: k5
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Well, the sharpness of this lens could not be a reference, but is enough (and more than really required) for every purpose except to shot newspapers on the wall (!). For every other aspect (build quality, aberrations, distortion, compactness) is an absolute champ. In pair with the 70/2.4 limited make an exellent reson to use Pentax. No other brand has such tiny jewels so there is no comparison.
I'm waiting from Pentax a camera body with limited-lens-like characteristics and look!
The f/4 is not really a cons for me. Why shoot at less with an super-wide angle? To have a 2.8 one can buy the 14mm (sacrifing the compactness).
A note on the cap: why a such jewel should be a cons? You are not obliged to use it. It's a plus that can be reserved for storage and easily replaced with a cheap 49mm standard cap for everyday use. Isn't it?
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: January, 2007 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,125
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 17, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $510.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Tiny, lightweight, superb construction | | Cons: | Barrel distortion, soft edges, moderately slow maximum aperture | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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The DA15 Limited's greatest strengths are its small size and jewel-like construction, which make it a pleasure to use. Image rendering is punchy and sharp, at least in the center wide open. Stopped down to f8, it is sharp throughout the frame. It is hard not to like this lens, and the optics are very good for such a short focal length. However, I cannot give it a rating of 10, because that would require giving the FA Limiteds 11 or 12, which is off the scale. So, 9 it is, and well deserved.
| | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2008 Location: Pacific Northwest, USA Posts: 20 | | Review Date: December 27, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $440.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build quality | | Cons: | Push on lens cover | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
New or Used: Used
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A stellar lens. I use it a lot for landscape photography, and for macro situations where I want to cover a wider field of view than my 100 WR Macro. This lens is always with me.
| | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: January, 2009 Location: Rochester, MN Posts: 765
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 14, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Build quality, compact, focal length, incredible flare resistance, IQ | | Cons: | Some chromatic aberration, edge/corner sharpness could be better IMO | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
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Had this for almost a year now, and its on my camera 80% of the time. Love the focal length. Great for landscapes, which is what I shoot predominantly. Build quality is superb, and I really like the pull-out hood design. Twist on cap is a pain, but easy to find a cheap plastic snap-on replacement in 49mm size.
Autofocus is generally quick. IQ is very good, but sharpness certainly drops off in the corners and at the edges (yes, I realize asking a wide angle lens to be ultra-sharp in these areas is probably asking too much). Center sharpness is great. Beautiful, punchy rendering. Flare resistance is amazing; just point it straight into the sun and stop down a bit and...bang - gorgeous star burst with zero flare. Have noticed some CA in high-contrast areas, particularly near edges, more so than, for example, I've seen with the 40/2.8. Nothing that really compromises IQ, though.
Overall love it and probably won't ever part with it. But it isn't perfect. 9/10.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: October, 2008 Location: United States Posts: 36
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 3, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | small, quality, flare resistant, nice star burst | | Cons: | lens cap | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
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Before I got this lens, the widest lens I got was the DA kit (which I sold already). With the kit I often ran into situations like "aww, only if it could go wider" because I mostly shoot scenery. So I knew I need a WA lens and I was deciding between DA1224, DA21 and DA15. Eventually "The 15mm limited controls my mind" thread convinced me to buy the DA15, and I'm glad I did.
The build quality is top notch just like the three FA ltd primes (which I have all three as well), and I'm also amazed by the optical performance.
The only little down side of this lens is the lens cap, and I replace the original screw cap with the regular 49mm snapping cap and it works like a charm.
IMGP0164 by ThickEyebrow, on Flickr
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: August, 2011 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,843
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 2, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $530.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Superb build, sharp enough at centre, very useful focal length, full of character, very punchy images | | Cons: | A little soft at edges, quite slow | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 8
New or Used: New
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This lens is an enigma. All the lab tests show it is soft at the edges, and overall not as sharp as the DA 12-24. A real put-down for a supposedly elite prime. Yet it is one of the most loved lenses in the Pentax Pantheon. Just goes to show that lab tests can be misleading. The images it produces are gorgeous, with amazing punch, and the slight edge softness just doesn't seem to matter; you have to really look for it anyway. It excels at dramatic skies, even without a polarizing filter, and does a mean 14-pointed star with bright light sources (including the Sun) when stopped down to f11. The build is fabulous, like all the Limiteds. In that respect it is a match for my much-loved DA 40 Ltd. The built-in retractable hood is very handy ... when I remember to use it; it's so unobtrusive it's easy to forget. I love the metal screw-on cap; so much more sturdy and confidence inspiring than those annoying plastic clip-ons.
I really agonised before buying this lens. I constantly felt the need for a wide angle lens, my favourite range. The DA 12-24 is sharper and goes wider, but has heavy CA; the DA 14 f2.8 is faster, though big and heavy; the Sigma 8-16 is a monster, but seduces the photographer into that addictive drama of the ultra-ultrawide. I may have gone with the Tokina 11-16 had it been available in Pentax mount. But in the end, I am very happy with the DA 15 Ltd. It is the right focal length 90% of the time when you want wide angle, and has such an aura of quality.
I'd still like the Tokina 11-16 though!
UPDATE: I now realize that the softness near the edges is mostly at infinity. It is much less pronounced for indoor shots or where the edges image nearby objects.
 
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: January, 2011 Location: Skåne, Sweden Posts: 482
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 23, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $520.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Small size, very usable focal length, low distortion, great build quality, bit of x-factor | | Cons: | Built-in hood "dust collector" | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-x, K-5, K-01
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This review is for a mint condition DA15 bought second-hand on the Pentaxforums marketplace, serial nr is in the 9323xxx-range.
PROS- Build quality
- Small size and low weight
- Built-in hood
- Image quality
- Flare resistance
- Starbursts!
CONS- Corner sharpness
- Velvet hood “dust magnet”
Build and parameters
The DA15 is a pretty unique offering. It is on the border of wide to ultra-wide angle, it is not particularly fast at f/4, but not slow either. It comes in a small package though, at only 212g and a typical “Pentax” 49mm front thread. The build quality is excellent, with tight tolerances and all metal and glass. For its size it has a nice weight to it, but it is not heavy. The built-in hood has a nice velvet-covered inside, which does collect a bit of dust, but ads to the impression of a high quality lens. The lens does not need any special slim filters, a standard 49mm polarizer will be fine, not very common for wide-angle lenses, especially with small filter diameters.
Image quality
The image quality is very good. The center is very sharp already wide open, but the corners does need to be stopped down for optimal performance. If possible I will stop down to f/8, for example when working with a tripod for landscapes. As long as your subject isn't in the extreme corner f/4 will be fine though. Bokeh is actually pretty pleasing, but you really have to focus close (like half a meter or so) to be able to produce any of it, like closeups of food. Chromatic aberrations are well controlled and never bothered me with this lens, the same goes for distortion. These are things easily corrected in Lightroom anyway, as long as it is not too extreme. One of the major selling points for me with this lens, except for exceptional sharpness, is how it handles flares. There is no problem shooting with the sun or other bright light in the frame, the control of flares and ghosting is exceptional. Using a good filter, or none at all, may be a thing to keep in mind here though. For critical work I take of UV-filters, but they stay on for 95% of the time. Related to flare control, but also to the 7 blade aperture, is the DA15's ability to produce magical starbursts. Simply stop it down and bring in a bright and compact source of light, like streetlights, and you will see magic!
Use and handling
Like all of the DA Limiteds, the small size and great build quality makes it a joy to use. It is very well balanced on the relatively small DSLR Pentax bodies like the K-5. I like screw-drive auto-focus, and the lens has a very short focus throw making auto-focus very snappy, but manual focus is very hard with the large DoF and short throw. The lens has many areas of use. I feel that it is wide enough for landscapes, cityscapes, interiors etc, and I have never looked for any wider lens since I got the DA15. I have used it for shooting weddings on my K-01, with the K-5 with a normal or short telephoto as the main camera. It will also work for close-up fun, general indoor shooting. Since it is sharp already wide open (except corners) it allows for a bit of cropping as well. That was one of the reasons I bought the DA21 as the last of the DA Limiteds, because the DA15 will work pretty good as a 21mm with a bit of cropping.
There are not many alternatives, unless you can accept a larger lens. I had the Sigma 10-20 F3.5 previously, but that lens was simply too large to my liking. It was very front heavy on the petite Pentax bodies. It wasn't very sharp at the widest focal lengths either, so I used it mostly at 15mm anyway. There are not many alternatives for other DSLR systems either, you would probably need to look into the mirrorless market to find any competition, like the Olympus 12mm F2 for Micro 4/3.
Overall impression
Overall I'm very impressed with the DA15. It often finds its place in the camera bag, usually being the first wide-angle choice. Sometimes I use the DA21 instead, but the DA15 feels more special. I managed to get a second-hand for a descent price, but they don't seem to come up that often on the market. I think the users simply like the lens and don't want to sell it  I feel that as a Pentax user this is a great lens to add to your bag and that it offers a good value for your money.
My pictures on Flickr with this lens | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: March, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 2,846
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 22, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $525.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, contrasty, colorful, wide angle | | Cons: | soft in corners | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
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I love this lens. I believe I've taken some of my better photos with it. It's very sharp, and I am sometimes amazed at the detail I can see when pixel-peeping. Straight out of the camera, colors are very bright and vibrant, and the lens seems to have a polarizing effect on blue skies, which I like very much.
The bokeh can be a little nervous, but typically, you're not buying a wide angle lens for the bokeh. I have attached a photo below that illustrates that the bokeh can actually be very nice. It depends, I think, on what sort of background you are dealing with.
Sunbursts! Some love 'em, some hate 'em. But few lenses are better at them. Regardless of whether you like sunbursts or not, this lens almost dares you to shoot into the light. It really handles flare exceptionally well!
I have noticed no chromatic aberration at all with the DA 15 Ltd. The distortion isn't bad and can be corrected with software. I usually leave it alone as I tend to like the effect it gives in certain circumstances.
My copy is a bit soft in the corners at all apertures, but improves significantly as you stop down. Center sharpness at all apertures is excellent.
It's so light and compact that I find I tend to leave it on the camera more than any other lens. It's capable of focusing pretty close, so it's versatile for a wide angle. Really, the lens is an absolute joy to use, and I heartily recommend it to anyone who is looking for a WA lens!
Some samples follow...
hay field stone fence by loco's photos, on Flickr
sunrise at the lake by loco's photos, on Flickr
Lincoln Memorial front b&w by loco's photos, on Flickr
Monticello tuberose - Explored by loco's photos, on Flickr
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: January, 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,915
9 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 25, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | center sharpness, flare resistance, size, build quality, built-in hood | | Cons: | slow speed, field curvature, coma wide open | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 5
Autofocus: 6
Handling: 10
Value: 7
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-7, K-5
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I wrote a review for this lens quite a while back, and now that I've spent another year and a half with it, I'm taking some time to rewrite it.
Let me start with the good: the DA15 is an incredibly FUN lens. It has amazing center sharpness, features very strong microcontrast and vibrant colors, and is the most flare resistant lens I have ever used. Its small size make it eminently portable, and its build quality inspires confidence and an appreciation for the lens as a beautiful object in its own right. Simply put, this is my most used lens by a wide margin, and it has helped me produce a number of great images. If portability matters to you; if you can live without zoom; if you don't typically shoot wide but want something you can always carry with you 'just in case', then the DA15 is your lens. This is a great little lens, and one I can definitely recommend to Pentax shooters.
There are, however, a number of compromises that had to be made to achieve the small size of this lens. These are legitimate drawbacks, and should be carefully considered if you intend to do a lot of wide angle work:
1) Field curvature. The corners of this lens often appear quite weak -- not because they are unable to achieve sharpness, but because the focal plane is curved. There is much discussion on this elsewhere. For many types of shots this isn't an issue, but it can be quite vexing in your classic landscape-type imagery.
2) I notice a lot of coma in this lens below f/8, and not even that far from the center of the frame. To be fair, I am often torturing this lens doing night photography, but it's worth noting that this lens isn't magic, and that you really have to play to its (solid, very real) strengths to get quality results
3) It's slow as molasses. If you do a lot of landscape work stopped down, this may not be as big of a problem for you, because the DA15 truly shines between f/8 and f/13. But... on the instances when you do have to shoot wide open, 1) and 2) above are much more pronounced.
4) It's expensive for what it is, compared to zooms in this range. This could be said of most of Pentax's premier prime lenses, but depending on your budget and intended use, the DA15 is not the best value for your money. I have not compared it directly against WA zooms in Pentax mount, but as I have begun to shoot wide more and more, I sometimes wonder if I'd be better served with a zoom lens, instead. The importance of this point to you will probably reflect your preferred focal range -- to me, if you shoot primarily in this range, you will probably be willing to reserve more space in your bag for this purpose than the DA15 occupies. However, as a take-anywhere-no-matter-what wide angle option, the value equation tilts heavily in the 15's favor, and was why I bought it in the first place.
As a final point that is matter of personal taste and not a strict negative, I also sometimes do not appreciate the DA15's vibrant rendering. This is a subjective statement, and only applies to some types of photography I want to do at wide angle. However, know that the DA15's visual characteristics are like the remainder of the DA Limited series: sharp, vibrant, lots of microcontrast.
For me, with some applications, it looks too contrasty, too digital, and is not something that I've found any way to clean up in post processing. It is easy to produce results that don't look natural to my eye, especially when photographing delicate scenes. In some ways I have been spoiled by the FA Limiteds, which retain contrast without sacrificing a sense of smooth tonal transition. If I could find that in a WA lens, I would probably use the DA15 far less than I do now.
Perhaps this review sounds harsh, but I sometimes think the popular enthusiasm for this lens outstrips its objective merits and needs to be tempered slightly. Having said that, it is definitely a very good lens, with unique selling points that Pentax has used brilliantly to exploit the potential of the APS-C format in a way no other brand has (though perhaps with mirrorless that will change...).
In the end, I will probably purchase another lens in this range to complement the DA15, but for now this puppy spends more time on my camera than any other since I bought it over two years ago. It really is worth of your sincere consideration.
Some samples:
and many more...
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: December, 2007 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,249
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 9, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $550.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Compact. flare resistance, MFD, 49mm filters, sunburst machine | | Cons: | relatively weak borders, only f/4 | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 8
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I shouldn't like this lens because as some reviewers said: it's only f/4 and the borders are weak. But in practice it brings me shots I love.
Yes, the (extreme) borders are weak but the center is as sharp as anything. I'd still wish the borders would be better of course.
There are 3 unique capabilities about this lens:
- it's the smallest UWA for APS-C DSLR.
- it's producing sunbursts like no other lens (maybe even too much sometimes). Stop down to f/11 with any source of light. Easy.
- its MFD is only 18cm, not enough but much better than almost all UWA except the DA 10-17mm fisheye and the DA 14mm (but this one is much bigger)
The screw-on cap is annoying. Replace it with a standard 49mm pinch cap lens like the one found on the FA50mm. Problem solved. I like that the filter size is a standard 49mm like most other Pentax primes. It means having to use just one polarizer size for example.
Some of my favourites:
Watching the sunset from Oratoire by Manu_H, on Flickr
Feux d'artifice au port du vieux Montréal by Manu_H, on Flickr
Urban Flowers by Manu_H, on Flickr
Pink Cadillac and a Ferris Wheel by Manu_H, on Flickr
Morning on the Jacques Cartier Bridge by Manu_H, on Flickr
On Flickr you can find all my pictures taken with this lens.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: Chester Posts: 719
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 8, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $700.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Look feel IQ size build quality | | Cons: | a bit slow, wobbly lens hood | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 6
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
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My first limited, and I can't shake the feeling that I want more. These are amazingly well built and feel like a dream to use. This must be the kind of stuff Leica users are used to, apart from we get it for 10% of the price. It makes people envious, seeing the images makes people go 'Wow', it's just amazing.
Bokeh isn't so great, and every now and then in continuous focus I lose things for whatever reason, but who buys a 15mm for the bokeh!?
I let my brother, a non-photographer, play with it for a bit. Within minutes he was raving about how amazing this lens was.
I can't recommend this lens enough. You will only get something similar by going with Leica, and then you're looking at 10x the price without auto-focus. It's a no-brainer.
ALso, my short review of the lens: http://olexiw.tumblr.com/post/9964496509/farewell-and-hello-to-pentax-15mm-limited
EDIT: I'm considering selling this and buying the Sigma 8-16. Small is great, and this lens is nothing short of captivating (the images really DO look unique, more than pixie dust magic), but for less money the Sigma will capture a wider focal length with much better corner sharpness at f/4.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: November, 2009 Location: Brisbane Posts: 3,561
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 19, 2011 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Small, sharp, contrast, colours, build | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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Ok Ive had this lens for over a year now, its well overdue for a review by me!
What makes this lens so special (to alot of people) is that its a very small Wide angle lens, you simply cannot find a smaller lens under 21mm than this! Most wide angle lenses are large bulky and heavy and many times get left at home because of their bulk, but not this lens, it takes up next to no room in a bag and there is no reason why it should be left at home.
The IQ is outstanding, sharp wide open and just gets sharper from there onwards and produces excellent colours with fantastic contrast. Also another great aspect of this lens is how resistant it is too flares, you can literally take a photo of the sun and get a great starburst effect with almost no flares!
As for the build, it is top notch as you expect from a Limited lens, and feels like it will last longer than a life time.
It is a very fun lens too use and I highly recomend it.
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 1,094
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 11, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $600.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Capture gorgeous colours Good for working close to subject without disconcerting distortion Light weight and beautifully made Makes you feel like you are really into your photographic craft No more standard zoom Another good reason to buy the K5 | | Cons: | Another good reason to buy the K5 | |
The first wedding in which I used both a digital camera and film, I thought the digital was OK until I had the professional film processed. I felt like deleting the digitals. This 15mm ultra wide angle lens with my K5 reminds me of the results I could get with professional film on the occasions when I was able to use it. I am speechless at the quality of the colour.
I have only had the lens for two weeks and from my first photos I knew I was on a winner. I had intended to buy the 14mm f2.8 Pentax lens because of its faster speed and the 15mm Ltd had some average write-ups. I had felt it was a lot of money to pay for a slow lens when I had a very good Sigma 10-20mm. However when I travel, having the heavier 14mm Pentax would mean I either take it or my sigma 10mm fisheye which weighs about the same as a small canon ball. This forum and this page convinced me to bite the bullet and buy the smaller 15mm.
Having the beautifully made aluminium lens on your camera makes you feel photography is a craft and you have the best craft tools on offer. The K5 makes up for the smaller f stop and gets the best out of the lens. I have mostly used it indoors and other poor lighting situations without flash and still get all the vibrant colours. I am very happy with the architectural photos I have taken.
The majority of what I photograph is wildlife so I need to carry a lot of kit. But I must also shoot a lot of people subjects. So I think I must now have close to the ultimate everyday non wildlife kit. K5, my new 15mm Ltd, 21mm Ltd and 35mm macro Ltd along with the DA 50_135mm. The standard zoom and 10-20mm zoom will be collecting dust. This kit is incredibly light while delivering amazing results. So along with my 21mm the 15mm will go everywhere.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2009 Location: USA Posts: 351 | | Review Date: May 8, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $430.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Compact size, flare resistance, build quality | | Cons: | | |
There are people who have technical nitpicks with this lens - sharpness, corner quality, what have you. Most of these people have probably not taken it out shooting for a day. It's an absolute gem of a lens, and a ton of fun to make images with. The compactness is amazing, just try and find something else this wide in this small a package...
A sample, taken at ƒ5 and cropped:
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