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molko · 05-15-2010, 02:43 PM

Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong!

I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos.

Anyone else find the same?

wlachan · 05-15-2010, 02:56 PM

Sounds like you used build-in flash with wide angle.

Alex00 · 05-15-2010, 03:12 PM

Which wide lens are you talking about and Which lens are you comparing it to??

casil403 · 05-15-2010, 03:28 PM

Hmmmm...I love my WA lens..

it is my fave lens in my collection. I have a Sigma10-20. For me, wide angle works when I have a some kind of foreground interest (say a rock or a flower etc.) and a wide, large background interest. That way, the viewer first sees the foreground object and then the eye wanders all around the background.

Here's a link: I hope it helps...

How to Use Ultra-Wide Lenses

Ira · 05-15-2010, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by Alex00

Which wide lens are you talking about and Which lens are you comparing it to??

Ditto.

tokyoso · 05-15-2010, 03:51 PM

does it work on full frame?

Wheatfield · 05-15-2010, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by molko

Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong!

I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos.

Anyone else find the same?

1) You aren't telling us what you are doing.
2) You aren't telling us what lens you spent such a princely sum on.
3) You aren't giving up any visual clues regarding the results you are getting.

Beyond that, I can't say for sure what you are doing wrong.

SpecialK · 05-15-2010, 05:50 PM

Originally posted by molko

Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong!

I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos.

Frankly, I'd say buying expensive things without knowing what they do or how they should be used...:-)

But, you came to the right place.

You'll need to provide the lens info, though, and photos would help.

**Lowell Goudge** · 05-15-2010, 07:53 PM

Originally posted by molko

Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong!

I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos.

Anyone else find the same?

OK the extra width does not seem like alot when you are in a room, bit go out and see what it means in field of view when you are 100 feet back

Adam · 05-15-2010, 08:24 PM

I'm going to move this to the off-brand section unless we learn more details so we can try helping

Jools · 05-15-2010, 08:39 PM

Well nearly 6 hours into the OP, there are more questions to the OPoster than answers. I am curious myself as to what kind of wide angle lens we are talking about in the first place.

nulla · 05-16-2010, 03:40 AM

Maybe its one of those DA15 ltd ULTRA.

**newmikey** · 05-16-2010, 03:48 AM

Could very well be that the OP actually tried to use flash. On my DA16-45mm that almost always results in the effect described.

One of the first things I learned the hard way: take off the lens hood when using flash as well as avoiding the widest setting and zooming in slightly.

From the price I'd either say the OP has bought some old, very bulky but extremely nice SMC or SMC-A lens or he's been had.

Pentaxor · 05-16-2010, 10:18 AM

Originally posted by molko

Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong!

I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos.

Anyone else find the same?

I find it the same on any lens that is longer and wider especially when used with the built-in flash. reason behind it, the size of the lens blocks off the portion of the light where it is supposed to illuminate. use an external flash or bounce flash inorder to avoid shadows or dark areas.

UW lenses are not meant for close up ultra-wide shots. I'm not saying it can't do close-ups but they are in general used for close corner wide shots like hallways. and landscape, cityscape, architecture shots that are taken with a bit of a distance. as you shoot the object farther away or with distance, the effect of the UW lens extra wideness is maximized. that's how this lens works and used for.
shooting window blinds at a fixed distance does not give the lens justice nor the proper use that it needs. work your distance.

JeffJS · 05-16-2010, 10:25 AM

Except that the built in flash would not throw a shadow on the Bottom of the photo.

05-15-2010, 02:43 PM	#1
molko New Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Australia, NSW Posts: 18	Not impressed with wide angle lens Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong! I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos. Anyone else find the same?

05-15-2010, 08:24 PM	#10
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	I'm going to move this to the off-brand section unless we learn more details so we can try helping Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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05-15-2010, 02:56 PM	#2
wlachan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 2,625	Sounds like you used build-in flash with wide angle.

05-15-2010, 03:12 PM	#3
Alex00 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 294	Which wide lens are you talking about and Which lens are you comparing it to??

05-15-2010, 03:28 PM	#4
casil403 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Calgary AB Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,170	Hmmmm...I love my WA lens.. it is my fave lens in my collection. I have a Sigma10-20. For me, wide angle works when I have a some kind of foreground interest (say a rock or a flower etc.) and a wide, large background interest. That way, the viewer first sees the foreground object and then the eye wanders all around the background. Here's a link: I hope it helps... How to Use Ultra-Wide Lenses

05-15-2010, 03:31 PM	#5
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	Originally posted by Alex00 Which wide lens are you talking about and Which lens are you comparing it to?? Ditto.

05-15-2010, 03:51 PM	#6
tokyoso Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tokyo Photos: Albums Posts: 723	does it work on full frame?

05-15-2010, 04:06 PM	#7
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,987	Originally posted by molko Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong! I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos. Anyone else find the same? 1) You aren't telling us what you are doing. 2) You aren't telling us what lens you spent such a princely sum on. 3) You aren't giving up any visual clues regarding the results you are getting. Beyond that, I can't say for sure what you are doing wrong.

05-15-2010, 05:50 PM	#8
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	Originally posted by molko Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong! I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos. Frankly, I'd say buying expensive things without knowing what they do or how they should be used...:-) But, you came to the right place. You'll need to provide the lens info, though, and photos would help.

05-15-2010, 07:53 PM	#9
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,892	Originally posted by molko Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong! I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos. Anyone else find the same? OK the extra width does not seem like alot when you are in a room, bit go out and see what it means in field of view when you are 100 feet back

05-15-2010, 08:39 PM	#11
Jools Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: SW Wisconsin by way of Venezuela Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,398	Well nearly 6 hours into the OP, there are more questions to the OPoster than answers. I am curious myself as to what kind of wide angle lens we are talking about in the first place.

05-16-2010, 03:40 AM	#12
nulla Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 1,560	Maybe its one of those DA15 ltd ULTRA.

05-16-2010, 03:48 AM	#13
newmikey Site Supporter Join Date: May 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,289	Could very well be that the OP actually tried to use flash. On my DA16-45mm that almost always results in the effect described. One of the first things I learned the hard way: take off the lens hood when using flash as well as avoiding the widest setting and zooming in slightly. From the price I'd either say the OP has bought some old, very bulky but extremely nice SMC or SMC-A lens or he's been had.

05-16-2010, 10:18 AM	#14
Pentaxor Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,513	Originally posted by molko Just spent $1325.00 on a wide angle lens and I'm not impressed. What am I doing wrong! I took a photo standing in the same spot with my normal lens and the wide angle lens. With the wide angle lens I got an extra window blind in. Not much difference at all. And when I do take photos I get an awful shadow at the bottom of most of my photos. *Anyone else find the same?* I find it the same on any lens that is longer and wider especially when used with the built-in flash. reason behind it, the size of the lens blocks off the portion of the light where it is supposed to illuminate. use an external flash or bounce flash inorder to avoid shadows or dark areas. UW lenses are not meant for close up ultra-wide shots. I'm not saying it can't do close-ups but they are in general used for close corner wide shots like hallways. and landscape, cityscape, architecture shots that are taken with a bit of a distance. as you shoot the object farther away or with distance, the effect of the UW lens extra wideness is maximized. that's how this lens works and used for. shooting window blinds at a fixed distance does not give the lens justice nor the proper use that it needs. work your distance.

05-16-2010, 10:25 AM	#15
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Except that the built in flash would not throw a shadow on the Bottom of the photo.

Not impressed with wide angle lens

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