wide angle auto focus prime

mnseawa · 06-29-2010, 10:34 AM

ok. i like shooting with primes over zooms. i have several pentax manual focus primes (M 1.7/50, M 1.4/50, A 1.7/50, A 2/50, M3.5/35, A2.8/28) and several off brand primes (mostly 28mm) and i find the manual lenses i prefer shooting with are the 28mm primes.

i also have a DA 2.8/40 lens i really like.

for a shorter autofocus prime, i have seen the pentax FA2/35 ($450?), the sigma 1.4/30 ($430?), and the sigma 1.8/30 ($350?) and the pentax F28/2.8($350?).

all seem to have decent ratings in the lenses section. anyone have experience with these lenses who wants to offer a comment? i like pentax glas and am leaning toward the pentax lenses. the sigma lenses had good reviews but look huge!

anything even wider that is worth a look?

Last edited by mnseawa; 06-29-2010 at 10:35 AM. Reason: addition

axl · 06-29-2010, 10:50 AM

Personally I prefer SMC lenses.
Out of 28s the F is reportedly better than it's FA succesor. If you can afford it 31ltd can't be beaten! And there is always the option of used FA*24/2.
From 3rd party, Sigmas 20/24/28 f1.8 have pretty solid reputation. Sigma 30/1.4 is apparently good lens with only weakness being weak corner performance. I've seen some great shots out of it though.
In terms of size you are right. The 20/24/28 are big lenses from Sigma, but the 30/1.4 is not so big. Out of Pentax glass 31 is biggest, 24 is bit smaller and the F/FA28s are just a bit bigger than 50s

good luck choosing....

oh and PS: don't forget DA21, apparently a great lens and FA20/2.8 reportedly even better

jeffrey r · 06-29-2010, 01:27 PM

Also, the Sigma 24mm/2.8 Superwide II is a good option, if you can find one. Around $200 used with AF, less with MF. Good lens.

kacansas03 · 06-29-2010, 01:43 PM

Thinking about your request brought a question. Are you using 35 mm film or a digital body or both?? I really prefer primes for scenic shots in wide angle and if you buy the right one it does not need to be auto focus. Many wide angle primes focus to 2 or 3 meters and then are at hyperfocal range where everything is in focus. If the lens is stopped down some everything from 1 meter to infinity can be in focus. If you get this in an "A" lens the camera body will set aperture for you which you can adjust to help the hyper focal effect. I use a Tamron 24 mm f2.5 on an Adaptall 2 PKA mount and then set the camera to give me one or 2 stops slower than it would usually choose and I get great scenic shots that can be cropped a lot. I wish I could afford a Tokina 17 mm f3.5 or one of the several 20 mm primes already mentioned.

Last edited by kacansas03; 06-29-2010 at 01:44 PM. Reason: Addittional

mnseawa · 06-29-2010, 04:51 PM

i am looking for a lens to use on a k100d or k200d (or other pentax digital if and when i upgrade)

even in jpegs i can tell the difference between a prime and zoom.

i may look into adding a 24mm manual focus. i enjoy my manual focus lenses, but my eyes are not as sharp as they used to be, and i have some trouble manually focusing fast enough for family shots. i do fine with outdoor scenic shots. so i am planning to use this lens for family type pictures, where faster than manual focusing will be a benefit. i am really happy with my DA40, but on digital its still a bit too long. id like to find something shorter than 40mm, and under $450

thanks for your comments!

jslifoaw · 06-29-2010, 05:11 PM

What about the DA 21? Small sharp and not super expensive (probably 350-400 used)

Anything longer than 24mm is not that wide on a digital.

**dadipentak** · 06-29-2010, 07:14 PM

Originally posted by jeffrey r

Also, the Sigma 24mm/2.8 Superwide II is a good option, if you can find one. Around $200 used with AF, less with MF. Good lens.

I concur.

Marc Sabatella · 06-29-2010, 07:22 PM

Note none of the lenses you are asking about are wide on APS-C - 28mm is actually just about normal (although perhaps on the wide side of the usual normal range).

Quote:

anything even wider that is worth a look?

Well, sure. None of the lenses you are considering are wide at all - they are all in the normal range. Wide angle AF primes include the DA21, DA15, and DA14, plus the Sigma 20 and 24. A few older AF lenses too (FA20, etc). Plenty of MF options too, but once you get in wide angle territory, they don't tend to be much if any cheaper.

06-29-2010, 10:34 AM	#1
mnseawa New Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle Posts: 23	wide angle auto focus prime ok. i like shooting with primes over zooms. i have several pentax manual focus primes (M 1.7/50, M 1.4/50, A 1.7/50, A 2/50, M3.5/35, A2.8/28) and several off brand primes (mostly 28mm) and i find the manual lenses i prefer shooting with are the 28mm primes. i also have a DA 2.8/40 lens i really like. for a shorter autofocus prime, i have seen the pentax FA2/35 ($450?), the sigma 1.4/30 ($430?), and the sigma 1.8/30 ($350?) and the pentax F28/2.8($350?). all seem to have decent ratings in the lenses section. anyone have experience with these lenses who wants to offer a comment? i like pentax glas and am leaning toward the pentax lenses. the sigma lenses had good reviews but look huge! anything even wider that is worth a look? Last edited by mnseawa; 06-29-2010 at 10:35 AM. Reason: addition

06-29-2010, 01:43 PM	#4
kacansas03 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Photos: Albums Posts: 650	20mm or 17mm Thinking about your request brought a question. Are you using 35 mm film or a digital body or both?? I really prefer primes for scenic shots in wide angle and if you buy the right one it does not need to be auto focus. Many wide angle primes focus to 2 or 3 meters and then are at hyperfocal range where everything is in focus. If the lens is stopped down some everything from 1 meter to infinity can be in focus. If you get this in an "A" lens the camera body will set aperture for you which you can adjust to help the hyper focal effect. I use a Tamron 24 mm f2.5 on an Adaptall 2 PKA mount and then set the camera to give me one or 2 stops slower than it would usually choose and I get great scenic shots that can be cropped a lot. I wish I could afford a Tokina 17 mm f3.5 or one of the several 20 mm primes already mentioned. Last edited by kacansas03; 06-29-2010 at 01:44 PM. Reason: Addittional

06-29-2010, 04:51 PM	#5
mnseawa New Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: seattle Posts: 23 Original Poster	update i am looking for a lens to use on a k100d or k200d (or other pentax digital if and when i upgrade) even in jpegs i can tell the difference between a prime and zoom. i may look into adding a 24mm manual focus. i enjoy my manual focus lenses, but my eyes are not as sharp as they used to be, and i have some trouble manually focusing fast enough for family shots. i do fine with outdoor scenic shots. so i am planning to use this lens for family type pictures, where faster than manual focusing will be a benefit. i am really happy with my DA40, but on digital its still a bit too long. id like to find something shorter than 40mm, and under $450 thanks for your comments!

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06-29-2010, 10:50 AM	#2
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	Personally I prefer SMC lenses. Out of 28s the F is reportedly better than it's FA succesor. If you can afford it 31ltd can't be beaten! And there is always the option of used FA*24/2. From 3rd party, Sigmas 20/24/28 f1.8 have pretty solid reputation. Sigma 30/1.4 is apparently good lens with only weakness being weak corner performance. I've seen some great shots out of it though. In terms of size you are right. The 20/24/28 are big lenses from Sigma, but the 30/1.4 is not so big. Out of Pentax glass 31 is biggest, 24 is bit smaller and the F/FA28s are just a bit bigger than 50s good luck choosing.... oh and PS: don't forget DA21, apparently a great lens and FA20/2.8 reportedly even better

06-29-2010, 01:27 PM	#3
jeffrey r Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 337	Also, the Sigma 24mm/2.8 Superwide II is a good option, if you can find one. Around $200 used with AF, less with MF. Good lens.

06-29-2010, 05:11 PM	#6
jslifoaw Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Toronto/Victoria Posts: 460	What about the DA 21? Small sharp and not super expensive (probably 350-400 used) Anything longer than 24mm is not that wide on a digital.

06-29-2010, 07:14 PM	#7
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Originally posted by jeffrey r Also, the Sigma 24mm/2.8 Superwide II is a good option, if you can find one. Around $200 used with AF, less with MF. Good lens. I concur.

06-29-2010, 07:22 PM	#8
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Note none of the lenses you are asking about are wide on APS-C - 28mm is actually just about normal (although perhaps on the wide side of the usual normal range). Quote: anything even wider that is worth a look? Well, sure. None of the lenses you are considering are wide at all - they are all in the normal range. Wide angle AF primes include the DA21, DA15, and DA14, plus the Sigma 20 and 24. A few older AF lenses too (FA20, etc). Plenty of MF options too, but once you get in wide angle territory, they don't tend to be much if any cheaper.