Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

JHD · 04-22-2011, 02:54 PM

Originally posted by mikeSF

here's the Photozone sample image of 10mm from the Sig 10-20:

Now show us what the DA15 looks like at 10mm.

jsherman999 · 04-22-2011, 04:13 PM

Originally posted by JHD

Now show us what the DA15 looks like at 10mm.

Well, the DA 15ltd is not supposed to be a UWA, it's supposed to be a small, sharp, wide-angle that's perfect for a lot of general-purpose WA shooting. It's supposed to be able to fit on a body in your smallest bag, even in something like a winter coat pocket. In combo with the other DA or FA Limiteds or even a couple M/K/Tak primes, it can make up a small travel kit that brings incredible IQ - and fun.

If I were in the market for a larger UWA zoom, at this point I'd choose the Sigma 8-16 - pretty much better than the 10-20 at everything the 10-20 does.

.

selar · 04-22-2011, 04:22 PM

Originally posted by jsherman999

It's supposed to be able to fit on a body in your smallest bag,

Thats exactly the reason, I got the DA15 for. Apart from sunbursts

Can you recommend a small bag to carry around a Kx, DA15, FA35 and DA70, please.

JHD · 04-22-2011, 05:02 PM

Only when it comes to long lenses >200mm do I concern myself with the size and weight of a lens. If size and weight really matters to you, then you'll love the Sony NEX as it is a fraction of size and weight of any Pentax body.

JHD · 04-22-2011, 05:10 PM

I would have bought the 8-16 over the 10-20, but it didn't exist at the time. Still I'm quite satisfied with the 10-20. It has always been my WA go lens - even when I had the DA15. Like the 16-45, with the Sigma 10-20 at 15mm, I couldn't see any real reason for keeping the DA 15. And I did take them both out at the same time on separate bodies to compare the results. Maybe I have an exceptional copy of the 10-20? I do not know, but I sure like having the flexibility to shoot wide both wide and ultra wide, especially when confined to tight places.

spicy cho · 04-22-2011, 05:15 PM

Originally posted by selar

Thats exactly the reason, I got the DA15 for. Apart from sunbursts

Can you recommend a small bag to carry around a Kx, DA15, FA35 and DA70, please.

Domke F5XB.

Ron Kruger · 04-22-2011, 06:03 PM

I don't understand the call for exact replication (exactly what one sees) with photography, which usually comes from snapshooters who never take anything off auto and spend most of their time playing fix-it-in-Photoshop computer games.
I never want my shots to look "exactly" like a scene--I want them to look better.
Nor do I understand posts downing some shots such as what Marc posted and calling them "staged." This is a P&S, "walkabout-do-everything-with-one-kit-lens, keep-pressing the-shutter-to-see-if-you-get-lucky" attitude.
Pros do everything they can to control lighting, subjects and compositions to create images that stand out from the average snapshot and that look BETTER than real life, with more color, contrast and drama than the scene offers.
I don't know, nor have I known, any good photographer who leaves everything to chance and full auto functions.

ManixZero · 04-22-2011, 07:07 PM

None of the above.

I originally bought the Tamron 10-24 to do wide with.

I sorely missed the 24mm FOV from film.

The zoom was ok but it sort of stays at 10mm and it's huge.

I still missed that 24mm FOV from film SLRs.

I toyed with the DA14 & 15 for a while but the 15 won mainly because of its size but partially because of the mystique that surrounds it.

It is simply the most satisfying lens I have bought.

K7+DA15

The star bust? well I can't help the odd star burst creeping in!.

K7+DA15mm

It can do starlight too.

MZ

audiobomber · 04-22-2011, 07:38 PM

Originally posted by JHD

Only when it comes to long lenses >200mm do I concern myself with the size and weight of a lens. If size and weight really matters to you, then you'll love the Sony NEX as it is a fraction of size and weight of any Pentax body.

If Pentax releases a mirrorless APS-C body that fits K-mount lenses, I'll be all over it (I'll keep my K20D of course). The NEX is a non-starter, no viewfinder and the interface is a joke. Small is good as long as it's a real camera, not some GUI thingie.

Eagle_Friends · 04-22-2011, 09:32 PM

Originally posted by audiobomber

If Pentax releases a mirrorless APS-C body that fits K-mount lenses, I'll be all over it (I'll keep my K20D of course). The NEX is a non-starter, no viewfinder and the interface is a joke. Small is good as long as it's a real camera, not some GUI thingie.

Yup, totally agree. that's like saying: if you want a small car, why don't you buy a smart car...

it's a nice car and the NEX looks like an okay camera, but that's not really the point...

mikeSF · 04-22-2011, 09:55 PM

i did buy both the DA16-45 and the 15Ltd and was able to compare them side by side before selling the 16-45. Like someone else said, they are both very useful and have somewhat different competencies. I found the 16-45 (at 16mm) to be very sharp and with good contrast, but it shows very obvious barreling vs the 15. It also is much more prone to flare. The 15 has slightly better color and a very pleasing starburst which the 16-45 lacks. I found the 45mm end of the zoom to be adequate but very underwhelming compared to a good 50-ish mm prime (or 43mm), so my decision to upgrade to the 15mm was a good one for me. obviously, YMMV.

mikeSF · 04-22-2011, 09:57 PM

lovely Manix!!

kyteflyer · 04-23-2011, 06:13 AM

Originally posted by jsherman999

...It's supposed to be able to fit on a body in your smallest bag...

.

And it does. I have a very small "Case Logic" bag that I bought specifically to hold one of my bridge cameras. The K-5 + 15 (or indeed the 35 or 43) fit quite neatly inside, and it all fits in my normal shoulder bag that I have with me all the time.

I find this really convenient, and also it does not attract attention to the fact that I may be carrying a camera, before I whip it out

**Digitalis** · 04-27-2011, 03:06 AM

I placed my order for a DA15mm f/4 today(It will arrive next week) and my reasoning is that in the studio my nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED flares far too easily on both my D3s and D300s - that lens is a major pain in the soft parts when working with flash. I have considered buying a Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VRII but that doesn't really help me either because the distortion from that lens is almost as bad as the nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 and both of those nikkor lenses are absolutely massive. I don't own any DX lenses for my D300s I only use FX lenses.

That is where the Pentax DA15mm f/4 comes in - it's very small and light, it has a built in hood and is practically immune to flare. And it demonstrates that pentax actually gets what APS-C is all about - small size that provides high quality in a robust form factor. My D3s is a brick and a half - I can fit my K7 with the FA31, 50mm f/1.2 and FA77 in one domke bag along with my Ipad2 - my D3s doesn't even fit in the same bag. The fact that the DA15 has 7 aperture blades is just one of those quirky things pentax does from time to time, they like to be creative with their lenses. And people who whinge and complain about it are beigeists who don't get pentax and should do us all a favour switch to olympus.

JHD · 04-27-2011, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by Digitalis

And people who whinge and complain about it are beigeists who don't get pentax and should do us all a favour switch to olympus.

I like Pentax, but I won't be an over the top zealot fanboy. There's way too much sacrosanct fanaticism about brand loyalty in this hobby.

View Poll Results: Did "The 15 Limited Controls My Mind Thread" get you to shell over your $$$?
The lens wasn't even on my radar until its thread controlled my mind... and bank account.	31	34.83%
I kinda maybe wanted it beforehand, but once I saw the thread my fate was sealed.	23	25.84%
The thread helped, but I had a lot of other reasons and interest in the 15 beforehand.	22	24.72%
Pfft. That thread made NO contribution to the tragic hemorrhaging of my bank account!	13	14.61%
Voters: 89. You may not vote on this poll

04-27-2011, 03:06 AM	#74
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,695	I placed my order for a DA15mm f/4 today(It will arrive next week) and my reasoning is that in the studio my nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED flares far too easily on both my D3s and D300s - that lens is a major pain in the soft parts when working with flash. I have considered buying a Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VRII but that doesn't really help me either because the distortion from that lens is almost as bad as the nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 and both of those nikkor lenses are absolutely massive. I don't own any DX lenses for my D300s I only use FX lenses. That is where the Pentax DA15mm f/4 comes in - it's very small and light, it has a built in hood and is practically immune to flare. And it demonstrates that pentax actually gets what APS-C is all about - small size that provides high quality in a robust form factor. My D3s is a brick and a half - I can fit my K7 with the FA31, 50mm f/1.2 and FA77 in one domke bag along with my Ipad2 - my D3s doesn't even fit in the same bag. The fact that the DA15 has 7 aperture blades is just one of those quirky things pentax does from time to time, they like to be creative with their lenses. And people who whinge and complain about it are beigeists who don't get pentax and should do us all a favour switch to olympus. Last edited by Digitalis; 04-27-2011 at 03:12 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
DA15 vs. DA*16-50	robgo2	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	45	10-05-2011 08:26 AM
Is AWB algorithm influenced by lens characteristics?	Laurentiu Cristofor	Pentax DSLR Discussion	1	03-26-2011 05:41 PM
what do you gain with the DA15	gokenin	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	7	04-24-2009 03:46 PM
DA15 limited	rapphaelray	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	5	03-26-2009 09:15 AM

04-22-2011, 02:54 PM	#61
JHD Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,406	Originally posted by mikeSF here's the Photozone sample image of 10mm from the Sig 10-20: Now show us what the DA15 looks like at 10mm.

04-22-2011, 04:13 PM	#62
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	Originally posted by JHD Now show us what the DA15 looks like at 10mm. Well, the DA 15ltd is not supposed to be a UWA, it's supposed to be a small, sharp, wide-angle that's perfect for a lot of general-purpose WA shooting. It's supposed to be able to fit on a body in your smallest bag, even in something like a winter coat pocket. In combo with the other DA or FA Limiteds or even a couple M/K/Tak primes, it can make up a small travel kit that brings incredible IQ - and fun. If I were in the market for a larger UWA zoom, at this point I'd choose the Sigma 8-16 - pretty much better than the 10-20 at everything the 10-20 does. .

04-22-2011, 04:22 PM	#63
selar Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,042	Originally posted by jsherman999 It's supposed to be able to fit on a body in your smallest bag, Thats exactly the reason, I got the DA15 for. Apart from sunbursts Can you recommend a small bag to carry around a Kx, DA15, FA35 and DA70, please.

04-22-2011, 05:02 PM	#64
JHD Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,406	Only when it comes to long lenses >200mm do I concern myself with the size and weight of a lens. If size and weight really matters to you, then you'll love the Sony NEX as it is a fraction of size and weight of any Pentax body.

04-22-2011, 05:10 PM	#65
JHD Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,406	I would have bought the 8-16 over the 10-20, but it didn't exist at the time. Still I'm quite satisfied with the 10-20. It has always been my WA go lens - even when I had the DA15. Like the 16-45, with the Sigma 10-20 at 15mm, I couldn't see any real reason for keeping the DA 15. And I did take them both out at the same time on separate bodies to compare the results. Maybe I have an exceptional copy of the 10-20? I do not know, but I sure like having the flexibility to shoot wide both wide and ultra wide, especially when confined to tight places.

04-22-2011, 05:15 PM	#66
spicy cho Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 73	Originally posted by selar Thats exactly the reason, I got the DA15 for. Apart from sunbursts Can you recommend a small bag to carry around a Kx, DA15, FA35 and DA70, please. Domke F5XB.

04-22-2011, 06:03 PM	#67
Ron Kruger Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 534	I don't understand the call for exact replication (exactly what one sees) with photography, which usually comes from snapshooters who never take anything off auto and spend most of their time playing fix-it-in-Photoshop computer games. I never want my shots to look "exactly" like a scene--I want them to look better. Nor do I understand posts downing some shots such as what Marc posted and calling them "staged." This is a P&S, "walkabout-do-everything-with-one-kit-lens, keep-pressing the-shutter-to-see-if-you-get-lucky" attitude. Pros do everything they can to control lighting, subjects and compositions to create images that stand out from the average snapshot and that look BETTER than real life, with more color, contrast and drama than the scene offers. I don't know, nor have I known, any good photographer who leaves everything to chance and full auto functions.

04-22-2011, 07:07 PM	#68
ManixZero Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Huntingdon, Cambs. UK! Photos: Gallery Posts: 97	None of the above. I originally bought the Tamron 10-24 to do wide with. I sorely missed the 24mm FOV from film. The zoom was ok but it sort of stays at 10mm and it's huge. I still missed that 24mm FOV from film SLRs. I toyed with the DA14 & 15 for a while but the 15 won mainly because of its size but partially because of the mystique that surrounds it. It is simply the most satisfying lens I have bought. K7+DA15 The star bust? well I can't help the odd star burst creeping in!. K7+DA15mm It can do starlight too. MZ

04-22-2011, 07:38 PM	#69
audiobomber Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Originally posted by JHD Only when it comes to long lenses >200mm do I concern myself with the size and weight of a lens. If size and weight really matters to you, then you'll love the Sony NEX as it is a fraction of size and weight of any Pentax body. If Pentax releases a mirrorless APS-C body that fits K-mount lenses, I'll be all over it (I'll keep my K20D of course). The NEX is a non-starter, no viewfinder and the interface is a joke. Small is good as long as it's a real camera, not some GUI thingie.

04-22-2011, 09:32 PM	#70
Eagle_Friends Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 971	Originally posted by audiobomber If Pentax releases a mirrorless APS-C body that fits K-mount lenses, I'll be all over it (I'll keep my K20D of course). The NEX is a non-starter, no viewfinder and the interface is a joke. Small is good as long as it's a real camera, not some GUI thingie. Yup, totally agree. that's like saying: if you want a small car, why don't you buy a smart car... it's a nice car and the NEX looks like an okay camera, but that's not really the point...

04-22-2011, 09:55 PM	#71
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	i did buy both the DA16-45 and the 15Ltd and was able to compare them side by side before selling the 16-45. Like someone else said, they are both very useful and have somewhat different competencies. I found the 16-45 (at 16mm) to be very sharp and with good contrast, but it shows very obvious barreling vs the 15. It also is much more prone to flare. The 15 has slightly better color and a very pleasing starburst which the 16-45 lacks. I found the 45mm end of the zoom to be adequate but very underwhelming compared to a good 50-ish mm prime (or 43mm), so my decision to upgrade to the 15mm was a good one for me. obviously, YMMV.

04-22-2011, 09:57 PM	#72
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	lovely Manix!!

04-23-2011, 06:13 AM	#73
kyteflyer Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Newcastle, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,444	Originally posted by jsherman999 ...It's supposed to be able to fit on a body in your smallest bag... . And it does. I have a very small "Case Logic" bag that I bought specifically to hold one of my bridge cameras. The K-5 + 15 (or indeed the 35 or 43) fit quite neatly inside, and it all fits in my normal shoulder bag that I have with me all the time. I find this really convenient, and also it does not attract attention to the fact that I may be carrying a camera, before I whip it out

04-27-2011, 07:30 AM	#75
JHD Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,406	Originally posted by Digitalis And people who whinge and complain about it are beigeists who don't get pentax and should do us all a favour switch to olympus. I like Pentax, but I won't be an over the top zealot fanboy. There's way too much sacrosanct fanaticism about brand loyalty in this hobby.

What influenced your DA15 Limited Purchase?

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!