What is the best WA choice?

Frogfish · 02-04-2012, 01:20 PM

Originally posted by slackercruster

Just for fun, nothing serious.

General photography. Nature, people, whatever.

Then the 15 Ltd is fantastic - check out the 15 Ltd thread here on PF. It's a wonderful lens and I'd never sell mine.

slartibartfast · 02-08-2012, 03:05 PM

I am also considering the 15 ltd to back up my sigma 24-70 2.8 and DA*50-135 on the wide end... have to count coins, though, as I probably will need a good backpack, flash, and tripod as well... a split prism screen is also on my wishlist + Raynox 150

Mareket · 02-08-2012, 05:30 PM

I sold my 15 Limited and I'm thinking of getting a Sigma 8-16 in it's memory. It was a beautiful little lens, but I just felt I had to work around it a bit too much, in that it had a few focusing issues and the corner sharpness was (noticeably, even at full size) soft wide open. I'm fairly sure I got a bad copy though, and you'll no doubt adore the lens if you got it.

Get the Sigma for SUPER wide, get the Limited because it's a Limited.

Marc Sabatella · 02-08-2012, 11:53 PM

You have to work pretty hard to create an artifical subject in which the corners would even be in focus at 15mm and f/4. Any issues in corner sharpness that exist in artifical tests ae virtually never an issue in practice, because the corners won't be in focus anyhow. If you want the conrers in ofuca in any real worls situation, you have to stop down to increase DOf, and then the slight softness in the most extreme corners disappears.

Mareket · 02-11-2012, 12:12 PM

I'd say it's difficult to find a subjects to shoot that wouldn't have the corners in focus at 15mm f/4. It is a fantastic lens when stopped down, and again I'm sure my copy was a bit weird, but I could see soft corners in my shots, when they should've been in focus (like a shot of a room interior at a party). And I felt the need to stop down to resolve this made me dislike the lens, so I got rid of it.

As you say though, most tests people do that show corner softness never seem to affect real life usage, but in this case the real life usage came up with a problem. I'd still recommend getting the 15 Limited just because it's a beautiful lens though, and if you get a good copy it's going to be fantastic.

slartibartfast · 02-11-2012, 12:52 PM

at a party? are you sure it was the lense's fault?

**Ash** · 02-11-2012, 01:11 PM

The 10-17 is a brilliant FE lens - lots of colour, contrast and sharpness. Fine metal construction also.
The 12-24 is an indispensable WA lens IMO. I use it very often particularly at its wide end (it's surprising how wide I found myself wanting to go in my WA photography). It's sharp, well constructed also but could have done with WR. No lens in its class is but I'd still take the 12-24 over the Sigma and Tamron counterparts. Just a personal preference really but they're all quite good in IQ.

littledrawe · 02-11-2012, 06:34 PM

Originally posted by Frogfish

I'd never sell mine.

I will give you $1,000,000.00 dollars for your DA 15mm ltd, what is your paypal address?

Marc Sabatella · 02-11-2012, 07:00 PM

Originally posted by Mareket

I'd say it's difficult to find a subjects to shoot that wouldn't have the corners in focus at 15mm f/4.

You might think that, but the reality is otherwise. Optics just don't work that way. If you focus on a person in six feet away, in a typical sized room, the corners of the frame will not be anytpwhere near that person, and will be well outside the zone of focus.

Frogfish · 02-12-2012, 07:46 AM

Originally posted by littledrawe

I will give you $1,000,000.00 dollars for your DA 15mm ltd, what is your paypal address?

This is a scam isn't it ? Are you a Nigerian banker/lawyer/inherited a fortune, by chance ?

littledrawe · 02-12-2012, 04:42 PM

I'm from the Congo so nothing to worry about!

RioRico · 02-13-2012, 10:07 AM

Originally posted by littledrawe

I'm from the Congo so nothing to worry about!

FR or BE?

lytrytyr · 02-13-2012, 02:06 PM

Originally posted by RioRico

FR or BE?

Which one is Timp in?

RioRico · 02-13-2012, 06:52 PM

Originally posted by lytrytyr

Which one is Timp in?

Oh, that would be the Utah Congo.

mikeSF · 02-14-2012, 09:00 PM

to the OP. the "best choice" is the one that meets YOUR needs, not ours. That said, every lens mentioned is the best choice for somebody, depending on the need.

I currently own:

1) Sigma 10-20, i dont care for the distortion at 10, but like it at 12mm. Any tighter and i switch to the DA15 unless i am somewhere where i don't want to be changing(blowing sand, ocean spray), and i'll leave it on. Takes up lots of space in my bag vs the DA15 which fits in my shirt pocket.

2)DA15, this crushes the 10-20 in size, sharpness, color, flare resistance, and stopped down light stars. This is my most used lens and a joy to shoot. When the sun or city night lights are in the shot, i try to use this because it renders them better than the zoom can.

3) DA10-17, more of a special effect. far wider than the rectilinear 10-20, in fact i think 10mm on the Sigma covers about as much scene as 17mm on the fisheye, but I am not certain. stopped down sharpness is great but the lens definitely exhibits purple fringing on highlights.

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02-04-2012, 01:20 PM	#16
Frogfish Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shanghai Posts: 4,490	Originally posted by slackercruster Just for fun, nothing serious. General photography. Nature, people, whatever. Then the 15 Ltd is fantastic - check out the 15 Ltd thread here on PF. It's a wonderful lens and I'd never sell mine.

02-08-2012, 03:05 PM	#17
slartibartfast Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Hjørungavåg, Norway Posts: 130	I am also considering the 15 ltd to back up my sigma 24-70 2.8 and DA*50-135 on the wide end... have to count coins, though, as I probably will need a good backpack, flash, and tripod as well... a split prism screen is also on my wishlist + Raynox 150

02-08-2012, 05:30 PM	#18
Mareket Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Chester Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 719	I sold my 15 Limited and I'm thinking of getting a Sigma 8-16 in it's memory. It was a beautiful little lens, but I just felt I had to work around it a bit too much, in that it had a few focusing issues and the corner sharpness was (noticeably, even at full size) soft wide open. I'm fairly sure I got a bad copy though, and you'll no doubt adore the lens if you got it. Get the Sigma for SUPER wide, get the Limited because it's a Limited.

02-08-2012, 11:53 PM	#19
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	You have to work pretty hard to create an artifical subject in which the corners would even be in focus at 15mm and f/4. Any issues in corner sharpness that exist in artifical tests ae virtually never an issue in practice, because the corners won't be in focus anyhow. If you want the conrers in ofuca in any real worls situation, you have to stop down to increase DOf, and then the slight softness in the most extreme corners disappears.

02-11-2012, 12:12 PM	#20
Mareket Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Chester Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 719	I'd say it's difficult to find a subjects to shoot that wouldn't have the corners in focus at 15mm f/4. It is a fantastic lens when stopped down, and again I'm sure my copy was a bit weird, but I could see soft corners in my shots, when they should've been in focus (like a shot of a room interior at a party). And I felt the need to stop down to resolve this made me dislike the lens, so I got rid of it. As you say though, most tests people do that show corner softness never seem to affect real life usage, but in this case the real life usage came up with a problem. I'd still recommend getting the 15 Limited just because it's a beautiful lens though, and if you get a good copy it's going to be fantastic.

02-11-2012, 12:52 PM	#21
slartibartfast Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Hjørungavåg, Norway Posts: 130	at a party? are you sure it was the lense's fault?

02-11-2012, 01:11 PM	#22
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	The 10-17 is a brilliant FE lens - lots of colour, contrast and sharpness. Fine metal construction also. The 12-24 is an indispensable WA lens IMO. I use it very often particularly at its wide end (it's surprising how wide I found myself wanting to go in my WA photography). It's sharp, well constructed also but could have done with WR. No lens in its class is but I'd still take the 12-24 over the Sigma and Tamron counterparts. Just a personal preference really but they're all quite good in IQ.

02-11-2012, 06:34 PM	#23
littledrawe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Red Rock Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,514	Originally posted by Frogfish I'd never sell mine. I will give you $1,000,000.00 dollars for your DA 15mm ltd, what is your paypal address?

02-11-2012, 07:00 PM	#24
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by Mareket I'd say it's difficult to find a subjects to shoot that wouldn't have the corners in focus at 15mm f/4. You might think that, but the reality is otherwise. Optics just don't work that way. If you focus on a person in six feet away, in a typical sized room, the corners of the frame will not be anytpwhere near that person, and will be well outside the zone of focus.

02-12-2012, 07:46 AM	#25
Frogfish Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shanghai Posts: 4,490	Originally posted by littledrawe I will give you $1,000,000.00 dollars for your DA 15mm ltd, what is your paypal address? This is a scam isn't it ? Are you a Nigerian banker/lawyer/inherited a fortune, by chance ?

02-12-2012, 04:42 PM	#26
littledrawe Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Red Rock Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,514	I'm from the Congo so nothing to worry about!

02-13-2012, 10:07 AM	#27
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by littledrawe I'm from the Congo so nothing to worry about! FR or BE?

02-13-2012, 02:06 PM	#28
lytrytyr Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,310	Originally posted by RioRico FR or BE? Which one is Timp in?

02-13-2012, 06:52 PM	#29
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by lytrytyr Which one is Timp in? Oh, that would be the Utah Congo.

02-14-2012, 09:00 PM	#30
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	to the OP. the "best choice" is the one that meets YOUR needs, not ours. That said, every lens mentioned is the best choice for somebody, depending on the need. I currently own: 1) Sigma 10-20, i dont care for the distortion at 10, but like it at 12mm. Any tighter and i switch to the DA15 unless i am somewhere where i don't want to be changing(blowing sand, ocean spray), and i'll leave it on. Takes up lots of space in my bag vs the DA15 which fits in my shirt pocket. 2)DA15, this crushes the 10-20 in size, sharpness, color, flare resistance, and stopped down light stars. This is my most used lens and a joy to shoot. When the sun or city night lights are in the shot, i try to use this because it renders them better than the zoom can. 3) DA10-17, more of a special effect. far wider than the rectilinear 10-20, in fact i think 10mm on the Sigma covers about as much scene as 17mm on the fisheye, but I am not certain. stopped down sharpness is great but the lens definitely exhibits purple fringing on highlights.