Why no ULTRA wide primes??

intjonmiller · 03-27-2012, 10:22 PM

I want an ULTRA wide prime lens. Why aren't there any?? Why is it that we can get 10-20, 10-24, and 12-24 zooms but nobody makes a rectilinear lens wider than 14mm? I love the 15, but for architectural work sometimes that's not wide enough. And 14 isn't enough more for me to justify another lens. Not looking for the fastest glass. Just better performance (minimal distortion and maximum sharpness) than the zooms.

I mean if there are that many ways to make decent zooms why not an exceptional 10 or 12 mm prime???

Am I just asking too much?

paperbag846 · 03-27-2012, 10:37 PM

I think it might be too specialty an item. Pentax has not made anything similar since the K 15, which I would guess was not the best seller...

Frogfish · 03-27-2012, 10:51 PM

Buy yourself a FF camera

bassek · 03-27-2012, 11:02 PM

Samyang and Sigma makes fisheyes. Use PP to correct.

Sigma 10mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye

Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye CS

Seb.

chickenandavocado · 03-27-2012, 11:55 PM

3 options in my opinion:

- Go FF
- Stitch
- Defish a fisheye

kenafein · 03-28-2012, 12:05 AM

Stitching and defishing aren't great solutions for architecture shots. Going full frame seems the most viable solution, but I have also wondered why we don't have an ultra wide angle prime. Most people I know use their ultra wides at their widest most of the time.

jezza323 · 03-28-2012, 03:33 AM

Just use a zoom, if using a tripod and f8-10 or so you wont really be able to tell much difference in sharpness between a prime and the zoom. Grab the Sigma 8-16mm for the widest of the wide...

oliver939 · 03-28-2012, 03:47 AM

Originally posted by paperbag846

I think it might be too specialty an item. Pentax has not made anything similar since the K 15, which I would guess was not the best seller...

the 15mm is a fantastic wide prime

**Lowell Goudge** · 03-28-2012, 03:54 AM

When I want ultra wide I use my full frame samyang 14 mm on my PZ1 there is also the siggma 12-24 full frame zoom you could use on film

**Rondec** · 03-28-2012, 04:06 AM

I think there just isn't that much benefit to a prime versus an ultrawide zoom. The DA 14mm is pretty good sized (and just covers APS-C). The Da 15 is smaller of course, but only goes to f4.

Seems like if you want an ultrawide on APS-C, the best option is probably the Sigma 8-16mm which is quite the lens from what I have seen.

intjonmiller · 03-28-2012, 06:13 AM

I'm not just talking about Pentax here. Nobody has a prime wider than 14mm. The difference between the 15 mm ltd and a zoom set to 15 mm is fairly dramatic. The same would apply to a 10 or 12 mm by the same talented designers. And it doesn't have to be faster than f/4.

I'm correcting for distortion in zooms EVERY DAY. I'm quite familiar with what is possible. Particularly for that nasty 12-24 Sigma it just isn't always enough. (I've used it on both Nikon and Canon. Worst ultra wide shots I've ever produced.)

séamuis · 03-28-2012, 06:49 AM

there is a very nice ultra wide, made by Tokina, but it isn't available in Kmount. 11-16mm 2.8, a friend of mine has one in nikon mount. an excellent lens. Tokina I don't know what you consider 'ultra wide' in terms of rectiliner lenses, but I don't think there is a lot of difference between an 11-16 and 12-24. 1mm difference at the widest end of the range. there is of course the sigma 8-16mm. anything wider than this, and id think you'd be in the specialty lens territory. i.e. something that is too expensive to mass manufacture on the same levels as other lenses.

Jonathan Mac · 03-28-2012, 06:49 AM

Technically, the 15 & 14 are ultra-wides, being shorter in focal length than the short side of the APS-C frame (16.7mm aprox.). But I see what you mean and it's something I've never understood. Tokina make an 11 to 16mm f/2.8 zoom, how hard could it be to make a 12mm f/2.8 prime?

Anvh · 03-28-2012, 07:00 AM

Pentax make 8.5mm f/1.9 lens with a leaf shutter, how cool is that! ... sadly it isn't considered a wide angle for the format.

RioRico · 03-28-2012, 07:33 AM - **1 Like**

Easy way to make a UWA prime:

1) Obtain a UWA zoom lens.
2) Glue it to shortest focal length.

So a Tamron or Sigma 10/3.5 is trivial.

03-27-2012, 10:22 PM	#1
intjonmiller Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bountiful, Utah, USA Posts: 74	Why no ULTRA wide primes?? I want an ULTRA wide prime lens. Why aren't there any?? Why is it that we can get 10-20, 10-24, and 12-24 zooms but nobody makes a rectilinear lens wider than 14mm? I love the 15, but for architectural work sometimes that's not wide enough. And 14 isn't enough more for me to justify another lens. Not looking for the fastest glass. Just better performance (minimal distortion and maximum sharpness) than the zooms. I mean if there are that many ways to make decent zooms why not an exceptional 10 or 12 mm prime??? Am I just asking too much?

03-28-2012, 06:49 AM	#12
séamuis Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Savannah, U.S./Baguio City, P.H. Posts: 5,979	there is a very nice ultra wide, made by Tokina, but it isn't available in Kmount. 11-16mm 2.8, a friend of mine has one in nikon mount. an excellent lens. Tokina I don't know what you consider 'ultra wide' in terms of rectiliner lenses, but I don't think there is a lot of difference between an 11-16 and 12-24. 1mm difference at the widest end of the range. there is of course the sigma 8-16mm. anything wider than this, and id think you'd be in the specialty lens territory. i.e. something that is too expensive to mass manufacture on the same levels as other lenses. Last edited by séamuis; 03-28-2012 at 06:54 AM.

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03-27-2012, 10:37 PM	#2
paperbag846 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,395	I think it might be too specialty an item. Pentax has not made anything similar since the K 15, which I would guess was not the best seller...

03-27-2012, 10:51 PM	#3
Frogfish Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shanghai Posts: 4,490	Buy yourself a FF camera

03-27-2012, 11:02 PM	#4
bassek Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 706	Samyang and Sigma makes fisheyes. Use PP to correct. Sigma 10mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye CS Seb.

03-27-2012, 11:55 PM	#5
chickenandavocado Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 327	3 options in my opinion: - Go FF - Stitch - Defish a fisheye

03-28-2012, 12:05 AM	#6
kenafein Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southern California Photos: Albums Posts: 4,082	Stitching and defishing aren't great solutions for architecture shots. Going full frame seems the most viable solution, but I have also wondered why we don't have an ultra wide angle prime. Most people I know use their ultra wides at their widest most of the time.

03-28-2012, 03:33 AM	#7
jezza323 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,421	Just use a zoom, if using a tripod and f8-10 or so you wont really be able to tell much difference in sharpness between a prime and the zoom. Grab the Sigma 8-16mm for the widest of the wide...

03-28-2012, 03:47 AM	#8
oliver939 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: europe Posts: 156	Originally posted by paperbag846 I think it might be too specialty an item. Pentax has not made anything similar since the K 15, which I would guess was not the best seller... the 15mm is a fantastic wide prime

03-28-2012, 03:54 AM	#9
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	When I want ultra wide I use my full frame samyang 14 mm on my PZ1 there is also the siggma 12-24 full frame zoom you could use on film

03-28-2012, 04:06 AM	#10
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	I think there just isn't that much benefit to a prime versus an ultrawide zoom. The DA 14mm is pretty good sized (and just covers APS-C). The Da 15 is smaller of course, but only goes to f4. Seems like if you want an ultrawide on APS-C, the best option is probably the Sigma 8-16mm which is quite the lens from what I have seen.

03-28-2012, 06:13 AM	#11
intjonmiller Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bountiful, Utah, USA Posts: 74 Original Poster	I'm not just talking about Pentax here. Nobody has a prime wider than 14mm. The difference between the 15 mm ltd and a zoom set to 15 mm is fairly dramatic. The same would apply to a 10 or 12 mm by the same talented designers. And it doesn't have to be faster than f/4. I'm correcting for distortion in zooms EVERY DAY. I'm quite familiar with what is possible. Particularly for that nasty 12-24 Sigma it just isn't always enough. (I've used it on both Nikon and Canon. Worst ultra wide shots I've ever produced.)

03-28-2012, 06:49 AM	#13
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897	Technically, the 15 & 14 are ultra-wides, being shorter in focal length than the short side of the APS-C frame (16.7mm aprox.). But I see what you mean and it's something I've never understood. Tokina make an 11 to 16mm f/2.8 zoom, how hard could it be to make a 12mm f/2.8 prime?

03-28-2012, 07:00 AM	#14
Anvh Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 4,616	Pentax make 8.5mm f/1.9 lens with a leaf shutter, how cool is that! ... sadly it isn't considered a wide angle for the format.

03-28-2012, 07:33 AM - 1 Like	#15
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Easy way to make a UWA prime: 1) Obtain a UWA zoom lens. 2) Glue it to shortest focal length. So a Tamron or Sigma 10/3.5 is trivial.