That does it!

alamo5000 · 12-07-2012, 10:31 PM

I am sold.

Period.

End of story.

My 15mm DA Limited arrived today. I have been playing with the thing and holy hell this little thing is GREAT.

I think now I will be addicted to DA prime lenses now....this was my first AF modern prime and boy it did not disappoint at all. And above all with the prime lenses can easily be packed into a small light kit. No fuss, no muss. PERFECT.

I have a 40mm DA Limited f2.8 on the way and a DA70mm in the mail too. I am so excited.

I think with my three choices I have picked the cream of the crop (per the reviews on this site).

The only one that I have not actually paid for yet is the 21mm. It seems to me to be a bit slow but then again it might be a useful focal length... kind of in between the 15mm and the 40mm...I will be testing these lenses a lot in the coming weeks and months and giving that 21mm the eyeball in the mean time.

I am seriously considering that 21mm but I would also consider something good in 55mm range to bridge the gap from 40mm in between the 70mm.

The DA 55mm is actually rated with a lesser of an overall rating that the FA 50mm f1.7...and on top of that...the 55mm f1.4 is $721! Have they truly lost their minds? Yet the FA 50mm f1.7 is discontinued even though its highly rated.

All I know is I have 3 lenses with one of them in hand...and I am stoked. I just need to know where to go from here... I am unsure about the 21mm and something in between the 40 and 70 too...which lenses...

MSM · 12-07-2012, 10:47 PM

Congrats. I know how you feel. I have used the 15 mm in the past. It is a nice lens. I like the 21 mm too. It is a nice length for me. The 15 was a little too wide for everyday. I might one day go back to it as it is great for travel and senics. As far as the DA 55 mm. I just bought it from a member here. I was going to sell it but BH had a price drop until the end of the year. You can now get it for under $600. It is a nice lens but heavy. Your DA set up is nice and light. If that is what you want the 55 is going to be out. The weight of the 21 + 70 limiteds= the DA*55. Something to think about.

MSM · 12-07-2012, 10:58 PM

BTW, I have the 70 mm I bought on cybermonday. Just my opinion, both the 55 and the 70 are great lenses. They are too close in FL to keep both. They each have their pluses, though. I would love to keep the 70 due to the faster AF and the small size and light weight. But, the IQ, faster aperture of the 55 and the closer MFD make it more versatile and won out...for now. I am still going back and forth with this decision due to my love of the lighter lenses. I either have to sell my 55 or return the 70. Oh the decisions....

The primes are addictive. You just want to collect them all!

alamo5000 · 12-07-2012, 11:00 PM

I would be interested to hear more input that people have about the 21mm. I have read a lot here about it and saw the reviews...

The 21mm seems like it would be a great walking around lens simply because of what you pointed out...its wide but not too wide.

I would be unsure about a 50mm lens particularly when I will soon have a 40mm...yet a 55mm is right smack halfway in between the 40 and 70mm...The 21mm is slightly less than half way between the 15 and 40mm, but to be honest it appears appealing because I would rather have slightly wider at that end than slightly not wide enough.

MSM · 12-07-2012, 11:08 PM

The reviews on the 21 here pretty much sum up the sentiment I have seen on this lens. The slow aperture and the distortion and the dislike of the hood are the biggest issues. For me it is a nice walk around lens due to FOV and the light weight. It is not too slow for me as I use it outdoors anyway. I like the hood but I don't like having to use the push cap, so I don't. I haven't noticed the distortion issue but I don't take shots of architecture. I also tend to shoot JPEGS with distortion correction on. ( I know... bad photographer for using JPEG)

SpecialK · 12-07-2012, 11:12 PM

Originally posted by alamo5000

I would be interested to hear more input that people have about the 21mm....The 21mm is slightly less than half way between the 15 and 40mm, but to be honest it appears appealing because I would rather have slightly wider at that end than slightly not wide enough.

The difference of 6 millimeters makes a big change at the short end, not so much around 50+. I'm trying to use the 21 more. It used to be my least-used DA Ltd because I was going wider or longer just out of habit...It does have a good amount of barrel distortion, but as someone pointed out, most software can correct for it - but still a little disappointing for the $$$.

alamo5000 · 12-07-2012, 11:19 PM

I am thinking I should give what I got (or will soon get via one Santa Claus) a chance so that I can get used to using primes first. Nothing like trial and error to determine what I like and don't like. I have heard about the bokeh, speed, etc etc...but to be honest I probably could live with the speed...if I was shooting wide open I wonder if its kind of soft or not 'as sharp' or if I would be stopping down even more.

I need to locate the thread with sample pics from the 21mm....

alamo5000 · 12-07-2012, 11:23 PM

Originally posted by SpecialK

The difference of 6 millimeters makes a big change at the short end, not so much around 50+. I'm trying to use the 21 more. It used to be my least-used DA Ltd because I was going wider or longer just out of habit...It does have a good amount of barrel distortion, but as someone pointed out, most software can correct for it - but still a little disappointing for the $$$.

I will admit my ignorance here.. I am not entirely sure what 'barrel distortion' really means. I have only owned a camera at all for 6 months. I mean any kind of SLR camera...

I hear some mixed things about the 21mm

SpecialK · 12-07-2012, 11:27 PM

Originally posted by alamo5000

I will admit my ignorance here.. I am not entirely sure what 'barrel distortion' really means. I have only owned a camera at all for 6 months. I mean any kind of SLR camera...

I hear some mixed things about the 21mm

If the sides of the image bulge outward, that is barrel distortion. Inward is pin cushion distortion. Google will give you more info, but that's it in a nutshell.

AussieTrev · 12-07-2012, 11:28 PM

Mine arrives Monday if UPS is on time, It's listed as in transit to delivery from Sydney to Brisbane after a quick trip from Adorama. I finally got the snafu sorted. It was the thank you price for all you guys spending big on Black Friday. Thanks guys. Even with the high postage costs we have to pay to get stuff from the US, it is still about $200 cheaper than here. We are the rip off nation.

Looking forward to some wide open shooting. Landscapes look out. My FA 100 might get jealous.

adpo · 12-07-2012, 11:48 PM

My 2cents:
DA21mm - Amazing focal length for street shooting, it gives you just enough of the scene without going crazy wide. I could see why the 31mm would be so awesome on FF with this lens, the focal length is just perfect. I can forgive it for being slow since its both wide and compact, but in the end, I sold it since its corner performance felt lacking
DA40mm - Good lens all around, really small and fun to play with. I find the focal length perfect for snapshots with friends, its long enough for a portrait but wide enough so that you have some lee-way in framing. Honestly, it doesn't really have a weak point, I just never happened to fall in love with it the same way I did with the 55mm. Sold it because I felt a 17-50mm would be of greater use to me at the time.
DA*55mm - The only lens I regret selling. Cons- it flares, focus is a tad slow, its big Pros- everything else. Honestly, this was the lens I had for the longest and for good reason. The IQ was stunning, the colors were fantastic, it handled like a charm, it was weather sealed and it balanced perfectly on my k-5. In the end, sold it for the DA70 as I had felt that I wanted something longer at the time.
DA70mm - Seriously sharp lens, pretty good bokeh, small and light. As a telephoto, it was a great lens. However, I was greedy and wanted something faster, which is why I sold it.

alamo5000 · 12-08-2012, 12:12 AM

Originally posted by adpo

DA21mm - Amazing focal length for street shooting, it gives you just enough of the scene without going crazy wide.

This is the main reason why I would buy the lens. Period. Full stop, end of story. Or I could use the 15mm and go crazy wide and just crop the picture. The 21mm is still faster than the 15mm though.

I haven't gotten my 40mm yet. Nor my 70mm. I have a 17-50 in the other room and it is a very nice zoom so far. I think overall package wise the lenses will be good. In the end I want a small light tight package that I can take on trips to far flung places and will give me professional sharpness and quality. I didn't buy all this gear to get 'snap shots'....I love travel and just 'going'... I have lived in 7 countries and been to somewhere between 30 and 40. I want to get to the century mark (100 countries)... there are only 180 or so 'official' countries...

Small, light, tight, and excellent quality and sharpness are a must. I used the rankings on the forum as a guide of what to buy. If 115 people all end up giving a lens 8.2 stars out of 10 its probably so so. Likewise if 109 people give one 9.5 stars its probably pretty good.

My ideal setup will be to have two K-5 type bodies (maybe the K-5 IIs) and a harness where I can have one on one side and one on the other and walk around with a small bag and a spare lens for each. Depending on where I go it would be great. Have the 15mm on one side and the 21 or 40mm on the other...or have the 21 and 70mm depending on where you are at...3 maybe 4 lenses and a tripod...light, easy, ready to go.

That is where I want to end up with this.

Adam · 12-08-2012, 12:12 AM

Yup, AF primes rock.

shiner · 12-08-2012, 12:18 AM

Wow. Once I have a lens in my bag, unless it just plain sucks, someone will have to inherit it from me to get it out of my hands, lol

alamo5000 · 12-08-2012, 12:18 AM

Originally posted by Adam

Yup, AF primes rock.

Not that I will necessarily need it but since I bought THREE primes does that give me any special perks on the board? (well one was sort of bought for me LOL)

Two from Adorama and the other was bought from B&H.

The travel set up I mentioned above though... that is ideal. I could easily get by with a point and shoot. That's what I used forever on all my trips when or if I even had a camera, but its not just about random pictures. Its art work. It can add a lot of meaning to trips if you can do it right. With me though its all about moving fast, light, and loose. I sometimes go to places off the track...

Ideally my double camera body set up will be the way to go. For me it needs to be light and easy and produce better than just 'ok' results.

12-07-2012, 10:31 PM	#1
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962	That does it! I am sold. Period. End of story. My 15mm DA Limited arrived today. I have been playing with the thing and holy hell this little thing is GREAT. I think now I will be addicted to DA prime lenses now....this was my first AF modern prime and boy it did not disappoint at all. And above all with the prime lenses can easily be packed into a small light kit. No fuss, no muss. PERFECT. I have a 40mm DA Limited f2.8 on the way and a DA70mm in the mail too. I am so excited. I think with my three choices I have picked the cream of the crop (per the reviews on this site). The only one that I have not actually paid for yet is the 21mm. It seems to me to be a bit slow but then again it might be a useful focal length... kind of in between the 15mm and the 40mm...I will be testing these lenses a lot in the coming weeks and months and giving that 21mm the eyeball in the mean time. I am seriously considering that 21mm but I would also consider something good in 55mm range to bridge the gap from 40mm in between the 70mm. The DA 55mm is actually rated with a lesser of an overall rating that the FA 50mm f1.7...and on top of that...the 55mm f1.4 is $721! Have they truly lost their minds? Yet the FA 50mm f1.7 is discontinued even though its highly rated. All I know is I have 3 lenses with one of them in hand...and I am stoked. I just need to know where to go from here... I am unsure about the 21mm and something in between the 40 and 70 too...which lenses...

12-08-2012, 12:12 AM	#12
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962 Original Poster	Originally posted by adpo DA21mm - Amazing focal length for street shooting, it gives you just enough of the scene without going crazy wide. This is the main reason why I would buy the lens. Period. Full stop, end of story. Or I could use the 15mm and go crazy wide and just crop the picture. The 21mm is still faster than the 15mm though. I haven't gotten my 40mm yet. Nor my 70mm. I have a 17-50 in the other room and it is a very nice zoom so far. I think overall package wise the lenses will be good. In the end I want a small light tight package that I can take on trips to far flung places and will give me professional sharpness and quality. I didn't buy all this gear to get 'snap shots'....I love travel and just 'going'... I have lived in 7 countries and been to somewhere between 30 and 40. I want to get to the century mark (100 countries)... there are only 180 or so 'official' countries... Small, light, tight, and excellent quality and sharpness are a must. I used the rankings on the forum as a guide of what to buy. If 115 people all end up giving a lens 8.2 stars out of 10 its probably so so. Likewise if 109 people give one 9.5 stars its probably pretty good. My ideal setup will be to have two K-5 type bodies (maybe the K-5 IIs) and a harness where I can have one on one side and one on the other and walk around with a small bag and a spare lens for each. Depending on where I go it would be great. Have the 15mm on one side and the 21 or 40mm on the other...or have the 21 and 70mm depending on where you are at...3 maybe 4 lenses and a tripod...light, easy, ready to go. That is where I want to end up with this. Last edited by alamo5000; 12-08-2012 at 12:42 AM.

12-08-2012, 12:12 AM	#13
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,594	Yup, AF primes rock. 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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12-07-2012, 10:47 PM	#2
MSM Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 994	Congrats. I know how you feel. I have used the 15 mm in the past. It is a nice lens. I like the 21 mm too. It is a nice length for me. The 15 was a little too wide for everyday. I might one day go back to it as it is great for travel and senics. As far as the DA 55 mm. I just bought it from a member here. I was going to sell it but BH had a price drop until the end of the year. You can now get it for under $600. It is a nice lens but heavy. Your DA set up is nice and light. If that is what you want the 55 is going to be out. The weight of the 21 + 70 limiteds= the DA*55. Something to think about.

12-07-2012, 10:58 PM	#3
MSM Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 994	BTW, I have the 70 mm I bought on cybermonday. Just my opinion, both the 55 and the 70 are great lenses. They are too close in FL to keep both. They each have their pluses, though. I would love to keep the 70 due to the faster AF and the small size and light weight. But, the IQ, faster aperture of the 55 and the closer MFD make it more versatile and won out...for now. I am still going back and forth with this decision due to my love of the lighter lenses. I either have to sell my 55 or return the 70. Oh the decisions.... The primes are addictive. You just want to collect them all!

12-07-2012, 11:00 PM	#4
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962 Original Poster	I would be interested to hear more input that people have about the 21mm. I have read a lot here about it and saw the reviews... The 21mm seems like it would be a great walking around lens simply because of what you pointed out...its wide but not too wide. I would be unsure about a 50mm lens particularly when I will soon have a 40mm...yet a 55mm is right smack halfway in between the 40 and 70mm...The 21mm is slightly less than half way between the 15 and 40mm, but to be honest it appears appealing because I would rather have slightly wider at that end than slightly not wide enough.

12-07-2012, 11:08 PM	#5
MSM Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 994	The reviews on the 21 here pretty much sum up the sentiment I have seen on this lens. The slow aperture and the distortion and the dislike of the hood are the biggest issues. For me it is a nice walk around lens due to FOV and the light weight. It is not too slow for me as I use it outdoors anyway. I like the hood but I don't like having to use the push cap, so I don't. I haven't noticed the distortion issue but I don't take shots of architecture. I also tend to shoot JPEGS with distortion correction on. ( I know... bad photographer for using JPEG)

12-07-2012, 11:12 PM	#6
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Originally posted by alamo5000 I would be interested to hear more input that people have about the 21mm....The 21mm is slightly less than half way between the 15 and 40mm, but to be honest it appears appealing because I would rather have slightly wider at that end than slightly not wide enough. The difference of 6 millimeters makes a big change at the short end, not so much around 50+. I'm trying to use the 21 more. It used to be my least-used DA Ltd because I was going wider or longer just out of habit...It does have a good amount of barrel distortion, but as someone pointed out, most software can correct for it - but still a little disappointing for the $$$.

12-07-2012, 11:19 PM	#7
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962 Original Poster	I am thinking I should give what I got (or will soon get via one Santa Claus) a chance so that I can get used to using primes first. Nothing like trial and error to determine what I like and don't like. I have heard about the bokeh, speed, etc etc...but to be honest I probably could live with the speed...if I was shooting wide open I wonder if its kind of soft or not 'as sharp' or if I would be stopping down even more. I need to locate the thread with sample pics from the 21mm....

12-07-2012, 11:23 PM	#8
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962 Original Poster	Originally posted by SpecialK The difference of 6 millimeters makes a big change at the short end, not so much around 50+. I'm trying to use the 21 more. It used to be my least-used DA Ltd because I was going wider or longer just out of habit...It does have a good amount of barrel distortion, but as someone pointed out, most software can correct for it - but still a little disappointing for the $$$. I will admit my ignorance here.. I am not entirely sure what 'barrel distortion' really means. I have only owned a camera at all for 6 months. I mean any kind of SLR camera... I hear some mixed things about the 21mm

12-07-2012, 11:27 PM	#9
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Originally posted by alamo5000 I will admit my ignorance here.. I am not entirely sure what 'barrel distortion' really means. I have only owned a camera at all for 6 months. I mean any kind of SLR camera... I hear some mixed things about the 21mm If the sides of the image bulge outward, that is barrel distortion. Inward is pin cushion distortion. Google will give you more info, but that's it in a nutshell.

12-07-2012, 11:28 PM	#10
AussieTrev Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,590	Mine arrives Monday if UPS is on time, It's listed as in transit to delivery from Sydney to Brisbane after a quick trip from Adorama. I finally got the snafu sorted. It was the thank you price for all you guys spending big on Black Friday. Thanks guys. Even with the high postage costs we have to pay to get stuff from the US, it is still about $200 cheaper than here. We are the rip off nation. Looking forward to some wide open shooting. Landscapes look out. My FA 100 might get jealous.

12-07-2012, 11:48 PM	#11
adpo Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery Posts: 888	My 2cents: DA21mm - Amazing focal length for street shooting, it gives you just enough of the scene without going crazy wide. I could see why the 31mm would be so awesome on FF with this lens, the focal length is just perfect. I can forgive it for being slow since its both wide and compact, but in the end, I sold it since its corner performance felt lacking DA40mm - Good lens all around, really small and fun to play with. I find the focal length perfect for snapshots with friends, its long enough for a portrait but wide enough so that you have some lee-way in framing. Honestly, it doesn't really have a weak point, I just never happened to fall in love with it the same way I did with the 55mm. Sold it because I felt a 17-50mm would be of greater use to me at the time. DA*55mm - The only lens I regret selling. Cons- it flares, focus is a tad slow, its big Pros- everything else. Honestly, this was the lens I had for the longest and for good reason. The IQ was stunning, the colors were fantastic, it handled like a charm, it was weather sealed and it balanced perfectly on my k-5. In the end, sold it for the DA70 as I had felt that I wanted something longer at the time. DA70mm - Seriously sharp lens, pretty good bokeh, small and light. As a telephoto, it was a great lens. However, I was greedy and wanted something faster, which is why I sold it.

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12-08-2012, 12:18 AM	#14
shiner Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: N GA USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,127	Wow. Once I have a lens in my bag, unless it just plain sucks, someone will have to inherit it from me to get it out of my hands, lol

12-08-2012, 12:18 AM	#15
alamo5000 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2,962 Original Poster	Originally posted by Adam Yup, AF primes rock. Not that I will necessarily need it but since I bought THREE primes does that give me any special perks on the board? (well one was sort of bought for me LOL) Two from Adorama and the other was bought from B&H. The travel set up I mentioned above though... that is ideal. I could easily get by with a point and shoot. That's what I used forever on all my trips when or if I even had a camera, but its not just about random pictures. Its art work. It can add a lot of meaning to trips if you can do it right. With me though its all about moving fast, light, and loose. I sometimes go to places off the track... Ideally my double camera body set up will be the way to go. For me it needs to be light and easy and produce better than just 'ok' results.