[NitroDC]

15mm might actually be too wide if you're looking for something similar but wider than the 77mm. If all-manual is not an issue, the smc-M 28mm f/2 seems to get pretty good reviews. SMC Pentax-M 28mm F2 Reviews - M Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

But if you're willing to spend up to $800-900 then a nice Zeiss lens is probably your best bet for manual.

EDIT: There's a 35mm Zeiss f/2 being sold in the marketplace right now: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographic-equipment-sale/212479-sale-c...e-reduced.html
I'd buy it if I could afford it.

[pentaxnood]

Carl Zeiss is very nice, that is the one I have been looking for. I found some selling for 700$.
thanks a lot

[TER-OR]

Personally, I wouldn't expect too much of the older zooms. Also, personally, I'd like to find an A50 1.7 to play with. Having the auto-aperture ability would be a food convenience and those optics are supposed to be very good.

I did rent the 21mm limited a while ago, and didn't think it fit into my needs. I'd like to rent that 15mm - but probably not anytime soon.

[mikeSF]

i use both the DA15 and DA21, which both have very similar performance characteristics. From your original post, i wonder if you might find the 15 to be a little too wide.

[Docrwm]

SMC-A 35-70mm F4. It has a 8.8 rating on sharpness but I must say its overrated. Its cheap but Canon 18-55 3.5-5.6 is same price and much sharper I can say. I have 1 year of experience, so I guess you are more experienced.

The 35-70 is an F series lens and quite old, as auto focus lenses go. That means that variation between copies is likely to be rather extreme at this point in their life-cycle. My copy is very sharp, not 85/1.4 sharp but sharper than my other AF zooms other than my 70-200/2.8.

[pentaxnood]

thanks for all suggestions.
@TER-OR I think its a very good lens for the money.
@MikeSF I am more into the IQ side than the focal length.
@Docrwm I didnt know the lens lose their sharpness as the years pass by.

I decided to sell my lenses, and get A50 1.7 and a Carl Zeiss lens between 25-35mm.

[Docrwm]

thanks for all suggestions.
@TER-OR I think its a very good lens for the money.
@MikeSF I am more into the IQ side than the focal length.
@Docrwm I didnt know the lens lose their sharpness as the years pass by.

I decided to sell my lenses, and get A50 1.7 and a Carl Zeiss lens between 25-35mm.

With zooms in particular you have to remember that many of the elements are moving - hence their ability to zoom - and that friction, lack of proper storage, expansion and contraction with changes in temperature, degrading of materials, etc. can change the alignment and movement of the gearing. You can also get changes in the coatings and other materials through oxidation and exposure to various wavelengths of light. Primes are less prone to such changes in their operation and precision because the elements are fixed - they have some, but not all, of the issues that zooms can but nowhere near as many.

[mikeSF]

@MikeSF I am more into the IQ side than the focal length.
.

got it. if you like the rendering of the FA77, then the FA31 is going to be a winner for you. It's only weaknesses I see compared to the more modern DA Limiteds, is going to be in CA and flare handling. The FA31 cannot touch the DA21 nor DA15 in flare resistance if that is important to you. In sharpness and contrast, the FA31 will not disappoint.

[Kerrowdown]

The older cousin of the DA15, the SMC Pentax-A 15mm F3.5 maybe worth a look if you can get one for the right price.

[normhead]

That's confusing.... the Pentax kits have better centre sharpness than the Canon which is better edge to edge. Where the SMC A 35-70 comes in I have no idea.

The 77 is another centre sharp lens, not really landscape material.

If you're going to get one lens for landscape, try the Tamron 17-50. Excellent sharpness and good edge to edge. Not so good at control of CA though. If you want control of CA you should probably go to a DA prime. For $800 you could get the 15 ltd. That's where your Canon 18-55's fall down, lack of control of CA.

But the big question is, what do you take pictures of? For $200 the DA 35 2.4 is a fantastic lens if you don't need wider. But I really don't recommend starting with primes unless you can afford say the 15, 21, 31 or 35, 50 and 70. It takes a lot of primes to replace one zoom.

[Gray]

I find my DA 15 too wide for the kind of landscapes I shoot. It's great for discreet street work though.

I know you're looking for a prime, but for landscapes I much prefer my Tamron 28-75/2.8. At 28mm the Tamron is almost always wide enough for me and razor sharp edge to edge just like a prime when stopped down just a little, and its so versatile in other contexts too. And it costs the same or less than the DA 15.

FWIW, the lenses I use for landscapes are the Tamron 28-75 and DA* 60-250 (and less often the FA 20 and Sigma 8-16, both good & sharp across the frame for landscapes).

Edit: I'd also choose the DA 70 over the FA 77 for landscapes. The DA is for more evenly sharp across the frame and less prone to purple fringing than the FA. But you can't beat the FA for character shots like portraits.

[pentaxnood]

That's confusing.... the Pentax kits have better centre sharpness than the Canon which is better edge to edge.

Yeah maybe it was confusing

From those pictures https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photo-critique/132171-nature-good-ugly-bokeh.html , I liked the 4th picture most, and it turned out to be its the cheapest among all. Vivitar 35-105 mm. I think color, bokeh is more important to me.

[Allison]

I decided to sell my lenses, and get A50 1.7 and a Carl Zeiss lens between 25-35mm.

Well, it sounds like you made up your mind, but I would suggest that you try out a fa31 if you can. You mentioned that you liked the 77 but wanted wide, so that is the 31. If you can swing it with the budget you could also go with the 43 instead of the 50. Than again, I am partial because I just love that little 43.

[Digitalis]

I decided to sell my lenses, and get A50 1.7 and a Carl Zeiss lens between 25-35mm.

Good luck with that, the Zeiss K mount lenses have all been discontinued - and they are pretty thin on the ground on the second hand market especially the wider angle lenses in the 21-35mm range.