[ankit]

I was thinking of getting the 21/3.2, but am having second thoughts after reading this thread. Is it really that bad on the K10D? I have no intentions of upgrading to the K20D, and will have to pass on the 21/3.2 if it has serious issues with the K10D.

[rparmar]

Everybody raves about the 31, and that feels like a decent focal length for me.

Me too, but I couldn't afford it. So I got the 43mm.

There are times when I need wide and 21 isn't quite wide enough.

I know that feeling as well. On the wide end every millimeter counts. I held off on the 21mm for that reason.

The 16-45 is a little soft at 16 wide open so I'm thinking 14mm.

I don't think so. The amazing thing about this zoom is that it is sharp all the way from wide open and all the way from wide angle. The Photozone scores start at very good for the extreme edges at 16mm f/4 and just get better from there. There is no score less than 1750 LW/PH. This is much better than the 14mm right across the scale. I certainly don't think you should choose the 14mm on that basis. In fact the zoom is sharper than the 21mm in most cases! Wow!

Besides which, distortion on the 16-45 is comparatively good and easily correctable whereas the 14mm has moustache type distortion that is difficult/impossible to fix (should you need to and I do for architecture). Now this is all from the test results since I have never used the 14mm.

One thing I can say against the zoom is that the chromatic aberration issue is real. But that can be corrected in post when it matters.

Also, it is physically much larger than other lenses when it is zoomed to wide angle. This can be intimidating for human subjects. This might yet lead me to the 21mm but giving up the 5mm is likely impossible.

[nostatic]

well, I sold my track car today so I figured I should get something to salve my wounds. My local shop where I got my K20d and 16-45/50-135* combo over the last few days (my salesguy likes me) had a 77mm ltd stashed away. Now it is on my camera.

All i can say is that while zooms are convenient, the 77 ltd is sublime. Budget be damned, I'm ordering a 31mm tonight.

http://nostatic.com/photos/twistLily1024.jpg

tight crop of a very low light shot. Still figuring out the lens but I love the way it draws...

[benjikan]

well, I sold my track car today so I figured I should get something to salve my wounds. My local shop where I got my K20d and 16-45/50-135* combo over the last few days (my salesguy likes me) had a 77mm ltd stashed away. Now it is on my camera.

All i can say is that while zooms are convenient, the 77 ltd is sublime. Budget be damned, I'm ordering a 31mm tonight.

http://nostatic.com/photos/twistLily1024.jpg

tight crop of a very low light shot. Still figuring out the lens but I love the way it draws...

Enjoy...Nice one. I love the 31mm Ltd. One of my favorite lenses. I would have suggested the 70mm Ltd over the 77 however..

None the less the 77 is excellent.

Ben

[pcarfan]

well, I sold my track car today so I figured I should get something to salve my wounds. My local shop where I got my K20d and 16-45/50-135* combo over the last few days (my salesguy likes me) had a 77mm ltd stashed away. Now it is on my camera.

All i can say is that while zooms are convenient, the 77 ltd is sublime. Budget be damned, I'm ordering a 31mm tonight.

http://nostatic.com/photos/twistLily1024.jpg

tight crop of a very low light shot. Still figuring out the lens but I love the way it draws...

Dude, you sold the entire car..DAMN!

I sold the suspension kit last week as it was sitting in my garage for 2+ years as I haven't tracked in that long. I am hoping to get back to tracking, so the car stays.

I have 2k to spend, and was seriously considering the 100-300 F4 but none can be found. Now, I am thinking of getting the FA31, FA43, FA77 but waiting for the US rebates as as per the last one I can get $300 back.

Man, I REALLY feel your pain of losing the car....hoping you can get back to it someday.

[Duplo]

I was thinking of getting the 21/3.2, but am having second thoughts after reading this thread. Is it really that bad on the K10D? I have no intentions of upgrading to the K20D, and will have to pass on the 21/3.2 if it has serious issues with the K10D.

No it is anything but bad on the K10D, I have used it on the K10D and DS only, as I have yet to test the K20D and I have always been amazed y the renderings from it.

I have said it before and will say it again. IMHO it is the finest rendering landscape lens in the pentax lineup and a darn sharp one too.

here are 3 recent photos that hopefully will give you an indication on its performance on the K10D:

http://main.duplophotography.com/img/v3/p231330908.jpg

http://main.duplophotography.com/img/v3/p175206731.jpg

http://main.duplophotography.com/img/v3/p351391586.jpg

It is one of my two favourite pentax lenses.
THe DA21 and FA43 are the two reasons for me to run a dual system today.
There simply are no AF primes in available in F or any other mount equal to them IMHO.

[Pentaxtic]

All nice pics above with the 77 and the 21mm!

[nostatic]

Enjoy...Nice one. I love the 31mm Ltd. One of my favorite lenses. I would have suggested the 70mm Ltd over the 77 however..

None the less the 77 is excellent.

Ben

Yeah, I thought about that. There is something about the look/feel of the FA lenses that I really like, although the lack of quick shift focus is kind of a bummer.