[luftfluss]

My copy is good at f/3.2, also. Of course the edges sharpen up when stopped down.

And yeah, teh bursts...

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

As I transitioned over to shooting more primes, I thought that lengths such as 21mm and 40mm in slow lenses would never appeal to me. I do find the SMC 21mm a bit peculiar in some light, but at other times it really shines. However, the focal length is just plain wonderful as it turns out (and others have shown in their images). I've come to that conclusion based on the idea that the FoV is as wide as you would dare go and still feel as though the shot is natural and real world. This is still close to how we see the world.

To a lesser extent, I feel the same way about the 40mm. It also feels natural - close to the last FoV that doesn't feel compressed. I bought the 40mm xs because I wanted to have a pancake as an easy extra lens in the bag, but have found it to be far more useful than expected.

On the other concern regarding these small aperture primes: I often shoot them wide open (especially the 40mm which never gets much sharper as you stop down). Shooting wide open or near it gives you a great advantage in terms of WYSiWYG. As with any serious shooter, I'm very much into getting the proper DoF for the scene but I'm not always in the mood to stop down (which past a couple stops darkens the view too much). Having a good sense of DoF from the start is very helpful, especially so with the 40mm because the longer lens and slightly wider aperture brings considerably more DoF variance into the equation.

[mgvh]

I have the SMC version. Decent at f3.2, but I usually try to shoot 5.6-8.
I use it regularly for interiors and for when I want to go light and not be noticeable when I shoot.
I have not noticed that distortion is so bad. I've included a 4 shot pano that stitched together pretty well, I think.

[normhead]

It's just a lens, I use it as a lens. I usually use it when I need a roughly 20-22 mm lens..

[pentaxway]

... It's not just a lens , it's a photographic Zen koan !

[clackers]

... It's not just a lens , it's a photographic Zen koan !

As I understand it, the FA43 is another Pentax Zen koan.

[pentaxway]

Uh , basically , the Pentax Way is a Zen Koan .

[Sandy Hancock]

As I understand it, the FA43 is another Pentax Zen koan.

Only on film/FF

[clackers]

Only on film/FF

Kai of DigitalRev once opined that 43mm would be natural as the diagonal of 35mm film, but such a lens was only made by the 'weird and wonderful Pentax.'

[jeffryscott]

The 21 is my next lens purchase ... These Limiteds are like crack, very addicting. I think the 21 will be a great walk around lens.

[LightBug]

How are you using this lens ?
Do you like it ?
I find it an awkward focal length , (not to mention it's distortion)
Not wide enough and not normal enough .
I can see using it for environmental portraits .

I have a two lens travel kit when I go on long trips, the DA 21mm + DA 15mm. The DA 21mm covers 85% of shots I take on the trip, of family members with background. The remaining 15% landscape, architecture shots are covered by DA 15mm. So I think 21mm is very useful on APSC and I like it a lot.

Joey

[DanGleabols]

However, the focal length is just plain wonderful as it turns out (and others have shown in their images). I've come to that conclusion based on the idea that the FoV is as wide as you would dare go and still feel as though the shot is natural and real world. This is still close to how we see the world.

This is a much better way of saying what I was trying to say!

[northcoastgreg]

I finally broke and bought a DA 21 last summer (I already had an M 20, an FA 20-35, and a DA 16-85). Didn't absolutely need it, but it quickly became my favorite lens. As much as I like the DA 15, I don't really see the world at 15mm, and I would be hard pressed to spend a whole day shooting only at 15mm (or only at 28mm or 35mm or any other focal length). But I have no problem shooting all day at 21mm --- and that's what I've frequently done since getting the DA 21.

[bobbotron]

I have a 16-45 I use currently as my "pretty wide angle lens", and was thinking earlier today, it sure would be nice to have a prime I could stick on for general purpose fun. It's quite nice to screw a prime onto a camera and take it along when adventuring... I get a ton of use out of my 28mm lenses on film cameras, it's weird pentax doesn't make a plastic fantastic 18mm lens to compliment the 35 and 50mm. I've found the 35mm never gets taken out, but the 50 is super useful.

Then I considered the 15, but at 22mm equivalent, that's getting pretty wide... the 21 looks to be a great choice - I have the 55mm lens for 645, (35mm) equivalent, and it is so useful... There's stiff competition on the wide end of pentax lenses... 16-50, 18-85, 15mm.. Too much choice! Were it not be for the slight barrel distortion of the 21 people mention, I think I'd totally be sold on it... that said, it seems easily fixable in post process if necessary.

[kh1234567890]

Were it not be for the slight barrel distortion of the 21 people mention, I think I'd totally be sold on it... that said, it seems easily fixable in post process if necessary.

I've never noticed that.

...... ......