[Sandy Hancock]

I love my DA21. The angle of view is very intuitive. It's tiny, fast enough, close focussing, sharp, flare resistant, and it makes lovely starbursts.

What do I use it for?

Landscapes.





Environmental portraits of surly daughters



Even selfies



Sports!



It goes OK on the Q as well

[kh1234567890]

my favourite street lens.

+1

My favourite lens (I have the old SMC version) - Flickriver: kh1234567890's photos tagged with da21. Distortion is easily fixed with the right profile in post.
But the DA70 comes very close second - Flickriver: kh1234567890's photos tagged with da70

[savoche]

The IQ is another matter, and the distortion and green-blob flare can cause problems, plus it's not that sharp until around f/4.5 or f/5.´ Still, I do like it, though less than my other limiteds.

Mine is sharp wide open when focusing close. It never really gets sharp at infinity, though. Plenty sharp for my use, mind you, but not as sharp as e.g. my FA28.

For me the 21 is great for indoor use; environmental portraits, close-ups of table details etc. Out of doors I like 15 or 28 better.

[DanGleabols]

Interesting comments, I didn't realise about the high distortion. I'm looking at reducing the number of cameras and am playing with swapping my x100 for a 21ltd for my k3. I really like the 23mm on the x100, I often find I'm in cramp situations (small houses etc in my part of the UK). It's wide and perspective distortion is workable, unlike when you get a bit wider.

[Alnjpn]

I have the non HD version. It is an unusual lens length in that it doesn't give really dynamic pictures, more like documenting a scene. It is a useful length for street and scenery. I use mine mostly when I am hiking and climbing due to its diminutive size and solid build - it has taken a few tumbles without any trouble. I have used it for travel but not as much as I thought I would.

Mine needed a +9 fine adjustment to get the focus right. It isn't great at f3.2, but at f4 and above things start looking good.

Top picture is f6.3, bottom picture f3.5.

[alamo5000]

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 .

The 21 is a great lens. On our crop sensors the field of view is halfway between a 28mm and a 35mm on a FF camera. It is right there where the beloved 31mm will be on that new FF sensor. 28 or 31 or 35 for that matter on various formats are not odd focal lengths. People use them all the time.

I would say search for pictures that were taken on a FF @ 28mm and get some ideas. You can do all that and more with the 21mm.

Not my picture below but you get the idea... it's perfect for capturing a scene. You just have to be at a scene to capture it.




"Using a 28mm

Here I try to address the big problems of 28mms….Consider these counter points to the above.

Longer focal lengths really limit your field of view in my opinion. Imagine a completely black room, your only contact with the world is trough a small window and a large one. Of course, the large one is the 28mm. I don’t know about you, but I want as much of the world that I can get. When you use a 28mm, it’s as much about the subject that you are shooting, as it is their background, their surrounding, their context.

The fact that you can’t really Bokeh your way out of any situation is actually a good thing. I remember being able to ride a bike with training wheels without any issues….until my parents pulled out those training wheels. I was able to ride a bike only when I couldn’t rely on those helpers. Removing the possibility of Bokeh actually forces you to be ever more aware of what’s in front of your camera. You need to bring attention to your subjects, you can’t blur it’s background, you will work the frame to find a way to do so without Bokeh.

All of a sudden, because of necessity, you are aware of the background, how it can either bring attention or pull attention from your subject. The lack of Bokeh, instead of being limiting, is actually freeing because you are forced out of your comfort zone to try new things.

The 28mm also forces you out of your comfort zone when it comes to portraits and people . You can’t get away by staying far from your subject, you have to get physically closer to get your shot. Now granted, getting close is not the end all of all photography, but if something forces you out of your comfort zone, it can only be beneficial. Here’s some tips on how to stop fearing when shooting street photography. I used to be so shy and timid, I couldn’t even look at my own brother in the eye. You can do it!"

Found at the length below:

10 beginner tips to the 28mm focal length - INSPIRED EYE


Another link:

https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&b...31.3Qowhs7x3RM

[pentaxway]

Yes Alnjpn, it doesn't give the dynamic fov of a FF = 28 .
More of a Sgt. Joe Friday "Just the facts, ma'am." lens .

I'm wondering if I might not be better off with the collapsable HD 18-50 ?

Alnjpn ; NIce B&W photo , which looks like it was taken in Japan !

---

Last edited by pentaxway; 12-13-2015 at 07:27 AM.

[Outis]

Terrible lens, worthless field of view. Some might say that I carry it around with me always because it's so light and compact, but deep down in my heart I know it's only because I hate myself.

[clackers]

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 .

Odd.

It would be the most used focal length in the world - it's what an iPhone has.

[mattt]

As the adage goes " If your photos suck get closer "

[pentaxway]

... actually my iPhone has a slightly but noticeably wider FOV of 29mm , but I understand your point .
Outis , very nice , and very Zen , and very nice color .

[clackers]

... actually my iPhone has a slightly but noticeably wider FOV of 29mm , but I understand your point .

Yeah, they're both about 30mm, FF FoV..

It's a very, very useful FL.

I've just bought a DA21 and can see it replacing the larger 24mm primes I sometimes walk around with in a two prime setup (DA70 or FA77 being the other).

[Scorpio71GR]

I just purchased an SMC version of the 21. I went with the 21 because the 15 was more expensive and used ones are rather rare. I stuck with the SMC version for the starbursts. I have not seen anything drastic as far as distortion is concerned. With a wide angle there will be some distortion. Modern software has no issue dealing with this. For JPEG's you can use the in camera corrections. So far I have very impressed with my copy.




2 shot pano stitch

[Outis]

I stuck with the SMC version for the starbursts.

On that front, it does not disappoint.

[kh1234567890]

It isn't great at f3.2