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If you really like high quality vintage primes go and get my beloved SMC-K 3.5/18mm on ebay Germany
Pentax SMC 3 5 18 mm Objektiv Selten SMC K Lens 1 3 5 F3 5 18mm RARE | eBay

[Adam]

I still haven't located my K1 in Stock....but the money is there when I do.......Hopefully Soon !


I shoot mainly Vintage Glass and have quite a bit of it in the form of Primes......quite a few of them from 24mm to 300mm.
The only Modern lens I own is the 18-135 WR and it gets little use.


Now along comes this new D FA 15-30mm and the images its capable of are quite stunning........but.....Its Like $1600 Bucks !
So I'm trying to justify Going ALL In and getting it also along with the K1 and give myself a Real Treat. I shoot low and wide.....that's my style , and this is the first lens that is haunting me in my dreams......I actually cant sleep thinking about it......pondering.....wondering.....?


However before I JUMP thought it might be smart to come here and ask if there "might" be a decent alternative ? Anything somewhat comparable from the film age (dreaming Here)....lol.


I'm not familiar with Modern Zoom lenses so could use some Good Input before I start selling off a few of my Good Vintage Primes in pursuit of this little Beast.

Go for it- treat yourself to a great body and a great lens

[Dlanor Sekao]

If you really like high quality vintage primes go and get my beloved SMC-K 3.5/18mm on ebay Germany
Pentax SMC 3 5 18 mm Objektiv Selten SMC K Lens 1 3 5 F3 5 18mm RARE | eBay

You would go and do that to me !......the one lens I have been coveting for two years........Thanks !

---------- Post added 06-14-16 at 06:25 AM ----------

Go for it- treat yourself to a great body and a great lens

Thanks for being One of a Few that is Enabling me !......lol.
At this price point I need all the Enabling I can get !
At the Rate I'm headed......its going to be "Top Ramen" and "Peanut Butter and Jelly" for three months at least !

[bertwert]

You know how much you want it!

BTW this may help:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=how+to+eat+very+cheaply

[disasterfilm]

I've been using the Promaster 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5 intermittently. It's nowhere near the performance of the 15-30 f/2.8, but it's definitely serviceable and can fill your ultrawide angle needs.

It takes filters just fine. Mine is the 77mm thread diameter, but I understand that multiple variants were made between ProMaster, Vivitar, and Tokina. Some of those variants use 72mm (I think...) threads.

I paid $100ish off Amazon used right when the K-1 was announced. There was one on KEH last week for $89 but it's sold. They're around somewhere if you're patient and looking.

It might scratch your itch without breaking the bank.

[Dlanor Sekao]

I've been using the Promaster 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5 intermittently. It's nowhere near the performance of the 15-30 f/2.8, but it's definitely serviceable and can fill your ultrawide angle needs.

It takes filters just fine. Mine is the 77mm thread diameter, but I understand that multiple variants were made between ProMaster, Vivitar, and Tokina. Some of those variants use 72mm (I think...) threads.

I paid $100ish off Amazon used right when the K-1 was announced. There was one on KEH last week for $89 but it's sold. They're around somewhere if you're patient and looking.

It might scratch your itch without breaking the bank.

YES......This may just do it ! I had a Sigma 21-35 but it just wasn't there and I sold it. The one negative I'm having about some of these lenses is the lack/inability to take a filter holder.....I Love my ND set and Its almost a Must have regardless of lens......Thanks !

[Sandy Hancock]

The DFA15-30 is growing on me. As a result I have sold my FA20-35 and my F28 is on the market. My FA20 might follow suit soon.
My FA*24 is safe for now because its rendering is rather special, and my FA31 is a keeper for life.

The only way the new zoom could be displaced would be a nice new WR ultra-wide prime in the next 12 months, and/or the Irix 15mm getting stellar reviews.

[noelpolar]

I bought Sandy's 20-35...... haven't got to use it yet...... probally will shoot all July with it as a single in lens....... I struggled to find enough online shots with it to determine if it will satisfy me.... but size amd filter readyness is important to me.....

[jeffreybehr]

I've had a K-1 since May 03 and a Pentax 15-30 (with Fotodiox WonderPana66 filter system) shortly after that.

I've shot it enough to know that it's a very good lens, to the point that its high performance surprised me.

But...I seem to be obsessed with Zeiss lenses and have accumulated four...

...and soon-to-be five or even six, of the ZKs or convertible ZF.2s.

[northcoastgreg]

Read this thread How many APSC shooters will truly upgrade to K1 to convince yourself that you don't need a full frame camera and lens. Stay with apsc and get yourself a DA12-24 screwdrive.

Go for it- treat yourself to a great body and a great lens

I actually agree with both these points. In other words, either get the DFA 15-30, or stick to APS-C. The DFA 15-30 is the only FF lens that will guarantee that your images will, in all respects, be superior than what you could get with the DA 12-24 on APS-C. If you're moving to FF for IQ, why carelessly toss away IQ by settling for inferior glass? Why not get the lens that will allow you to wring every last drop of image quality from the K-1's sterling 36 MP FF sensor? The DFA 15-30 is said to come perilously close to matching the IQ of the widely heralded Nikkor 14-24. Nothing available for the K-mount comes close to it, especially in terms of edge to edge resolution, contrast, and color rendition. It's the lens that every K-1 deserves.

For myself, I'm sticking with the DA 12-24 on APS-C. But if I were to upgrade to the K-1, I wouldn't settle for anything less than the DFA 15-30.

[Dlanor Sekao]

I actually agree with both these points. In other words, either get the DFA 15-30, or stick to APS-C. The DFA 15-30 is the only FF lens that will guarantee that your images will, in all respects, be superior than what you could get with the DA 12-24 on APS-C. If you're moving to FF for IQ, why carelessly toss away IQ by settling for inferior glass? Why not get the lens that will allow you to wring every last drop of image quality from the K-1's sterling 36 MP FF sensor? The DFA 15-30 is said to come perilously close to matching the IQ of the widely heralded Nikkor 14-24. Nothing available for the K-mount comes close to it, especially in terms of edge to edge resolution, contrast, and color rendition. It's the lens that every K-1 deserves.

For myself, I'm sticking with the DA 12-24 on APS-C. But if I were to upgrade to the K-1, I wouldn't settle for anything less than the DFA 15-30.

Right.....I keep thinking about what You said....... Some of my Prime Glass and a couple other lenses are going up for sale.....soon !
Just Sold my Bower 14mm today.......18-135 WR and my just acquired Ricoh Rikenon "P'' 105mm (Lester dine) Macro is next.
This isn't going to be easy to pull off but think I can do it.........I Got the Cold Chills just thinking about it !
If worse comes to worse I will just get the DFA 24-70........and the absolute worse scenario will be the DFA 18-105.......No matter what.....I Don't think I can Loose on any of these combos.......I'm GETTING A SWEET LENSE WITH MY K-1 !

[Adam]

If you're moving to FF for IQ, why carelessly toss away IQ by settling for inferior glass?

Well-stated!

[Dlanor Sekao]

Well-stated!

Been doing a lot of thinking.....If I DONT Step up to some good glass......my Photography isn't going to move up to another level.
I have the Ability , the Vision , the Imagination , and Creativity........ but playing with the Vintage Glass aside being a lot of Fun........Just isn't making the grade anymore a lot of the Time when Images start get really serious.
Gone are the days where I'm always saying....."I need to get some Prime Glass"........My Plan is Unfolding !

[Rondec]

I guess I wouldn't be negative on primes. If you look at primes, they definitely are where the best quality was at historically. That said, there are not a lot of super-wide angles available and certainly no zooms in this range. Biggest thing that zooms do for you is give flexibility -- you just don't have to change lenses as often.

That said, I don't personally shoot ultra wide and so the 24-70 is more than adequate for my purposes. I would like to see a prime in the 15 to 20 mm range maybe f4 for landscape and I think I would be more than set. If nothing else shows itself, the Irix 15mm f2.4 will do, but it isn't my preference.

[carolina_sky]

I bought the 15-30 and 24-70 when the K-1 launched (yes, ouch!). The 15-30 is an absolute treat, but I too miss my ND filters, and I've found that I'm using the 24-70 more often than I expected for wide angle. With the wider field of view of FF, the 24-70 has pretty good reach. I would love to have a 18 or 20mm prime that took filters, but now that I've used it I wouldn't give up the 15-30 to get that. I will be looking in to the wonderpana when my finances have sufficiently recovered from the initial K-1 hit. I would definitely recommend the 15-30.