[nick52]

Hello all! I am a primarily just portrait photographer, but I am looking into starting real estate photography for extra income. I was wondering, would I be able to get by with a samyang 14 mm (and I have a pentax 24-35) for real estate work? Or should I just get the D FA 15-30? The 77mm would be amazing but I could also get the pentax 31mm, sigma 35, or the A* 85mm 1.4

Thoughts?

[pathdoc]

What camera are you shooting with? I am assuming K-1, seeing as the DA15/4.0 is not getting a mention for the wide angle work. If you want to capture rooms and interiors, don't you want the widest rectilinear lens you can realistically get your hands on? There's a head to head review of several wide angle zooms on the forums somewhere, one of which is IIRC a 12-24mm Sigma zoom which is designed for full frame. That would fill in your wide end and meet up exactly with the 24-35 you already have. Trouble would be finding it, as I think it is currently out of production and a second-hand prospect only (unless you found "new old stock" in some out of the way store somewhere).

The D-FA15-30 is a very big and VERY expensive lens; chances are you could get that wide full-frame zoom and pick up something at the long end as well for the same money or less.

[Paul the Sunman]

I have the DFA 15-30. It's big and heavy, but I guess that doesn't matter too much for real estate. Distortion is pretty well controlled, which is important in that field. I have not used the Samyang 14, but by reputation it has some pretty heavy and complex distortion that is difficult to remove. That may be of concern.

Would you get much use from a 77mm lens for real estate?

[nick52]

I have the DFA 15-30. It's big and heavy, but I guess that doesn't matter too much for real estate. Distortion is pretty well controlled, which is important in that field. I have not used the Samyang 14, but by reputation it has some pretty heavy and complex distortion that is difficult to remove. That may be of concern.

Would you get much use from a 77mm lens for real estate?

the 77mm is great for portraits, which as mentioned is my primary occupation. The lens is up there because for the price of the 15-30mm I could get the 77mm and samyang 14mm

---------- Post added 12-31-16 at 03:42 PM ----------

What camera are you shooting with? I am assuming K-1, seeing as the DA15/4.0 is not getting a mention for the wide angle work. If you want to capture rooms and interiors, don't you want the widest rectilinear lens you can realistically get your hands on? There's a head to head review of several wide angle zooms on the forums somewhere, one of which is IIRC a 12-24mm Sigma zoom which is designed for full frame. That would fill in your wide end and meet up exactly with the 24-35 you already have. Trouble would be finding it, as I think it is currently out of production and a second-hand prospect only (unless you found "new old stock" in some out of the way store somewhere).

The D-FA15-30 is a very big and VERY expensive lens; chances are you could get that wide full-frame zoom and pick up something at the long end as well for the same money or less.

so the laowa 12mm would be a better option then?

[Paul the Sunman]

the 77mm is great for portraits, which as mentioned is my primary occupation. The lens is up there because for the price of the 15-30mm I could get the 77mm and samyang 14mm

---------- Post added 12-31-16 at 03:42 PM ----------

Oh yeh, for portraits, the 77mm is the best.

so the laowa 12mm would be a better option then?

Have you looked at the new Irix 15mm (another MF lens)? It's distortion is well controlled.

By the way, here are some of my sample shots with the DFA 15-50 on the K-1. I have applied lens profile corrections to very few if any of these.

[Sandy Hancock]

If you plan to make money from real estate photography, the 15-30 is pretty much a one-stop shop. It has the perfect range of focal lengths, it is impressively sharp, and distortion is very well controlled.