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08-06-2008, 10:57 AM   #16
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Congrats, Lance! I absolutely love mine. The only thing is, it's caused me some teeth-gnashing, because this lens is good enough to replace my 16-50 - maybe not quite as sharp, but sharp enough for sure, and the contrast/color is just a killer.
It's made me consider selling the 16-50..... :&^%&^%^ decisions. I love my 16-50, it's perfect, but it fights for camera time now...

08-06-2008, 04:18 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by Alfisti Quote
Mine arrives this week along with my 77mm
You'll love 'em both. The FA77 has exceptional image quality and the DA12-24 is sooo useful.
08-06-2008, 04:18 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by vizjerei Quote
Please... stop tourturing me with those great picture you guys took with this lens... Argh...
Thank you for your kind words. I highly recommend this lens!
08-06-2008, 04:23 PM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by rburgoss Quote
Blprrrrrrrrrrr.... sorry..,. Drool all over the keyboard.

Can you post a 1:1 crop of the upper left corner of the third picture? (Showing bridge segment with strong backlight).

About a month ago, I "test drove" this same lens at the local Pentax joint but only checked in my K20D screen and noticed some severe puple fringing at the corners, so I decided to stall the purchase for a while. But I am still craving for an extreme wide...

My wide glass arsenal: A 15/3.5, FA 20/2.8, FA*24/2 and FA 28/2.8, none of which have seen the light since switching from film to digital.

RB
Thank you for your kind words.

I shall attempt to do a crop of the left corner, but to be fair to the lens, this is an OOF area so may show worse purple fringe than if in focus(?).

Having said that, all these wide angle lenses show purple fringing to some degree or other, but I do not find it an issue. Seems to be very correctible in Photoshop if you really need to correct it.

I have the FA20 and it seems to be a good performer, but I have heard that the A15 is not so good. The FA24 is supposed to be good but can show some fringing. Can't comment on the FA28.

08-06-2008, 04:27 PM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by jsherman999 Quote
Congrats, Lance! I absolutely love mine. The only thing is, it's caused me some teeth-gnashing, because this lens is good enough to replace my 16-50 - maybe not quite as sharp, but sharp enough for sure, and the contrast/color is just a killer.
It's made me consider selling the 16-50..... :&^%&^%^ decisions. I love my 16-50, it's perfect, but it fights for camera time now...
Thanks, mate.

Just keep both. The DA*16-50 as it is a great walk around lens especially mated with the DA12-24 as there is good overlap. If you have the AD16-50 on the camera and you need wider then swap to the DA12-24 and you only need to swap back when you need longer than 24mm. The same can be said if you have the DA12-24 on the camera and you need longer than 24mm, you just swap to the DA16-50 and you only need to swap back when you need wider than 16mm.

This makes for a fantastic travel kit as you have less need for constant lens changes.
08-06-2008, 05:50 PM   #21
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well, well, well....

Finally caved in....

So was I being lop-sided in my opinion about this lens? I cannot express how truly useful the DA 12-24 is outdoors (and sometimes indoors). It's saved my bacon more than a few times! I was very lucky to buy mine when rebates still existed.

Not to highjack the thread, but I'd post several samples of shots with this lens just to stir up LBA in those who don't have one. Of course, add the DA 50-200 or DA 55-300 and I've got 99% of all my landscape needs covered in just two lenses...

Lance, to help folks out a bit, can you give a little more detail on what ND filters you're using, the specifics on the holder, etc.?

Regards,
Marc
08-06-2008, 06:16 PM   #22
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I'm planning on having mine by the end of the month. I've just got to finish scraping together the last bit of money and then it's mine.

For a good while, I was planning on getting the Sigma 10-20, but changed my mind...
--There's just something different about the 12-24's IQ that I like better than the Sigma.
--Constant f/4.
--There's less of a length gap between it and the Tammy 28-75 than the Sigma.

I can't wait.
Heather

08-06-2008, 06:20 PM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by Marc Langille Quote
Finally caved in....


Yes, I am weak! After getting it, I wonder why I took so long. I guess the DA14 did do a very admirable job, but being a prime it was less useful.

QuoteQuote:
So was I being lop-sided in my opinion about this lens? I cannot express how truly useful the DA 12-24 is outdoors (and sometimes indoors). It's saved my bacon more than a few times! I was very lucky to buy mine when rebates still existed.

Not to highjack the thread, but I'd post several samples of shots with this lens just to stir up LBA in those who don't have one. Of course, add the DA 50-200 or DA 55-300 and I've got 99% of all my landscape needs covered in just two lenses...
I can clearly see why you are so exhuberent about this lens. It really is a great lens teamed with the DA*16-50.

[QUOTE}Lance, to help folks out a bit, can you give a little more detail on what ND filters you're using, the specifics on the holder, etc.?[/QUOTE]

No problems and glad to oblige.

I use the Cokin P series wide angle adaptor as holder and the P series ND grads. You need to get the adaptor rings that fit each of your filter threads of the lenses you wish to use the filters on.

I have two ND grads, the 121S and the 121M.

The 121S is a 3 stop filter that is half ND and half clear with a rapid transition/graduation between clear and ND across the middle. This is for very bright skies and very dark foregrounds like early morning/late afternoon.

The 121M is a 2 stop filter that is half ND and half clear with a less rapid, or more gentle transition/graduation between clear and ND. This is more for normal day light and later morning/earlier mid afternoon or where the foreground is not so dark, ie there is less difference between sky and groun.

I am contemplating getting a 1 stop filter as well.

Here is how they work on the lens:

This is on the FA31. I needed to stack empty 58mm filter rings on the FA31 in order to get over the built in hood that is on the FA31. You can see the adaptor ring that screws into the filter thread on top of the 58mm empty filters.



Here is the P series wide angle holder which slides onto the adaptor ring and can be rotated freely. The filter slides into the holder and can be moved up or down to suit the horizon:

08-06-2008, 06:20 PM   #24
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.

Here you go, enjoy.


.
08-06-2008, 06:51 PM   #25
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lens is looking good Lance! because of your extensive collection i just assumed you had one. thanks for the photos and explanations of ND filters. never heard of half filters before :/
08-06-2008, 07:11 PM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by k100d Quote
lens is looking good Lance! because of your extensive collection i just assumed you had one. thanks for the photos and explanations of ND filters. never heard of half filters before :/
They are the most used items in a landscape photographer's arsenal after the lens - no question.

ND Filters were initially met with skepticism back in the 80's, and now the best photographers in landscape work use them regularly. That's how they achieve those amazing images - by reducing the dynamic range of the brighter skies overhead to a reasonable level, allowing the foreground of the land to be seen - not just a simple silhouette (although they may choose to make it that way, depending on the image).

HTH...

Cheers,
Marc
08-06-2008, 10:00 PM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by k100d Quote
lens is looking good Lance! because of your extensive collection i just assumed you had one. thanks for the photos and explanations of ND filters. never heard of half filters before :/
Thank you for your kind words.

I have a DA14, which is an excellent lens, and therefore never really felt as though I needed a DA12-24 as most of the wide end was covered by using the DA14 and my DA*16-50 f2.8. The beauty of the DA12-24 is that now I hae a wide angle zoom covering the wide end and only need to swap back to the DA*16-50 f2.8 *if* I need to go longer than 24mm. With the DA14, I found it a little constricting as I had to keep swapping lenses.

If you like to take landscapes, then a good wide angle like a DA14 or a wide angle zoom like a DA12-24 and a set of ND graduated filters are a must, IMO. Having said that, you do not always need to use a wide angle for landscapes and ND grads still work with all lenses.
08-07-2008, 01:47 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lance B Quote
[QUOTE}Lance, to help folks out a bit, can you give a little more detail on what ND filters you're using, the specifics on the holder, etc.? {/QUOTE}

No problems and glad to oblige.

I use the Cokin P series wide angle adaptor as holder and the P series ND grads. You need to get the adaptor rings that fit each of your filter threads of the lenses you wish to use the filters on.

I have two ND grads, the 121S and the 121M.

The 121S is a 3 stop filter that is half ND and half clear with a rapid transition/graduation between clear and ND across the middle. This is for very bright skies and very dark foregrounds like early morning/late afternoon.

The 121M is a 2 stop filter that is half ND and half clear with a less rapid, or more gentle transition/graduation between clear and ND. This is more for normal day light and later morning/earlier mid afternoon or where the foreground is not so dark, ie there is less difference between sky and groun.

I am contemplating getting a 1 stop filter as well.

Here is how they work on the lens:

This is on the FA31. I needed to stack empty 58mm filter rings on the FA31 in order to get over the built in hood that is on the FA31. You can see the adaptor ring that screws into the filter thread on top of the 58mm empty filters.



Here is the P series wide angle holder which slides onto the adaptor ring and can be rotated freely. The filter slides into the holder and can be moved up or down to suit the horizon:

Thanks a lot for this run through.

It reminds me of an older fun LBA threads on DPr, where the wife had agreed that the husband could buy a flash as an accessory. And then later found out that the flash had accessories itself. That gave way for a new pair of shoes


So much gear to be had, and so many options.
08-07-2008, 02:04 PM   #29
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Great shots Lance - congrats on the DA 12-24 - I had one Sold it bought it again
08-08-2008, 08:49 PM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by daacon Quote
Great shots Lance - congrats on the DA 12-24
Thank you very much!


QuoteQuote:
- I had one Sold it bought it again
Now that is both sad and funny at the same time.

I can see why you purchased it again. It is possibly one of the most useful lenses and with such great image quality.
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