[Outis]

I've done both-- using only the 21mm for an outing and using only the 15mm for an outing-- and did brilliant shooting both times. Flip a coin and rock whichever lens you pick.

[madison_wi_gal]

I am walking around campus today with the 15. Tomorrow with the 21, taking ~same images. Will post later this week.

[pres589]

I am walking around campus today with the 15. Tomorrow with the 21, taking ~same images. Will post later this week.

This is a good idea and something we should have suggested earlier.

Although suggesting other lenses for you to buy was also fun! Have you considered the old Sigma Super-Wide II AF? I believe it would be an awesome walk-about lens on crop and have wished Pentax would put something like it into production for a while now. Also the F or FA 28 f2.8 primes fit this bill as well. Probably should buy all three of these!

[kh1234567890]

So, even though I'll still probably carry a small lens bag with me, it'll be dusty at some of these places so changing lenses is a last resort. I want to put one on in the morning and go about my day.

It is no contest then - DA21 it has to be.
I would also slip a DA40 into my pocket though, just in case ...

Flickriver: kh1234567890's photos tagged with DA21
Flickriver: kh1234567890's photos tagged with DA40

[caliscouser]

If it's just between the 15 and 21 - then I vote 21, more versatile focal length and faster.

If your looking to spend some money - then the DA 20-40 WR. Love this lens. It's permanently stuck to my camera these days.

[gm4life]

If it's just between the 15 and 21 - then I vote 21, more versatile focal length and faster.

If your looking to spend some money - then the DA 20-40 WR. Love this lens. It's permanently stuck to my camera these days.

I second this! What a great piece of glass the 20-40 is. It is waiting for KP to arrive! It will likely be glued onto the KP too. It is like having 3 primes in one. I also have a 35 HD Limited Macro, the 15 HD Limited and a 55 * for my telephoto needs if I needed a three prime kit. I think the 20-40 will be on the KP a lot. Just like the 16-85 sits on my K3II a lot.

Having used my 15 as a walk around lens before I don't find it's field curvature too big of a deal, it equates to a 23mm lens which is nice and wide. Maybe not perfect for portraits and shots of people's faces but a useful wide and not fishy focal length. I could make a case for the 15mm as a better walk around.

[madison_wi_gal]

I second this! What a great piece of glass the 20-40 is.

Oh good grief MORE lenses?

Well, I'll post pics in a few days but my gut feeling, just from walking around with both, is that the 21 is more useful for what I need to do. I do like that the 15 allowed me to take nice images of wide trees, for example, from where I happened to be standing, vs the 21 where I had to back up a bit. But then again I have 2 feet and can do "foot zooming" easily enough.
It might be my imagination but the 21 also seems "brighter" (and I'm not talking about 3.2 vs 4). I'm shooting just in JPG to save time.


And just to add a bit more to the mix, if my 18-55 were REALLY good glass, this debate would be over.

[gm4life]

Oh good grief MORE lenses?

Well, I'll post pics in a few days but my gut feeling, just from walking around with both, is that the 21 is more useful for what I need to do. I do like that the 15 allowed me to take nice images of wide trees, for example, from where I happened to be standing, vs the 21 where I had to back up a bit. But then again I have 2 feet and can do "foot zooming" easily enough.
It might be my imagination but the 21 also seems "brighter" (and I'm not talking about 3.2 vs 4). I'm shooting just in JPG to save time.


And just to add a bit more to the mix, if my 18-55 were REALLY good glass, this debate would be over.

Just giving ideas! The 21 is an excellent choice too. A nice wide but not too wide POV.

[madison_wi_gal]

Just giving ideas! The 21 is an excellent choice too. A nice wide but not too wide POV.

Based on some very quick tests, I think 21 is the winner. I'll take some more under more controlled circumstances (and I had a bad setting on Kr so most 15's were too dark, my bad).

[gm4life]

Based on some very quick tests, I think 21 is the winner. I'll take some more under more controlled circumstances (and I had a bad setting on Kr so most 15's were too dark, my bad).

Cool let us know how it goes!

[noelpolar]

Still a 21 and 300 pigeon pair for me...

with the 21... is that a fly in her eye?



Swap lens without moving to F*300/4.5.... nah...it's on her cheek...

[Sandy Hancock]

Of the 15 and 21, the latter is definitely the better all-rounder in my opinion.
Not that I'm getting rid of either any time soon

[TER-OR]

I don't have the 15. The 21 is a fun lens, though. It's a pleasure to use, and has more contrast than you might think.

[GeneV]

Of the 15 and 21, the latter is definitely the better all-rounder in my opinion.
Not that I'm getting rid of either any time soon

Agreed on both counts. Ideally, for a walk around, I'd even go a bit less wide to simulate the 35-40 range I favored on film. A compact 24-26mm doesn't really exist, but the 21 does pretty well as a substitute.

[Na Horuk]

I will have photo opportunities of: Racetrack stuff Horse farm stuff Outdoor attraction stuff

I think racetrack will probably require telephoto, but for the others I think 21mm would be better suited.
I recently got a DA 21mm and it is pretty great. I am using my Samyang 14mm less and less because of it. Even though the Samyang has faster aperture, is a little sharper, and it has a more extreme angle (which can make some photos really stunning). The DA 21mm is a really sweet lens because of its colors and contrasts and super compact form. Don't have the DA 15mm, though