So for those of you with the HD DFA 15-30mm

gerax · 09-08-2017, 09:44 AM

...how do you like it? I mean...image quality aside, is it worth it in terms of weight, size, filter hassle etc...

I'm upgrading all my lenses to FF and I currently shoot landscapes with a Sigma 10-20 F3.5, which is "decent", but obviously cannot take advantage of the FF sensor...

So, considering the fact that the DFA 15-30 is the only wide angle zoom lens with AF, weather sealing and with that focal range (is it?) I started to look into alternatives, as it's also not cheap pennies..., but I found most wide angles are primes which I'm a bit afraid to get into...Irix Blackstone seems interesting, but it 15mm...which sometimes is too wide...others like Tokina, Rokinon, Samyang and also Pentax are most always primes...

Your opinion?

Thanx.

BullsOnParade81 · 09-08-2017, 10:17 AM

I too had the sigma 10-20mm f3.5 when I had my k3. When I moved to the k1 I found that the 24-70mm just wasn't wide enough for my liking and got the DFA 15-30mm. Is it big? Yes. Is it heavy? Yeah. Is it expensive? Yeah. Are the filters expensive? Yeah 125 for haida filter system and between 125 and up for the filters. Does it have great image quality? Yes. Is it worth the size, weight, cost and more expensive filter system? I think it is. I love this lens and it is my most used lens I have. If you shoot landscape, cityscapes and buildings, or architecture or real estate photography then I think it is a no brainer.

gerax · 09-08-2017, 10:21 AM - **2 Likes**

That is exactly what I DIDN'T want to hear...

Are you going to talk to my wife?

biz-engineer · 09-08-2017, 10:40 AM

The DFA15-30 on K1? Image quality, top. Usability for professional shooting or users who make wide angle shooting most of their activity, yes. Usability for ocassional wide angle shooting, not so much.

BullsOnParade81 · 09-08-2017, 11:58 AM

Originally posted by gerax

That is exactly what I DIDN'T want to hear...

Are you going to talk to my wife?

Sure I can talk to her and convince her to let you get one. I've found the trick to getting the lens you want is to buy it used and let her know what a great deal you got compared to new. Also as far as size goes it is a large heavy lens but it depends on your age. I am in my mid 30s so I carry lots of camera gear no problem. If you are an elderly man than it may be too heavy for you.

**Pentax Syntax** · 09-08-2017, 12:01 PM

I love the 15-30 on the K-1. It is heavy ---but so are the combination of fast primes it would take to match its functionality. Is it a hiking lens? Nope. I use the DA 12-24 or the DA 15 on the K-3 for that. But for landscapes it can produce breathtaking results.

**Rondec** · 09-08-2017, 12:31 PM - **5 Likes**

I like the 15-30. It is a big lens, but not really harder to manage then the 24-70 f2.8 and easier than 70-200 f2.8. I'm shooting mostly on a tripod with it and get pretty good results.

This is a multiple exposure and is what I use when I can instead of filters.

I end up shooting it a lot at f11 and I have been pleased with the results. Definitely worth the extra weight.

DeadJohn · 09-08-2017, 12:33 PM

I like it a lot. It's heavy, but a manageable kit to carry on long hikes when paired with the light 28-105.

If I need to use a filter I put it on the 28-105. The 15-30 remains filterless. Polarizers give uneven skies when going too wide. For long exposures with the 15-30 I use the K-1 multishot averaging shutter mode rather than ND filter. Bracketing and Photoshop layers fill in for graduated filters.

Physical filter solutions for the 15-30 need too much bag space for me.

mcgregni · 09-08-2017, 01:11 PM

Originally posted by gerax

I mean...image quality aside

Isn't that the entire point of such a lens .... I mean, everything else should be secondary, and if it isn't then presumably its not the right lens.

Paul the Sunman · 09-08-2017, 02:10 PM

My minimal international travel kit with the K-1 is the DFA 15-30 and the DFA 28-105. The size and weight is manageable. Actually the width of the 15-30 is more problematic than the weight when trying to squeeze it into camera bags.

Optically, the 15-30 is excellent apart from being rather prone to flare. The weather sealing and FL range without having to swap primes in possibly difficult conditions makes it a must-carry for many of my shoots. Some example shots.

gerax · 09-09-2017, 01:49 AM

Originally posted by BullsOnParade81

Sure I can talk to her and convince her to let you get one. I've found the trick to getting the lens you want is to buy it used and let her know what a great deal you got compared to new. Also as far as size goes it is a large heavy lens but it depends on your age. I am in my mid 30s so I carry lots of camera gear no problem. If you are an elderly man than it may be too heavy for you.

That's a trick I use a lot...

I'm 42 so I still have something to give as far as carrying weight. My usual backpack has the K1, Sigma 70-200, Sigma 10-20 HSM, Sigma 50 1.4, Benro Travel Angel tripod. In case I get the 15-30 I'll need to pair it down a little, depending on the tasks. Needless to say I'll sell the 10-20 once done.

---------- Post added 09-09-17 at 10:53 AM ----------

Originally posted by mcgregni

Isn't that the entire point of such a lens .... I mean, everything else should be secondary, and if it isn't then presumably its not the right lens.

Do you have one? How does that feel when carrying it around?

---------- Post added 09-09-17 at 10:54 AM ----------

Originally posted by DeadJohn

I like it a lot. It's heavy, but a manageable kit to carry on long hikes when paired with the light 28-105.

If I need to use a filter I put it on the 28-105. The 15-30 remains filterless. Polarizers give uneven skies when going too wide. For long exposures with the 15-30 I use the K-1 multishot averaging shutter mode rather than ND filter. Bracketing and Photoshop layers fill in for graduated filters.

Physical filter solutions for the 15-30 need too much bag space for me.

Can you expand on that technique with the K1? I mean, I use bracketing and Photoshop combine very often but don't know about that mustishot averaging shutter technique...

Thanx

**Rondec** · 09-09-2017, 05:21 AM

Originally posted by gerax

That's a trick I use a lot...

I'm 42 so I still have something to give as far as carrying weight. My usual backpack has the K1, Sigma 70-200, Sigma 10-20 HSM, Sigma 50 1.4, Benro Travel Angel tripod. In case I get the 15-30 I'll need to pair it down a little, depending on the tasks. Needless to say I'll sell the 10-20 once done.

---------- Post added 09-09-17 at 10:53 AM ----------

Do you have one? How does that feel when carrying it around?

---------- Post added 09-09-17 at 10:54 AM ----------

Can you expand on that technique with the K1? I mean, I use bracketing and Photoshop combine very often but don't know about that mustishot averaging shutter technique...

Thanx

Basically, under the drive mode, you choose the mode marked multi-exposure and then make sure it is set to additive. You can then choose how many shots you want to take -- I choose based on the end result I want, if my shutter speed is 1/30 second then I might choose 25 or 30. The camera then takes 30 photos, adding each additional frame to the one before. The end result is a blurring of water and clouds that you can see in my above photo. If you have a lot of foliage movement, you can take a separate image with a faster shutter speed to combine or, often the first image in your series will work as well.

Sandy Hancock · 09-09-2017, 06:19 AM

Another fan of the DFA15-30 here.

Big and heavy is relative - it replaces my FA20, FA*24 and F28 with at least equivalent (but generally better) image quality plus the added bonuses of going even wider, weather resistance and silent focus. As Rondec has shown, interval shooting can effectively mimic a ND filter for long exposures. If I'm trimming down my kit for travel, this is the first lens to go in the bag.

I could do without the DFA24-70, but the DFA15-30 is irreplaceable.

SimonAtkinson · 09-10-2017, 03:16 AM

I desperately want this lens and will eventually purchase it, but why is it so expensive? It doesn't include stabilisation like other brands so surely that would have brought the cost down dramatically? And why is the Tamron version hundreds of pounds cheaper, isn't it the exact same lens?

**Rondec** · 09-10-2017, 03:24 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by SimonAtkinson

I desperately want this lens and will eventually purchase it, but why is it so expensive? It doesn't include stabilisation like other brands so surely that would have brought the cost down dramatically? And why is the Tamron version hundreds of pounds cheaper, isn't it the exact same lens?

In the US, the price for the Pentax is 1299 dollars and the price for the Tamron is 1199 dollars (there is an additional 100 off after a mail in rebate). Hard to say why distributors in other countries would choose to price gear higher than they need to.

09-08-2017, 09:44 AM	#1
gerax Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 224	So for those of you with the HD DFA 15-30mm ...how do you like it? I mean...image quality aside, is it worth it in terms of weight, size, filter hassle etc... I'm upgrading all my lenses to FF and I currently shoot landscapes with a Sigma 10-20 F3.5, which is "decent", but obviously cannot take advantage of the FF sensor... So, considering the fact that the DFA 15-30 is the only wide angle zoom lens with AF, weather sealing and with that focal range (is it?) I started to look into alternatives, as it's also not cheap pennies..., but I found most wide angles are primes which I'm a bit afraid to get into...Irix Blackstone seems interesting, but it 15mm...which sometimes is too wide...others like Tokina, Rokinon, Samyang and also Pentax are most always primes... Your opinion? Thanx.

09-08-2017, 12:01 PM	#6
Pentax Syntax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 595	I love the 15-30 on the K-1. It is heavy ---but so are the combination of fast primes it would take to match its functionality. Is it a hiking lens? Nope. I use the DA 12-24 or the DA 15 on the K-3 for that. But for landscapes it can produce breathtaking results. Last edited by Pentax Syntax; 09-08-2017 at 12:14 PM.

09-09-2017, 01:49 AM	#11
gerax Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 224 Original Poster	Originally posted by BullsOnParade81 Sure I can talk to her and convince her to let you get one. I've found the trick to getting the lens you want is to buy it used and let her know what a great deal you got compared to new. Also as far as size goes it is a large heavy lens but it depends on your age. I am in my mid 30s so I carry lots of camera gear no problem. If you are an elderly man than it may be too heavy for you. That's a trick I use a lot... I'm 42 so I still have something to give as far as carrying weight. My usual backpack has the K1, Sigma 70-200, Sigma 10-20 HSM, Sigma 50 1.4, Benro Travel Angel tripod. In case I get the 15-30 I'll need to pair it down a little, depending on the tasks. Needless to say I'll sell the 10-20 once done. ---------- Post added 09-09-17 at 10:53 AM ---------- Originally posted by mcgregni Isn't that the entire point of such a lens .... I mean, everything else should be secondary, and if it isn't then presumably its not the right lens. Do you have one? How does that feel when carrying it around? ---------- Post added 09-09-17 at 10:54 AM ---------- Originally posted by DeadJohn I like it a lot. It's heavy, but a manageable kit to carry on long hikes when paired with the light 28-105. If I need to use a filter I put it on the 28-105. The 15-30 remains filterless. Polarizers give uneven skies when going too wide. For long exposures with the 15-30 I use the K-1 multishot averaging shutter mode rather than ND filter. Bracketing and Photoshop layers fill in for graduated filters. Physical filter solutions for the 15-30 need too much bag space for me. Can you expand on that technique with the K1? I mean, I use bracketing and Photoshop combine very often but don't know about that mustishot averaging shutter technique... Thanx Last edited by gerax; 09-09-2017 at 01:57 AM.

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09-08-2017, 10:17 AM	#2
BullsOnParade81 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Tampa Florida Posts: 287	I too had the sigma 10-20mm f3.5 when I had my k3. When I moved to the k1 I found that the 24-70mm just wasn't wide enough for my liking and got the DFA 15-30mm. Is it big? Yes. Is it heavy? Yeah. Is it expensive? Yeah. Are the filters expensive? Yeah 125 for haida filter system and between 125 and up for the filters. Does it have great image quality? Yes. Is it worth the size, weight, cost and more expensive filter system? I think it is. I love this lens and it is my most used lens I have. If you shoot landscape, cityscapes and buildings, or architecture or real estate photography then I think it is a no brainer.

09-08-2017, 10:21 AM - 2 Likes	#3
gerax Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 224 Original Poster	That is exactly what I DIDN'T want to hear... Are you going to talk to my wife?

09-08-2017, 10:40 AM	#4
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232	The DFA15-30 on K1? Image quality, top. Usability for professional shooting or users who make wide angle shooting most of their activity, yes. Usability for ocassional wide angle shooting, not so much.

09-08-2017, 11:58 AM	#5
BullsOnParade81 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Tampa Florida Posts: 287	Originally posted by gerax That is exactly what I DIDN'T want to hear... Are you going to talk to my wife? Sure I can talk to her and convince her to let you get one. I've found the trick to getting the lens you want is to buy it used and let her know what a great deal you got compared to new. Also as far as size goes it is a large heavy lens but it depends on your age. I am in my mid 30s so I carry lots of camera gear no problem. If you are an elderly man than it may be too heavy for you.

09-08-2017, 12:31 PM - 5 Likes	#7
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	I like the 15-30. It is a big lens, but not really harder to manage then the 24-70 f2.8 and easier than 70-200 f2.8. I'm shooting mostly on a tripod with it and get pretty good results. This is a multiple exposure and is what I use when I can instead of filters. I end up shooting it a lot at f11 and I have been pleased with the results. Definitely worth the extra weight.

09-08-2017, 12:33 PM	#8
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	I like it a lot. It's heavy, but a manageable kit to carry on long hikes when paired with the light 28-105. If I need to use a filter I put it on the 28-105. The 15-30 remains filterless. Polarizers give uneven skies when going too wide. For long exposures with the 15-30 I use the K-1 multishot averaging shutter mode rather than ND filter. Bracketing and Photoshop layers fill in for graduated filters. Physical filter solutions for the 15-30 need too much bag space for me.

09-08-2017, 01:11 PM	#9
mcgregni Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Surrey, England Posts: 2,603	Originally posted by gerax I mean...image quality aside Isn't that the entire point of such a lens .... I mean, everything else should be secondary, and if it isn't then presumably its not the right lens.

09-08-2017, 02:10 PM	#10
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,843	My minimal international travel kit with the K-1 is the DFA 15-30 and the DFA 28-105. The size and weight is manageable. Actually the width of the 15-30 is more problematic than the weight when trying to squeeze it into camera bags. Optically, the 15-30 is excellent apart from being rather prone to flare. The weather sealing and FL range without having to swap primes in possibly difficult conditions makes it a must-carry for many of my shoots. Some example shots.

09-09-2017, 05:21 AM	#12
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	Originally posted by gerax That's a trick I use a lot... I'm 42 so I still have something to give as far as carrying weight. My usual backpack has the K1, Sigma 70-200, Sigma 10-20 HSM, Sigma 50 1.4, Benro Travel Angel tripod. In case I get the 15-30 I'll need to pair it down a little, depending on the tasks. Needless to say I'll sell the 10-20 once done. ---------- Post added 09-09-17 at 10:53 AM ---------- Do you have one? How does that feel when carrying it around? ---------- Post added 09-09-17 at 10:54 AM ---------- Can you expand on that technique with the K1? I mean, I use bracketing and Photoshop combine very often but don't know about that mustishot averaging shutter technique... Thanx Basically, under the drive mode, you choose the mode marked multi-exposure and then make sure it is set to additive. You can then choose how many shots you want to take -- I choose based on the end result I want, if my shutter speed is 1/30 second then I might choose 25 or 30. The camera then takes 30 photos, adding each additional frame to the one before. The end result is a blurring of water and clouds that you can see in my above photo. If you have a lot of foliage movement, you can take a separate image with a faster shutter speed to combine or, often the first image in your series will work as well.

09-09-2017, 06:19 AM	#13
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,272	Another fan of the DFA15-30 here. Big and heavy is relative - it replaces my FA20, FA*24 and F28 with at least equivalent (but generally better) image quality plus the added bonuses of going even wider, weather resistance and silent focus. As Rondec has shown, interval shooting can effectively mimic a ND filter for long exposures. If I'm trimming down my kit for travel, this is the first lens to go in the bag. I could do without the DFA24-70, but the DFA15-30 is irreplaceable.

09-10-2017, 03:16 AM	#14
SimonAtkinson Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 36	I desperately want this lens and will eventually purchase it, but why is it so expensive? It doesn't include stabilisation like other brands so surely that would have brought the cost down dramatically? And why is the Tamron version hundreds of pounds cheaper, isn't it the exact same lens?

09-10-2017, 03:24 AM - 1 Like	#15
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	Originally posted by SimonAtkinson I desperately want this lens and will eventually purchase it, but why is it so expensive? It doesn't include stabilisation like other brands so surely that would have brought the cost down dramatically? And why is the Tamron version hundreds of pounds cheaper, isn't it the exact same lens? In the US, the price for the Pentax is 1299 dollars and the price for the Tamron is 1199 dollars (there is an additional 100 off after a mail in rebate). Hard to say why distributors in other countries would choose to price gear higher than they need to.