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05-24-2018, 07:49 AM   #1
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Please, don't let me buy the DFA 15-30...

...my situation is like this: I'm selling my Sigma 10-20 F/3.5 as it's the only APS-C lens I have in my upgrade path since I got the K1.

Other lenses I have are Sigma 50 F/1.4, Sigma 70-200 F/2.8 and Sigma 150-500.

I shoot lots of landscapes and travel photography so the 15-30 was kind of a no-brainer BUT, for some reason I started checking the 24-70 out as:

- it's a bit lighter and smaller
- it's a bit cheaper
- I already have several 82mm filters (from the Sigma 10-20) that I could still use on that
- filters for the 15-30 are bloody expensive and need the use of a dedicated filter holder (also expensive and bulky)
- I have a (quite) forgiving wife

In the long run I'll probably get both, but since I can't get them both at once do you guys think the 24-70 is a viable option for travel photography and landscape (I love landscape pics, check out the shots I posted here to see what kind of landscape I'm talking about) and I love wide angles to distort the perspective and get super close to the subject...but after lusting at the 15-30 for a while I realized it's more of a specialized/dedicated tool you bring with you when you are "on a 4.00 a.m. hike waiting for the sunrise mission", hunting for a breathtaking landscape shot (which I do sometimes) more than the travel photography lens I can bring with me when I'm on vacation (in some pretty awesome and landscape friendly places I have to say - Iceland was 90% 10-20 for me), and eventually use for other types of shooting.

If I go the 24-70 route, will I be able to survive my need for wide angle shots (at 24 it's about in the top range of the 15-30...) 'till I get the 15-30 (wife permitting)?

I went through an old thread about this same subject but didn't get a clear answer.

Thanx

05-24-2018, 07:58 AM   #2
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I have been bck and forth of wether or not to buy. My most used lens wide end is 20-35/2.8 tokina. I also have Samyang 14. I love to focus close now and then even with wide. i did it with other wide lenses, like A24/2.8, F 28/2.8.

I liked the effect.

Can't do that with Tokina.

I think about using filters, but don't use them really...bought my self 15-30/2.8 Just because(it is still on it's way via mail). And I get way better imagequality than i have got from my existing gear.

Helping you?

oh and I do travel quite a bit. Thinking of using primes with this one. maybe one longer lens too.
05-24-2018, 08:11 AM   #3
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I couldn't do without my 10-20/3.5, it follows that I couldn't do without the 15-30mm if I had FF.


It's (both are) a specialty lens, however, and you could do with just the 24-70 and the other lenses you have ATM.


But for those 1-in-20, hell even 1-in-10 shots, I really need my UWA.
05-24-2018, 08:16 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by gerax Quote
(wife permitting)?

Here is the crux of the situation.

05-24-2018, 08:24 AM   #5
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You should keep the sigma 10-20 and use it on crop in FF for now. No new filters needed and you get all the other K1 benefits to boot.

12 months from now, or when a sale is on, look again?
05-24-2018, 08:36 AM   #6
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The 15-30 is an amazing lens, and its hard to not say go for it. With that being said though, the 24-70 is a much more useful lens. Would there be an issue of stitching to get the wider angle? If stitching is not a problem, go with the 24-70.


05-24-2018, 08:44 AM   #7
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If your choice is one or the other then the 24-70 has to be my choice. Or for travel the 28-105 but if you like wide then perhaps the 28-105 will not work for you. I just do not think the 15-30 is versatile enough to be a good travel lens.


I used the 24-70 paired with the FA 20-35 for almost two years and was fine with that combination. A recent interest in astrophotography motivated me to sell the 20-35 and buy the 15-30. I have only two trips with it so far but I am very impressed. The lack of filters might be an issue for some but I did not find it so. If I needed filters I used the 24-70.

05-24-2018, 08:48 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by LensBeginner Quote
I couldn't do without my 10-20/3.5, it follows that I couldn't do without the 15-30mm if I had FF.


It's (both are) a specialty lens, however, and you could do with just the 24-70 and the other lenses you have ATM.


But for those 1-in-20, hell even 1-in-10 shots, I really need my UWA.
It's kind of the same for me, that's the reason I'm leaning towards the 15-30. I can live with the size and heft, I can save a bit more and bite the bullet, but the filters a re a bit of a pain in the a$$, as I definitely cannot bring them around as I do now with the 82mm in a casual Think Tank retrospective bag...if you get what Im' saying...

---------- Post added 05-24-18 at 05:50 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Kevin B123 Quote
You should keep the sigma 10-20 and use it on crop in FF for now. No new filters needed and you get all the other K1 benefits to boot.

12 months from now, or when a sale is on, look again?
I've had the 12-20 for almost 4 years now and as much as I love it and use it in crop mode on the K1 (and it's OK), I'm losing the full benefits of the FF format, plus, my copy of the 10-20 has to be stopped down quite radically to improve corners sharpness...which for landscape is doable, but not always...

I've been pondering this move since I got back from my last trip where almost 50% of the shots I took were on the 10-20...

---------- Post added 05-24-18 at 05:51 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Digitalis Quote
Here is the crux of the situation.

You are so desperately right...

---------- Post added 05-24-18 at 05:54 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Fcsnt54 Quote
The 15-30 is an amazing lens, and its hard to not say go for it. With that being said though, the 24-70 is a much more useful lens. Would there be an issue of stitching to get the wider angle? If stitching is not a problem, go with the 24-70.
Well...stitching is what I'd do to compensate for the widest shots, that was my first thought. I do it quite often for panorma shots.
The only thing is that shooting 4 or 5 pics to get one doesn't give you the feel for the "real" pic when you are still in the field...so it's a bit of a hit or miss situation, and you only find out when you are in front of the computer...
05-24-2018, 09:15 AM - 1 Like   #9
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The 15-30 is great lens, and for astro and wide angle landscape it may well be the best lens on the market for any camera line.
But it's not cheap, particularly when you throw in the filters. And it's not really what I would consider an all-around lens.
That said, for most people, the 28-105 may be just about as good a choice as the 24-70. The image quality on that is almost as good and it offers a little more reach. Plus it's smaller and lighter. The 15-30 and 28-105 make a great pair.
05-24-2018, 11:25 AM   #10
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Have you done an analysis of the focal lengths of your existing photos? If you convert 10-20 to FF it's 15-30 but you would have 24-30 covered with the 24-70. You might find that many of your shots are within the focal lengths provided by the 24-70. I have both lenses. I primarily shoot landscapes and the 24-70 is on my K-1 most of the time. I only pull out the 15-30 for 1 shot out of 20-30 or so. However, I do find that most of my shots are at 24 when using the 24-70. I'm not sure what filters you use, but the circular polarizer is less useful for very wide shots because it can make the sky look quite artificial. The 24-70 is very versatile and it's a much more user-friendly size and weight. Good luck!
05-24-2018, 12:39 PM - 2 Likes   #11
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I'm in same situation as @SteveinSLC - I have 15-30 and 28-105.

Depends on what sort of results are important. The top photo is with the 15-30 at the wide end and fully open - nothing else I have would get that result. The bottom photo is stitched from two handheld shots with an F 50 1.7, but with that amount of light any lens would do.

For the mid range I find I prefer primes, especially as they mostly take 49mm filters!
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05-24-2018, 12:54 PM   #12
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+1 that the 15-30 and 28-105 are a great combination.


The 28-105 is less expensive, more compact, and optically as good as the 24-70 if you don't need a constant f2.8. When you need thin depth of field or low light you have your 50/1.4. When I shoot landscapes, I'm often stopping down, and using a tripod in dim light anyway, so f2.8 doesn't matter for my photography.


I've had my K-1 for nearly 2 years and haven't felt a need for the 24-70. The 28-105 lives on my camera and I swap to the 15-30 when 28mm isn't wide enough. The 15-30 *is* heavy but the light 28-105 keeps my bag weight manageable. Those 2 lenses are always with me, supplemented by other lenses for specific situations.


My compact filter set is built around my 28-105. Yes, I would sometimes like filters on the 15-30, but CPL gives uneven effects at ultrawide angles, and I can simulate ND by merging multiple exposures in Photoshop (works well for landscapes, not so good when trying to blur away people in cities).
05-24-2018, 01:31 PM   #13
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The 15-30 and 24-70mm really do not compete- there is no conflict in having both, even though there is some overlap, which is typical and desirable in any kit. They actually serve two distinct purposes in their FL ranges. However, if you don't really need f/2.8 all the way through, a very fine alternative would be the DFA 28-105mm plus the DFA 15-30mm.
05-24-2018, 02:25 PM - 1 Like   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by gerax Quote

---------- Post added 05-24-18 at 05:54 PM ----------

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Well...stitching is what I'd do to compensate for the widest shots, that was my first thought. I do it quite often for panorma shots.
The only thing is that shooting 4 or 5 pics to get one doesn't give you the feel for the "real" pic when you are still in the field...so it's a bit of a hit or miss situation, and you only find out when you are in front of the computer...
I completely understand where you are coming from in that aspect. It can be difficult to think about the final outcome of the shot by stitching. Id still recommend the 24-70 and maybe looking at a prime for the wide shots such as the irix 15mm, for those times that a wider alternative is needed. Just trying to help you from buying the 15-30, although that lens is great. Most of the time I found myself between the focal lengths of 24-30 end of the scale




there were a few times though that I would be anywhere between 15-17, but nothing really between 17-24.




and another with the 15-30



Last edited by Fcsnt54; 05-24-2018 at 02:30 PM.
05-24-2018, 03:03 PM   #15
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I was in a similar position. I got a Rokinon 14 for cheap while I saved and then wound up with the 15-30 since I already had a Tamron 28-75. Still haven't bought the 24-70 but still might at some point.
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