Landscape lens question

tibbitts · 06-09-2020, 10:35 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Sandy Hancock

That has most certainly not been my experience. Buenos Aires (twice), London (twice), Bath, Dublin, Milan, Venice, Florence, Siena, Rome, Paris, Seattle, Victoria, Canada have all been totally fine with a DSLR.

A KP and bag of Limiteds didn't cramp my style at all, or detract in any way from my enjoyment of exploring these wonderful cities. I have a bunch of shots from these trips hanging on my wall at home and I'm very glad for the extra quality from a real camera and good lenses.

It's not so much about the camera being too big. You're in a group of maybe 15-20 people, walking from one site to another, stopping for a few minutes at each one. Often you're trying to get close enough to the guide to hear and maybe ask questions. There is no time between sites: even when you're walking from one to another, the guide is still narrating. I find myself either ignoring the narration or trying (but usually failing) to take more serious photographs. I don't think it's possible to multitask effectively: looking for compositions and lighting etc. while trying to listen to the history etc. One or the other suffers. And I don't want to be "that guy" who's always lagging behind when everybody else is ready to move on - it's not fair to the rest of the group.

bilybianca · 06-09-2020, 12:55 PM - **3 Likes**

Another take on the subject:
Ok, we can discuss the pro's and con's of various WA lenses. But I strongly oppose to the simple "landscape lens=WA lens".
My only award-winning landscape lens was taken with an 85mm. My best – according to the jury (myself) was taken with a 200mm. So let's talk about WA rather than "landscape lens".

Kjell

PS My best portrait - of a pig

- was taken at 16mm. DS

jspi · 06-09-2020, 01:14 PM

Originally posted by bilybianca

Another take on the subject:

Ok, we can discuss the pro's and con's of various WA lenses. But I strongly oppose to the simple "landscape lens=WA lens".

My only award-winning landscape lens was taken with an 85mm. My best – according to the jury (myself) was taken with a 200mm. So let's talk about WA rather than "landscape lens".

Kjell

PS My best portrait - of a pig

- was taken at 16mm. DS

Yes, I did clarify above (not in my original post) that it was for more than landscapes. When I wrote my question, I was think of landscapes but I do have other reasons for a wider lens. And I've read several articles on 85mm landscape photography so I knew better.

**bkpix** · 06-09-2020, 06:07 PM

My favorite landscape setup involves two lenses on two KP bodies: The 15/4 Limited on one and the 55-300 PLM on the other. Fabulous, light combo that can do practically anything.

jspi · 06-09-2020, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by bkpix

My favorite landscape setup involves two lenses on two KP bodies: The 15/4 Limited on one and the 55-300 PLM on the other. Fabulous, light combo that can do practically anything.

Nice. I plan to be there before year end. Got a K3 II and am waiting to see the new Pentax. Depending on specs & price, I'll get that or the K1. We'll see if plans work out. Worst case, I'd settle for a KP. It'll be nice to "swap lenses" without removing a lens. Even better if they used the same batteries (although that's unlikely).

pinholecam · 06-09-2020, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by jspi

Yes, I do know how to manual focus but I'm not the best. Even with a field monitor and magnified live view, the Rokinon isn't sharp. Tried indoors with a test chart and it was still fuzzy. It's the only lens I can't get focused.

I'm getting several suggestions I'll have to review in the coming days. No rush to buy.

Might be a bad copy of the lens.
Other than that, it might not look that sharp in zoomed in LV because its at f2.8.
What I do is to focus in/out to get to the sharpest of the focus options and choose that as the focus point.
Sometimes, I stop down the lens in LV to get better sharpness/dof to check.

5r82 · 06-12-2020, 04:59 AM

I have Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon MC 20mm f2.8. While it might not be wide enough on APS-C, on FF it is just right. This is one of my most used lenses. The only issue with this lens might be its 6 aperture blades which make sunstars with 6 rays only Wish it had 5 or 7 blades. Other than that it's other issue might be price and availability these days. I was lucky to get one for so cheap, my biggest lens steal ever. Previous owner never discovered it's hidden powers.

jspi · 06-12-2020, 11:16 AM

Thanks for the comments and recommendations. I'll have the HD Pentax-DA* 11-18mm F2.8 ED DC AW next Wednesday (missed getting it shipped today by a couple hours). A bit over my budget but it'll be fine.

My mistake? I was going to get the Sigma 10-20mm but had to ask for suggestions here. And someone mentioned the 11-18... �� I kept telling myself no but I like my only other DA* lens so much I fell to the temptation. Unfortunately the review shows bad vignetting on the K1 at 11mm which almost stopped my purchase (at that price, I expected no or minimal vignetting). But I don't have a K1 and there's no guarantee I'll get one so the lens was ordered.

**mikesbike** · 06-12-2020, 08:12 PM

Well, both the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX and the Pentax DA* 11-18mm f/2.8 are not made for FF use, so will vignette with a K-1. On APS-C both are excellent. The Sigma has a slightly slower aperture than the Pentax, and does not feature WR, but is slightly wider and longer. The Pentax DA* 11-18mm is a great lens in performance and construction, so congrats!

GR Jim · 09-07-2020, 05:44 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by mikeSF

Just jumping in to share a couple cents. I would likely eliminate the 15mm from selection because for the money, you wont gain very much FOV vs the 17mm on your zoom.

I have owned a few wide lenses in that range: 10-17 FE, 8-16 Sigma, 10-20 Sigma, DA15, DA16-45...
I had the earlier version of the 10-20 and had no complaints with it's abilities. Infinity focus is not a concern wrt astro work because i am often able to accurately focus on a distant bright object on the ground(streetlight, passing car, etc) that is within the hyperfocal range at such wide focal lengths.

FWIW, here are some of my photos with the:

Sigma 8-16: Lens: Sigma 8-16mm | Flickr
Sigma 10-20(v1): Lens: Sigma 10-20 | Flickr
DA15(v1): Lens: DA15 Limited | Flickr
Pentax 15-30: Lens: DFA 15-30/2.8 | Flickr

Good luck!

I'm absolutely amazed not only with your photographic skills and the creativity you put into your work, but with the IQ of the Sigma 10-20mm lens. They're still out there for a reasonable price (used) and now I'm seriously considering getting one for my new K-70. I need a good lens for astrophotography and wide landscapes. From what I've seen of that lens in action, it fits the bill quite well. Thanks for the photos!

bdery · 09-08-2020, 05:29 AM

Originally posted by jspi

Unfortunately the review shows bad vignetting on the K1 at 11mm which almost stopped my purchase (at that price, I expected no or minimal vignetting). But I don't have a K1 and there's no guarantee I'll get one so the lens was ordered.

Well, since it's not a DFA lens, that's to be expected. The good news is that with the square crop, vignetting is kept well under control.

mikeSF · 09-08-2020, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by GR Jim

I'm absolutely amazed not only with your photographic skills and the creativity you put into your work, but with the IQ of the Sigma 10-20mm lens. They're still out there for a reasonable price (used) and now I'm seriously considering getting one for my new K-70. I need a good lens for astrophotography and wide landscapes. From what I've seen of that lens in action, it fits the bill quite well. Thanks for the photos!

Thanks so much - that is most appreciated!

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06-09-2020, 10:35 AM - 1 Like	#16
tibbitts Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Oklahoma USA Posts: 2,193	Originally posted by Sandy Hancock That has most certainly *not* been my experience. Buenos Aires (twice), London (twice), Bath, Dublin, Milan, Venice, Florence, Siena, Rome, Paris, Seattle, Victoria, Canada have all been totally fine with a DSLR. A KP and bag of Limiteds didn't cramp my style at all, or detract in any way from my enjoyment of exploring these wonderful cities. I have a bunch of shots from these trips hanging on my wall at home and I'm *very* glad for the extra quality from a real camera and good lenses. It's not so much about the camera being too big. You're in a group of maybe 15-20 people, walking from one site to another, stopping for a few minutes at each one. Often you're trying to get close enough to the guide to hear and maybe ask questions. There is no time between sites: even when you're walking from one to another, the guide is still narrating. I find myself either ignoring the narration or trying (but usually failing) to take more serious photographs. I don't think it's possible to multitask effectively: looking for compositions and lighting etc. while trying to listen to the history etc. One or the other suffers. And I don't want to be "that guy" who's always lagging behind when everybody else is ready to move on - it's not fair to the rest of the group.

06-09-2020, 12:55 PM - 3 Likes	#17
bilybianca Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hassleholm, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 334	Another take on the subject: Ok, we can discuss the pro's and con's of various WA lenses. But I strongly oppose to the simple "landscape lens=WA lens". My only award-winning landscape lens was taken with an 85mm. My best – according to the jury (myself) was taken with a 200mm. So let's talk about WA rather than "landscape lens". Kjell PS My best portrait - of a pig - was taken at 16mm. DS

06-09-2020, 01:14 PM	#18
jspi Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 261 Original Poster	Originally posted by bilybianca Another take on the subject: Ok, we can discuss the pro's and con's of various WA lenses. But I strongly oppose to the simple "landscape lens=WA lens". My only award-winning landscape lens was taken with an 85mm. My best – according to the jury (myself) was taken with a 200mm. So let's talk about WA rather than "landscape lens". Kjell PS My best portrait - of a pig - was taken at 16mm. DS Yes, I did clarify above (not in my original post) that it was for more than landscapes. When I wrote my question, I was think of landscapes but I do have other reasons for a wider lens. And I've read several articles on 85mm landscape photography so I knew better.

06-09-2020, 06:07 PM	#19
bkpix Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Creswell, Oregon Photos: Albums Posts: 568	My favorite landscape setup involves two lenses on two KP bodies: The 15/4 Limited on one and the 55-300 PLM on the other. Fabulous, light combo that can do practically anything.

06-09-2020, 07:16 PM	#20
jspi Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 261 Original Poster	Originally posted by bkpix My favorite landscape setup involves two lenses on two KP bodies: The 15/4 Limited on one and the 55-300 PLM on the other. Fabulous, light combo that can do practically anything. Nice. I plan to be there before year end. Got a K3 II and am waiting to see the new Pentax. Depending on specs & price, I'll get that or the K1. We'll see if plans work out. Worst case, I'd settle for a KP. It'll be nice to "swap lenses" without removing a lens. Even better if they used the same batteries (although that's unlikely).

06-09-2020, 08:32 PM	#21
pinholecam Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: North Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,706	Originally posted by jspi Yes, I do know how to manual focus but I'm not the best. Even with a field monitor and magnified live view, the Rokinon isn't sharp. Tried indoors with a test chart and it was still fuzzy. It's the only lens I can't get focused. I'm getting several suggestions I'll have to review in the coming days. No rush to buy. Might be a bad copy of the lens. Other than that, it might not look that sharp in zoomed in LV because its at f2.8. What I do is to focus in/out to get to the sharpest of the focus options and choose that as the focus point. Sometimes, I stop down the lens in LV to get better sharpness/dof to check.

06-12-2020, 04:59 AM	#22
5r82 Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2017 Photos: Gallery Posts: 462	I have Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon MC 20mm f2.8. While it might not be wide enough on APS-C, on FF it is just right. This is one of my most used lenses. The only issue with this lens might be its 6 aperture blades which make sunstars with 6 rays only Wish it had 5 or 7 blades. Other than that it's other issue might be price and availability these days. I was lucky to get one for so cheap, my biggest lens steal ever. Previous owner never discovered it's hidden powers.

06-12-2020, 11:16 AM	#23
jspi Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 261 Original Poster	Thanks for the comments and recommendations. I'll have the HD Pentax-DA* 11-18mm F2.8 ED DC AW next Wednesday (missed getting it shipped today by a couple hours). A bit over my budget but it'll be fine. My mistake? I was going to get the Sigma 10-20mm but had to ask for suggestions here. And someone mentioned the 11-18... �� I kept telling myself no but I like my only other DA* lens so much I fell to the temptation. Unfortunately the review shows bad vignetting on the K1 at 11mm which almost stopped my purchase (at that price, I expected no or minimal vignetting). But I don't have a K1 and there's no guarantee I'll get one so the lens was ordered.

06-12-2020, 08:12 PM	#24
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,549	Well, both the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX and the Pentax DA* 11-18mm f/2.8 are not made for FF use, so will vignette with a K-1. On APS-C both are excellent. The Sigma has a slightly slower aperture than the Pentax, and does not feature WR, but is slightly wider and longer. The Pentax DA* 11-18mm is a great lens in performance and construction, so congrats!

09-07-2020, 05:44 PM - 1 Like	#25
GR Jim New Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 24	Originally posted by mikeSF Just jumping in to share a couple cents. I would likely eliminate the 15mm from selection because for the money, you wont gain very much FOV vs the 17mm on your zoom. I have owned a few wide lenses in that range: 10-17 FE, 8-16 Sigma, 10-20 Sigma, DA15, DA16-45... I had the earlier version of the 10-20 and had no complaints with it's abilities. Infinity focus is not a concern wrt astro work because i am often able to accurately focus on a distant bright object on the ground(streetlight, passing car, etc) that is within the hyperfocal range at such wide focal lengths. FWIW, here are some of my photos with the: Sigma 8-16: Lens: Sigma 8-16mm \| Flickr Sigma 10-20(v1): Lens: Sigma 10-20 \| Flickr DA15(v1): Lens: DA15 Limited \| Flickr Pentax 15-30: Lens: DFA 15-30/2.8 \| Flickr Good luck! I'm absolutely amazed not only with your photographic skills and the creativity you put into your work, but with the IQ of the Sigma 10-20mm lens. They're still out there for a reasonable price (used) and now I'm seriously considering getting one for my new K-70. I need a good lens for astrophotography and wide landscapes. From what I've seen of that lens in action, it fits the bill quite well. Thanks for the photos!

09-08-2020, 05:29 AM	#26
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,357	Originally posted by jspi Unfortunately the review shows bad vignetting on the K1 at 11mm which almost stopped my purchase (at that price, I expected no or minimal vignetting). But I don't have a K1 and there's no guarantee I'll get one so the lens was ordered. Well, since it's not a DFA lens, that's to be expected. The good news is that with the square crop, vignetting is kept well under control.

09-08-2020, 10:46 AM	#27
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	Originally posted by GR Jim I'm absolutely amazed not only with your photographic skills and the creativity you put into your work, but with the IQ of the Sigma 10-20mm lens. They're still out there for a reasonable price (used) and now I'm seriously considering getting one for my new K-70. I need a good lens for astrophotography and wide landscapes. From what I've seen of that lens in action, it fits the bill quite well. Thanks for the photos! Thanks so much - that is most appreciated!