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Chosa · 09-11-2020, 08:47 AM

Hi,I found on ebay a smc da21 limited at good price, from an user who is selling all his pentax lenses.
Since it was the only one da limited lens I was missing, and besides saving some money instead of buying a new hd (I like more the smc starbust than the hd, as well as in the 15ltd), I tried.As soon as I arrive I notice that the lens has a slight play, a matter of microns, in the body part of the lens, if I turn it I hear a very slight noise. (it is the barrel that comes out after the focus ring that "moves")I've read that is a common issue with 21 ltd.However, as it doesn't suffer from front back focus, it is sharp and the lenses do not seem misaligned to me, and that it is not easy to find a smc 21 from European sellers, at that price, I had decided not to complain, it has to make photo, after all.
But trying it against a bit extreme backlight, I noticed that it suffers from a noticeable flare, even the one with the circular halo which could be in some cases nice to see, but that I have not noticed in any other wide lens I have.It doesn't seem to disturb the contrast of the whole image, but it seems to me a notable artifact.

Is this the normal behavior of this lens, in your opinion? (I enclose photos both where the problem is present and where not, those with the sun were the morning sun between a light white haze so perhaps not exactly the ideal situation...)

Attached Images

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house · 09-11-2020, 09:34 AM - **1 Like**

Most lenses can be made to show ghosting. I can't remember specific cases with my copy (I use it rarely now because K-1 and GRII). Your example shots are very demanding so I'd say it's normal.
Mine also has play in the barrel but it doesn't affect image quality. Some have had theirs come apart though.

zapp · 09-11-2020, 09:45 AM - **1 Like**

Looks normal to me - extreme settings cause extreme results

**BigMackCam** · 09-11-2020, 10:40 AM - **1 Like**

That ghosting doesn't look abnormal to me in the circumstances. The HD version apparently performs a little better in this respect, but even that will produce ghosting in situations like this

Not a Number · 09-11-2020, 10:45 AM - **1 Like**

Looks like lens flare/ghosting from reflections off the surfaces between and within the lens elements. Lens coatings can greatly reduce flare/ghosting but perhaps not eliminate it completely. With the light source in the frame a lens hood will be ineffective.

**luftfluss** · 09-11-2020, 10:56 AM

Looks normal to me. The SMC DA21 is IME the worst of the DA Ltd primes for flare resistance. The HD version is a bit better in this regard.

bschriver11 · 09-11-2020, 03:56 PM - **1 Like**

Lens flare is normal with such bright lights directly in front of the lens. It shows up in different areas depending on the angle of the light source relative to the lens.

kh1234567890 · 09-12-2020, 04:37 AM

The usual flare problem with the DA21 is sensor reflection from the back element - a 'green blob'. Like here, lower centre. Yours doesn't look like that.

Chosa · 09-12-2020, 04:46 PM

Another thing that I noticed is that the aperture blades doesn't affect the image till f4.5,

If I look inside the lens when I stopping it down they will activate but diaphragm is not clearly visible till f.4.5 (at the higher apertures it's closure remains behind a circular object in the lens).
Is that a normal behave of this lens?

bschriver11 · 09-12-2020, 06:44 PM

I'm not sure how you are stopping the lens down to F/4.5 while looking through it? There is no aperture ring on the lens for manual aperture control and the lens remains wide open until the shutter is released. The only way would be to move the aperture lever with the lens off the camera and guess where the aperture is at.

Sykil · 09-12-2020, 07:35 PM

Originally posted by bschriver11

I'm not sure how you are stopping the lens down to F/4.5 while looking through it? There is no aperture ring on the lens for manual aperture control and the lens remains wide open until the shutter is released. The only way would be to move the aperture lever with the lens off the camera and guess where the aperture is at.

DoF preview.

Kozlok · 09-12-2020, 09:48 PM

f4.5 isn't very stopped down for this lens. I would think you can hardly even see the aperture change.

kh1234567890 · 09-13-2020, 02:01 AM

Originally posted by Kozlok

f4.5 isn't very stopped down for this lens. I would think you can hardly even see the aperture change.

On mine there is a quite discernable closing of aperture blades even going from f3.2 to f3.5.

Why doesn't this forum accept mp4s as attachments ? Click the image to view the video on Flickr ...

**BigMackCam** · 09-13-2020, 02:26 AM

Originally posted by kh1234567890

Why doesn't this forum accept mp4s as attachments ?

Presumably because they'd quickly use up large chunks of storage space?

09-13-2020, 02:01 AM	#13
kh1234567890 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Manchester, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,653	Originally posted by Kozlok f4.5 isn't very stopped down for this lens. I would think you can hardly even see the aperture change. On mine there is a quite discernable closing of aperture blades even going from f3.2 to f3.5. Why doesn't this forum accept mp4s as attachments ? Click the image to view the video on Flickr ... Last edited by kh1234567890; 09-13-2020 at 02:31 AM.

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09-11-2020, 09:34 AM - 1 Like	#2
house Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,306	Most lenses can be made to show ghosting. I can't remember specific cases with my copy (I use it rarely now because K-1 and GRII). Your example shots are very demanding so I'd say it's normal. Mine also has play in the barrel but it doesn't affect image quality. Some have had theirs come apart though.

09-11-2020, 09:45 AM - 1 Like	#3
zapp Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 2,389	Looks normal to me - extreme settings cause extreme results

09-11-2020, 10:40 AM - 1 Like	#4
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,705	That ghosting doesn't look abnormal to me in the circumstances. The HD version apparently performs a little better in this respect, but even that will produce ghosting in situations like this

09-11-2020, 10:45 AM - 1 Like	#5
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Looks like lens flare/ghosting from reflections off the surfaces between and within the lens elements. Lens coatings can greatly reduce flare/ghosting but perhaps not eliminate it completely. With the light source in the frame a lens hood will be ineffective.

09-11-2020, 10:56 AM	#6
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,629	Looks normal to me. The SMC DA21 is IME the worst of the DA Ltd primes for flare resistance. The HD version is a bit better in this regard.

09-11-2020, 03:56 PM - 1 Like	#7
bschriver11 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 559	Lens flare is normal with such bright lights directly in front of the lens. It shows up in different areas depending on the angle of the light source relative to the lens.

09-12-2020, 04:37 AM	#8
kh1234567890 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Manchester, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,653	The usual flare problem with the DA21 is sensor reflection from the back element - a 'green blob'. Like here, lower centre. Yours doesn't look like that.

09-12-2020, 04:46 PM	#9
Chosa Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 29 Original Poster	Another thing that I noticed is that the aperture blades doesn't affect the image till f4.5, If I look inside the lens when I stopping it down they will activate but diaphragm is not clearly visible till f.4.5 (at the higher apertures it's closure remains behind a circular object in the lens). Is that a normal behave of this lens?

09-12-2020, 06:44 PM	#10
bschriver11 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 559	I'm not sure how you are stopping the lens down to F/4.5 while looking through it? There is no aperture ring on the lens for manual aperture control and the lens remains wide open until the shutter is released. The only way would be to move the aperture lever with the lens off the camera and guess where the aperture is at.

09-12-2020, 07:35 PM	#11
Sykil Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Austin Posts: 74	Originally posted by bschriver11 I'm not sure how you are stopping the lens down to F/4.5 while looking through it? There is no aperture ring on the lens for manual aperture control and the lens remains wide open until the shutter is released. The only way would be to move the aperture lever with the lens off the camera and guess where the aperture is at. DoF preview.

09-12-2020, 09:48 PM	#12
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	f4.5 isn't very stopped down for this lens. I would think you can hardly even see the aperture change.

09-13-2020, 02:26 AM	#14
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,705	Originally posted by kh1234567890 Why doesn't this forum accept mp4s as attachments ? Presumably because they'd quickly use up large chunks of storage space?

DA 21: defective?

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