[mikesbike]

I would like to add a wide angle Limited lens for Landscapes, and would like to get feedback and any suggestions. I'm curious what is the most popular Limited wide angle lens?

TIA!!

Welcome to the forum!

Ok- you want the quality of Limiteds for APS-C in the realm of wide angle for landscape use. The most versatile in a compact Limited would be the HD DA 21mm f/3.2 Ltd. beyond a doubt. And also versatile for other uses than landscapes. A great lens. Another good alternative would be the HD DA 20-40mm f/2.8-4 Ltd. Not as compact, but is compact for a zoom lens of this aperture capability, has the superb Limited build quality, and trades ultra-compactness for yet more versatility in choosing a variety of FL's for framing- and comes with WR. At some future time, you could consider adding the HD DA 15mm Ltd. Great imaging, wonderfully resistant against flare, and so amazingly compact I fit mine zipped into the front accessory pouch of my holster-type camera case containing my KP with the 20-40mm Ltd. or whatever other lens. It lives there, and I forget I have it until the need arises! You won't find any ultra-wide quality lens as small as this one!

---------- Post added 01-03-21 at 10:34 PM ----------

Thank you everyone for all of your input. I think I'm leaning towards the 21. It appears there is both an HD and SMC version? Any input on the differences of these 2?

I have long had the older SMC, but if buying now I would get the HD. Better for landscape use and much else, better contrast and flare resistance. The SMC has been shown to exhibit more pronounced starburst effects from light sources at night, but for me, as infrequently as I look for such a more exaggerated effect, this does not outweigh the overall advantages of the HD coatings.

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Last edited by mikesbike; 01-03-2021 at 10:36 PM.

[northcoastgreg]

My favorite DA limited for landscape photography is the DA 21. I'm very comfortable shooting at that focal length and can shoot all day with that one lens. Generally speaking, zooms are preferred in landscape photography simply because of FOV flexibility, which is more important in landscape work. When I go to iconic landscape locations, where you may run into dozens of other photographers, the vast majority (98%+) are using zooms. Most people building a landscape kit should start out with zooms, particularly a standard zoom and a telephoto zoom (DA 55-300 PLM is great for landscapes), and then add a few primes to cover one's most used focal lengths. I would also add that if a photographer who is shooting primes finds himself constantly swapping lenses, he's probably better off moving to zooms. If you're shooting primes, you work the focal length of the lens as long as possible. Often I would take my three limiteds (DA 15, DA 21 and DA 35) and end up shooting only one of these lenses all day. If I were going someplace where I needed quick access to a variety of FOVs, I would take a zoom.

Can you get better images out of the DA limiteds than primes? In my experience, yes. And it's not really an issue of sharpness. The DA limiteds are hardly perfect in that respect. My DA 12-24 is sharper toward the edges than my DA 15, but images from the DA 15 just look better, particularly in prints. Better local contrast, better color, more natural rendering of detail, better handling of flare, especially veiling flare. Prints from that lens generally have more aesthetic impact than what I get out of zooms. By using the DA 15, DA 21, and DA 35 Limiteds on my K-5ii and KP, I was able to make aesthetically more pleasing images than other local photographers who were using professional Nikon and Canon zoom glass on FF cameras. I wasn't capturing as much detail as these FF shooters (for obvious reasons). But there's more to image quality than the amount of detail captured.

Some images with the DA 21:

[ronniemac]

Like others I do enjoy the DA 21mm F3.2 Limited on the K-70 and the FA 31mm F1.8 AL Limited on K-1 - lovely moderate wide angle zoom lenses and so compact. However, as no one has so far mentioned it, I will put in the DA* 11-18mm F2.8 ED DC AW on APS-C. It is a very high quality wide angle lens, and very useful for that big country style of landscape photograph. It is much larger and heavier than a limited lens, but is weather proof, offers a focal length range, a silent fast zoom, and top quality image rendition and resolution. For me it is the best APS-C lens available, noticeably better than the otherwise commendable DA 12-24mm F4 ED AL [IF] or even the DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited DC WR.

The DA* 11-18mm F2.8 is expensive but it is one of very few Pentax lenses which users have given an overall 10 in their evaluation. The user reviews are here HD Pentax-DA* 11-18mm F2.8 ED DC AW Reviews - DA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

There is also a an in-depth lens review here: HD Pentax-DA* 11-18mm F2.8 ED DC AW Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

[cometguy]

While neither prime nor Limited I personally think you should consider the Pentax DA 12-24.

Yes, this is my favorite wide-angle zoom lens for landscape photography with my K10D and K-3 II cameras.
Why be limited to "Limited"?
I have the 20-40mm Limited zoom lens as well, which is really nice, but doesn't see as much use as the DA 12-24mm.

[bertwert]

I see many fine images from the DA 21 here, I'd like to throw in another vote for that as my favourite landscape lens! I have the HD version, and haven't ever used the SMC one, so can't comment there, except that I have no problems with mine at all. The compactness also makes it an awesome lens to take on long hikes, when excess weight isn't appreciated.

[gatorguy]

Great shots Robert. Love the snow path!

[normhead]

Since the 21 is the only ltd. I own, I should go with that. But I can't remember when last I used it. The DFA 28-105 on my K-1 has become my standard landscape set up.