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06-29-2021, 02:55 AM   #1
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Wide angle for my K-1mkII

After I got my K-1 I sold most of my APS-C gear. I didn't want to, but I promised to do that for wife-aproval-purposes.

Ever since then I've been missing the DA 15mm limited. I knew I like that focal length, but didn't realize that I would miss it so much. Anyway, I'm now looking for a 20mm lens for my K-1. But now I don't know what to get...
  • I can get the Pentax SMC FA 20mm. It doesn't cost much, gets good reviews. And I can have it now.
  • I can wait for the 21mm limited. Which can still take a while until it hits the market. And I'm guessing that we will be lucky if its going to cost around 1250 USD.
  • And then there's the Pentax SMC FA* 24mm, not as wide, but gets better reviews then the 20mm.
  • Off brand options confuse me even more. I saw some extremely wide options from Irix. 11mm and 15mm. But the reviews are a bit strange. The blackstone and firefly have the same optical formula, but the reviews claim that the blackstone versions have better optical performance.

What would you guys do in my place?

06-29-2021, 03:12 AM   #2
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I'm in the same position. Make do with a Samyang 24 but I don't enjoy using it due to size, ill fitting hood/cap etc. Would also prefer a slightly wider lens 20mm +- is about right.
The vintage options are rare, comparatively expensive and under performing. Where I live I couldn't easily get my hands on a FA20 even if I wanted to.

The Samyang 24 is a very good *optical* performer if you don't mind the size and fiddly hood. The fast aperture can be interesting for environmental portraits.The Irixes and Laowas are to wide for me. The da15 is a 23mm equivalent lens.

I'm looking forward to DFA21 reviews when/if it comes out.
06-29-2021, 03:50 AM   #3
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the SMC A 20/2.8 is a stellar performer in my book....
06-29-2021, 03:54 AM - 1 Like   #4
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Does it have to be a prime?
There is the D FA 15-30 large and heavy but well rated, or the DA12-24 works on FF from 18 mm, and if you go to crop mode then 12 mm is yours too. (on APS-C 12mm = the FF FOV at 18 mm so no real gain there)


Last edited by Kevin B123; 06-29-2021 at 04:03 AM. Reason: Added: (on APS-C 12mm = the FF FOV at 18 mm so no real gain there)
06-29-2021, 04:39 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kevin B123 Quote
Does it have to be a prime?
There is the D FA 15-30 large and heavy but well rated, or the DA12-24 works on FF from 18 mm, and if you go to crop mode then 12 mm is yours too. (on APS-C 12mm = the FF FOV at 18 mm so no real gain there)
Saying the da 12-24 "works" should come with more caveats. The vignetting becomes real bad when stopping down. (strangely)

No one should recommend buying the 12-24 for ff. Fine if you have it and buy ff but really the results are *much* better using it with the intended sensor size.
06-29-2021, 04:50 AM   #6
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I'm not much of a wide angle shooter, for me I think 15mm would be much too wide. I have the k 24/2.8 as the widest lens on the K1, though I sometimes like having a 21mm-equivalent with the GR. I had the da 12-24 which covered quite nicely full frame from 18mm up, but I wasn't using it at all.
06-29-2021, 04:53 AM - 1 Like   #7
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I've got both the APS-C (DA* 11-18mm F2.8) and full-frame (D FA 15-30mm F2.8) wide zooms from Pentax; I've also got 11mm and 15mm ("Blackstone") primes from Irix. The zooms are very good lenses, however the Irix lenses have markedly less distortion and are much sharper. And that ignores the really big advantage: the Irix lenses are a lot less expensive. They're manual focus, but at that focal length, it doesn't matter - set the ring close to infinity and just about everything will be in focus anyway. Oh, and the Irix lenses have a very short minimum focus distance - good for wide angle macro work.

06-29-2021, 04:54 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Clavius Quote
I saw some extremely wide options from Irix. 11mm and 15mm. But the reviews are a bit strange.
There's a few ultra wide angles around, this thread will give you some good examples of some/all of them of what they can create: ULTRA wide lenses (only FF equiv 12mm or lower) - PentaxForums.com

Around the focal lengths you've mentioned, I have a Zeiss 21/2.8 which would fit the bill with a similar FoV, but it's manual and the K mount options are really hard to come by. The best option if you have an interest though is to look for a Nikon F version and add a Leitax mount. This will allow the lens to work like a Pentax M mount lens on your K-1. There's also a Contax Zeiss 21/2.8 that can be adapted as well as well as the Voigtlander 20mm/3.5 as well.

I also have the 15-30 and can confirm it's a good lens option to consider if you're ok with the size of it. The zoom range is pretty handle for wide angle options too and filters are available but not cheap.

Tas
06-29-2021, 05:09 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Clavius Quote
After I got my K-1 I sold most of my APS-C gear. I didn't want to, but I promised to do that for wife-aproval-purposes.

Ever since then I've been missing the DA 15mm limited. I knew I like that focal length, but didn't realize that I would miss it so much. Anyway, I'm now looking for a 20mm lens for my K-1. But now I don't know what to get...
  • I can get the Pentax SMC FA 20mm. It doesn't cost much, gets good reviews. And I can have it now.
  • I can wait for the 21mm limited. Which can still take a while until it hits the market. And I'm guessing that we will be lucky if its going to cost around 1250 USD.
  • And then there's the Pentax SMC FA* 24mm, not as wide, but gets better reviews then the 20mm.
  • Off brand options confuse me even more. I saw some extremely wide options from Irix. 11mm and 15mm. But the reviews are a bit strange. The blackstone and firefly have the same optical formula, but the reviews claim that the blackstone versions have better optical performance.

What would you guys do in my place?
This is a bit of a black hole in the current pentax lens lineup. i too have and still have the DA15. For full frame i had a Vivitar 24mm f2 manual lens which was pretty good but fell victim of an accident. Picked up a KA mount Sigma II 24 f2.8 which is pretty decent, Also the Rokinon 14mm 2.8 which is great but really wide. Waiting for the new DFA 21
06-29-2021, 05:17 AM - 1 Like   #10
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I have the FA 20/2.8 for my K-1. If you don’t mind the weight, the DFA 15-30 is a great lens. I rented one but it was more weight than I wanted to carry.

I already had the Samyang 14/2.8, but I wanted an auto-focus wide-angle lens. The FA 20 is very sharp. It is also small and compact. It does have a fair amount of coma, so it is not good for astrophotography. At times it is a little wider than I would like. When I shot film, I always liked the FoV of my 24 mm lens.
06-29-2021, 05:28 AM   #11
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Alright then, depending on the use case, a good copy of this might be a viable choice:

SMC Pentax-FA 20-35mm F4 AL Reviews - FA Zoom Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database.

All the older options have some form of compromise to make regarding IQ and availability, it's where the D FA 15-30 wins and there the compromise is weight and fitting filters if you should need them.
06-29-2021, 05:30 AM   #12
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The DFA 15-30 is very nice on the K1. But it is big; well, wide mostly. A pain to pack. Nevertheless it has been on several international trips with me, and I'm glad I took it.

However, I am very much looking forward to the DFA 21 Limited as a more portable option. It's pretty much the same angle of view as the 15 on APS-C, so it will suit me nicely.
06-29-2021, 05:30 AM   #13
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The lack of contemporary wide angle options make the vintage ones rare and pricey. Even the not so great ones.

---------- Post added 06-29-21 at 05:32 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
However, I am very much looking forward to the DFA 21 Limited as a more portable option. It's pretty much the same angle of view as the 15 on APS-C, so it will suit me nicely.
With the rounding going on with lens focal lengths it will be interesting to see the fov difference between the dfa21 and the da15. Could be more or less than the numbers suggest.
06-29-2021, 05:40 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by house Quote
The lack of contemporary wide angle options make the vintage ones rare and pricey. Even the not so great ones.
Yep

I have the 15-30 and it is a very good lens with a great FL range. But for me it is a tripod-only use lens. It is big and it is heavy.

The FA* 24mm f2 gets mixed reviews. I love my copy.

I also have the M series 20mm f4 which is a lovely small lens with great image quality.

My suggestion would be you go for the FA 20mm You get AF and auto exposure. It will hold its value too.
06-29-2021, 05:54 AM - 1 Like   #15
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I'm with Kevin B123 - take a look at the SMC Pentax-FA 20-35mm F4 AL.
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