[gatorguy]

Just to chime in a bit. As I do have DFA15-30 and I don’t mind the heft either. I’d say that it should be able to full full your needs 100% unless you value bokeh in close focus high.

So you can just unsubscribe from this thread and focus on that last sentence you wrote

I’m going to get 21, when my funds permits… wife’s going to kill me… no, I’m joking…sure.

But I’m going to sell my very good copy of 15-30, but I’m going to buy DA* 11-18. Weight does bother when you are travelling and seems that things are going to change. So, 11-18+21 will make sense even if I’d have K-1 let alone K-3III with me. Saving some space for DFA*70-200( ) .

Ofcourse other limiteds are coming on board too…

After getting some extended time with it I would totally agree. The 15-30 is far more useful, and renders more impressively than I would have ever expected. I've used wide lenses before and they've just never been my cup'o'tea. Useful to have, but for my interests not essential or even important. The aspect wasn't of much interest to me, but the DFA 15-30 has pushed me to reconsider. I'm finding shots that I hadn't been "seeing" before.

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Last edited by gatorguy; 03-10-2022 at 10:30 AM.

[Jeff]

After getting some extended time with it I would totally agree. The 15-30 is far more useful, and readers more impressively, than I would have ever expected. I've used wide lenses before and they've just never been my cup'o'tea. Useful to have, but for my interests not essential or even important. The aspect wasn't of much interest to me, but the DFA 15-30 has pushed me to reconsider. I'm finding shots that I hadn't been "seeing" before.

Useful post for me! I have my eye on one of the two - the 21 or the 15-30 (which I have seen for a good price) so I edge closer to the 15 -30 than before. Just read the post on the new Irix 21 1.4 but I think a heavy manual focus lens is not quite what I'm aiming for. I've spent a looooong time reading up on the 15-30 (mostly Tamron related as there are precious few reviews on the Pentax version) so I think I'm close. I hope. Maybe....Oh man, this is so hard!

[repaap]

After getting some extended time with it I would totally agree. The 15-30 is far more useful, and renders more impressively than I would have ever expected. I've used wide lenses before and they've just never been my cup'o'tea. Useful to have, but for my interests not essential or even important. The aspect wasn't of much interest to me, but the DFA 15-30 has pushed me to reconsider. I'm finding shots that I hadn't been "seeing" before.

Yeah, I would not actually want to live with out something like 15-30(actually most of my best travel shots are with that lens). this is why I'll be getting when my funds permit 11-18 and then DFA 21. For me it would add that extra bit, which I can see in some photos guys have been posting. I have been shooting mostly with limiteds lately and they do add couple of degree to my feeling when I'm holding the camera and getting ready to shoot. For example DFA 28-105 while it is great lens, does not have any of that 'factor' for me. DFA 15-30 has, just because it is actually a great lens, also in size. That feeling of you have in your hands great gear and it will be pleasure to shoot with it. my 15-30 is very good with image quality, like yours is. But it offers also nice Fov and f2.8.. so, a lot to have fun with it does lack 'pixiedust' but there is something similar to it still

[Paul the Sunman]

So how much use is the 15-30 getting now that you've had the 21 for a while? Has the honeymoon been extended and do you prefer it to the 15-30?

Different beasts. I am enjoying the discipline of a single focal length, especially for street scenes, and the bokeh is exceptional. I find 21mm on FF very attractive (as I do 15mm on APS-C). I still haven't mounted the 21 on my K3iii.

But yes, I have had the 15-30 out once or twice as well. It gives wonderful flexibility for more varied shooting. It can handle monumental architecture to more intimate street scenes with just a turn of the zoom ring. The quality is exceptional, but different.

If the DFA 21 Limited had been available a few years ago, I would have bought it instead of the 15-30. But now that I'm used to the zoom, I wouldn't give it up.

[Jeff]

Different beasts. I am enjoying the discipline of a single focal length, especially for street scenes, and the bokeh is exceptional. I find 21mm on FF very attractive (as I do 15mm on APS-C). I still haven't mounted the 21 on my K3iii.

But yes, I have had the 15-30 out once or twice as well. It gives wonderful flexibility for more varied shooting. It can handle monumental architecture to more intimate street scenes with just a turn of the zoom ring. The quality is exceptional, but different.

If the DFA 21 Limited had been available a few years ago, I would have bought it instead of the 15-30. But now that I'm used to the zoom, I wouldn't give it up.

Pleased that they both work for you so well; I have to choose one over the other, sadly.

I have the 50 1.4 which is a heavy beast so I suspect the 15-30 wold be similar. And although the bokeh appears to be good on the 15-30, I have read and seen that the bokeh on the 21 is something else altogether..!

[gatorguy]

Different beasts. I am enjoying the discipline of a single focal length, especially for street scenes, and the bokeh is exceptional. I find 21mm on FF very attractive (as I do 15mm on APS-C). I still haven't mounted the 21 on my K3iii.

But yes, I have had the 15-30 out once or twice as well. It gives wonderful flexibility for more varied shooting. It can handle monumental architecture to more intimate street scenes with just a turn of the zoom ring. The quality is exceptional, but different.

If the DFA 21 Limited had been available a few years ago, I would have bought it instead of the 15-30. But now that I'm used to the zoom, I wouldn't give it up.

I'm not against getting the 21 as well at some point. The close focus wide-open renders are amazing from what I've seen. Now that I have the 15-30 the 21 isn't talking to me as loudly. A lot of what I would have used it for is covered by the zoom, so now I can be patient until "that deal" comes around.

[Paul the Sunman]

I have the 50 1.4 which is a heavy beast so I suspect the 15-30 wold be similar. And although the bokeh appears to be good on the 15-30, I have read and seen that the bokeh on the 21 is something else altogether..!

As I said, I would have gone for the 21 in your situation, and been very happy with the choice.

Unless you do lots of real estate interiors.

The 15-30 is about 100g heavier than the DFA* 50, but more importantly, much wider, which makes it more of a pain to pack.

[Jeff]

As I said, I would have gone for the 21 in your situation, and been very happy with the choice.

Unless you do lots of real estate interiors.

The 15-30 is about 100g heavier than the DFA* 50, but more importantly, much wider, which makes it more of a pain to pack.

One aspect IS hopefully going to be interiors when we get to travel again to France...(not sure when that will be, what with these mad fun-filled days in the eastern margins of the continent.)

It's this opportunity for travel that keeps me thinking about the 15-30, as those extra millimetres will be worth it inside Orleans cathedral.

I may have to do what Gatorguy has done - take the chance on the 15-30 and then hope for a deal on the 21 when/if one comes around!

[Digitalis]

I have read and seen that the bokeh on the 21 is something else altogether..!

I have worked with quite a few lenses in this focal length class over the decades, I haven't seen anything quite like it.



Pentax K-1 SMCP-HD D-FA21mm f/2.4 ED ASPH Limited @ f/2.4

[TooManyLenses]

I have the FA21mm f/2.4 Limited and really love it. Still getting the hang of it though. The Bokeh and colors are a total delight. It's also small and a joy to wield. Definitely one of my funnest lenses.

[biz-engineer]

Initially, I thought that my 15-30 is soft, and now that I could compare with the 21 limited, my initial conclusion is mostly incorrect.
The 15-30 @ 21 is a little softer than the 21, but not by much. Field curvature ruins sharpness.
When the center is in perfect focus, edges are a bit soft. When focusing for edges, edges are sharper but center is a bit soft.
The D-FA 21 limited is practically free of field curvature, flat field at infinity.

---------- Post added 02-01-23 at 12:37 ----------

In the center of the frame there is no real difference. But if we look at the borders, the 15-30mm exhibits field curvature so the edges of the frame are not sharp.

Field curvature that is.

---------- Post added 02-01-23 at 12:40 ----------

I have the FA21mm f/2.4 Limited and really love it. Still getting the hang of it though. The Bokeh and colors are a total delight. It's also small and a joy to wield. Definitely one of my funnest lenses.

Yes! The D-FA 21 limited is unique for its size, quality, close focus and especially out of focus rendering wide open or near wide open.

[Digitalis]

The 15-30 @ 21 is a little softer than the 21, but not by much. Field curvature ruins sharpness.When the center is in perfect focus, edges are a bit soft. When focusing for edges, edges are sharper but center is a bit soft.The D-FA 21 limited is practically free of field curvature, flat field at infinity.

Indeed field curvature is the enemy here. The DFA15-30mm f/2.8 does indeed have issues with control over this - but it's a zoom, and thus isn't quite as optimized as a prime focal length can be. I haven't bothered doing any comparison between my DFA15-30mm and DFA21mm Limited as they are both very different beasts, and are designed with very different optical priorities*. The DFA21 is impressively sharp even in the corners @ f/2.4 when focused accurately:


Pentax K-1 DFA21mm f/2.4 @ f/2.4 corner 100% crop [Slight USM applied in post - A=90 R=0.8 T=0]

Using a Bahtinov mask for astrophotography is important particularly with wider lenses, getting the stars precisely within the plane of focus is essential to mitigating the effects of astigmatism and coma.

* Though I did compare the DFA21mm Limited to the old king of the hill: the Pentax SMCP-FA*24mm f/2 ASPH - and the newer lens produced vastly superior image quality.

[biz-engineer]

The DFA21 is impressively sharp even in the corners @ f/2.4

Yes, I was expecting it to be a little soft wide open, like most lenses and fast primes. But to my surprise , no , it's quite sharp edge to edge and wide open.

[Lev]

I agree with Norm. The OOF areas are really impressively rendered on the HD FA 21. It's not that the 15-30's is bad, far from it. But IMO there's no question that the 21 is noticeably better, both smoother and less Busy", wonderful transitions even with backgrounds with a lot going on. It's nearly enough to get me to open ye olde wallet and that's a major turnaround since early on I had said it was a lens that had zero interest for me. It's changing my mind the more I see photos from it.

Specs aren't telling the story of the new Pentax lens.

Same here! And my interest in this lens went even higher after seeing your comment! Waiting too long for wide angle star :/

[Digitalis]

I'm still having a blast with this lens..


Pentax K-1 MKII SMCP-DFA 21mm f/2.4 ED ASPH Limited ISO 100 f/11 - hand blended HDR.