[Sailor]

UPS brought my new DA 15 this afternoon right on schedule, and here are some of my first examples with the lens (around the house) on a sunny, mid afternoon.

Please note that because I'm a scientist (organic/polymer chemistry), I don't "test" a lens; I simply lack the knowledge, facilities and number of samples to evaluate a lens model with the rigor the word "test" emplies. Rather, I just take my single example "around the block" for a few days, aiming it at the general sorts of things I shoot and post process as I normally would - if I'm happy, I keep it, if not it goes back. For these pictures, intended only for posting, I converted RAW files (making any exposure changes to taste) directly to jpeg, then cropped if I felt like it, resized and sharpened as I would normally do. All of the outside shots were at ISO 100; a couple of inside ones were at ISO 200. The images, of course, suffer the usual degradation by going through Photobucket.

I hope these images are helpful to those thinking about this lens.

Jer

Our garage, f/4:



Our house (1), f/5.6:



Our house (2), f/8:



Looking for a hand out, f/9.5:



Inside (1), f/5.6:



Inside (2), f/5.6:



Inside (3), f/5.6; please note the svelt, James Bond-like photographer reflected in the mirror and also note that the mirror is a true antique (like the photographer) with the orange peel surface characteristics of a 60's era automoble (hides wrinkles):



Into the sun (1), f/16:



Into the sun (2), f/8:



Flower (1), f/11:



Flower (2), f/8:

[jsherman999]

Those look very good to me.

[Sailor]

Thanks and same here - especially when I look at the unposted original RAW files. I don't see any red flags thus far. I'll play a bit more tomorrow.

Jer

[farfisa]

Fun! Thanks for sharing, Sailor!

Thanks for posting. Very nice color and contrast. Would love to see some actual pixel crops.

Hi, Jer!

I am happy that you're pleased with this lens and I think your experience with it so far mirrors mine.

Enjoy it!
Radu

[daacon]

Looks like a keeper - kudo's for not taking a picture of a newspaper hand held in the wind and complaining about soft corners - That first image really shows good color rendition.

[creampuff]

Excellent and informative pictures. Your shot into the sun is exactly what I wanted to know. Looks like flare control is better than the DA 14mm.

[Michaelina2]

Nice series. (House, too )

May I ask if the DA 15 is being paired to a K10D, or...?

Gig'um...

[roentarre]

Very sharp and crispy rendering.

Good to see that you enjoy this lens too

[Sailor]

I'm glad ya'll found these shots interesting and/or useful. I should have mentioned that the lens was mounted on my K20D.

I'll be playing with it throughout the weekend, and next week - with repairs to the boat supposedly complete - I'll be at the marina (doing some work on the boat of my own), and should have a chance to try it in that environment. I'll post any shots that I think might add some insight to the nature of the lens.

Jer

[alehel]

Please note that because I'm a scientist (organic/polymer chemistry), I don't "test" a lens; I simply lack the knowledge, facilities and number of samples to evaluate a lens model with the rigor the word "test" emplies. Rather, I just take my single example "around the block" for a few days, aiming it at the general sorts of things I shoot and post process as I normally would - if I'm happy, I keep it, if not it goes back. For these pictures, intended only for posting, I converted RAW files (making any exposure changes to taste) directly to jpeg, then cropped if I felt like it, resized and sharpened as I would normally do. All of the outside shots were at ISO 100; a couple of inside ones were at ISO 200. The images, of course, suffer the usual degradation by going through Photobucket.

This is the best kind of lens testing there is. There is no point, I think, in doing extensive scientific tests on a lens you buy if the images it produces are good enough for you.

[flyer]

It looks like a keeper to me.

As a side note, your garage seems large enough for a Cessna 210. Do you think the street is long enough for landing?

[bimjo]

Thanks for posting these "real world" pics. Lens looks to be pretty sharp in the corners, which makes it appealing to me as a pano lens.

[Buddha Jones]

Nice pics, nice house too. I get the impression with that lens that larger images look a helluva lot better than your samples.