[Eyewanders]

So I broke down and picked up the 21mm and lens hood adapter (figured I couldn't leave the GR out my recent slobbering LBA frenzy) and they just arrived this afternoon. WOW! The hood adapter is just a hard composite material (seems pretty darn sturdy actually) but the lens, THE LENS, my stars it must weigh 2 or 3 times what I was expecting... just a lovely feeling piece of metal and glass. Almost a let down because with this thing mounted the GR doesn't feel anything like the GR to me... it is now a substantial cam with weight.

Initial test shots were surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) bang-on sharp, even using the crop modes (which is a bit ridiculous but I was curious). Focusing seems just as snappy, and one thing to note: you can get much closer to your subject in macros mode with the 21mm... practically to touching the lens, and the focus still locks solid. A nice little find. Super happy with this thing in the first hour or so. Just had to post a lil sumthinsumthin.

[waterfall]

Well I use my 21 Ltd on a K3. On a K30 before that. I agree that is an addicting lens with magic pixie dust. The magic is not quite up to the mind controlling level of the 15Ltd, but close with less corner distortion at less than hyperfocal distance. The 21 is definitely heavy metal!

[filoxophy]

Pretty sure chickentender was talking about this Ricoh GW-3 21mm Wide-Angle Conversion Lens 175780 B&H Photo not the 21 Ltd

[geomez]

So I broke down and picked up the 21mm and lens hood adapter (figured I couldn't leave the GR out my recent slobbering LBA frenzy) and they just arrived this afternoon. WOW! The hood adapter is just a hard composite material (seems pretty darn sturdy actually) but the lens, THE LENS, my stars it must weigh 2 or 3 times what I was expecting... just a lovely feeling piece of metal and glass. Almost a let down because with this thing mounted the GR doesn't feel anything like the GR to me... it is now a substantial cam with weight. Initial test shots were surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) bang-on sharp, even using the crop modes (which is a bit ridiculous but I was curious). Focusing seems just as snappy, and one thing to note: you can get much closer to your subject in macros mode with the 21mm... practically to touching the lens, and the focus still locks solid. A nice little find. Super happy with this thing in the first hour or so. Just had to post a lil sumthinsumthin.

I was seriously considering getting the 21mm adapter, but ended up getting a Rokinon 16mm F2.0 for my K-3 for around the same price. I figured I was future proofing myself a little better with a K mount lens.
I'm under the impression the 21mm glass screws onto the 49mm threaded filter adapter? If so have you tried screwing it onto any ILC glass with a 49mm filter thread?

[Eyewanders]

Pretty sure chickentender was talking about this Ricoh GW-3 21mm Wide-Angle Conversion Lens 175780 B&H Photo not the 21 Ltd

Thats correct - that's exactly what I'm talking about.

[Eyewanders]

I was seriously considering getting the 21mm adapter, but ended up getting a Rokinon 16mm F2.0 for my K-3 for around the same price. I figured I was future proofing myself a little better with a K mount lens.
I'm under the impression the 21mm glass screws onto the 49mm threaded filter adapter? If so have you tried screwing it onto any ILC glass with a 49mm filter thread?

No - I hadn't even THOUGHT of that. Good idea!

It's interesting - I haven't done the math, but in speaking about these other k-mount wides, your Rokinon 16mm (i've looked at that myself actually) and the 15mm ltd... The focal length equivalent of the 21mm conversion lens on the Ricoh more closely resembles my 15mm ltd on the Pentax, which makes sense since the Pentax glass lists their lens as actual, while Ricoh lists them as their 35mm format equivalents. Bottom line, I got a much wider lens than I had a occurred to me at first which is great.

I put up a comparison several posts apart in the 15mm controls my mind thread, and I'll repost them here. Both these shots were taken right after I'd received each, respectively, a couple nights apart. It's a quick and dirty comparison of the first DA 15mm and the second one, taken with the Ricoh GR with the 21mm conversion. It's out the same window, processed as closely as I could, working quickly. Not an entirely fair comparison, the Pentax had the benefit of a city-lit clouds passing by, while tonight it's clear and black up there. Nevertheless... I'm awfully impressed with the Ricoh in this case.

The 15Ltd


The 21coversion

[Eyewanders]

I'm under the impression the 21mm glass screws onto the 49mm threaded filter adapter? If so have you tried screwing it onto any ILC glass with a 49mm filter thread?

I just (2 days ago) sold off the last of my M lenses, so the only 49mm filter lenses I have remaining are the 43 and 77. Here's some ridiculousness with the 43. Crazy stupid awesome bloom effect with that 21coversion thrown on it. Hahaha. Sorry about weird saturation - I somehow had the reversal film filter enabled on the K-3 - but for this application it kind works - makes for an on-camera SUPER orton. I'd actually be willing to try this combo in a wooded area with lots of foliage and competing light/shadow. I bet it'd be an interesting combo. For every day use tho, pretty stupid - have a look.

43mm with ricoh 21mm conversion:



43mm without (but still with the reversal filter enabled in-camera)

[Eyewanders]

Here's a shot using the 21mm conversion lens from last night:



Along with and image posted to flickr that is a crop of the same image.

[geomez]

You're right, I the 21mm fares well against the 15mm Ltd. That cloudy look on your 43mm is interesting! I'd recently woke up and for a second there I thought it was my eyes

[Eyewanders]

Rubbed your eyes a few times and yet the pic remained the same, eh?

[JPT]

I'm glad you like the converter. I had a similar reaction to the converter for the GRD (original). It surprised me how heavy it was and also in out sharpness. Unfortunately, I don't use it much because I only use the GRD when I want something truly pocketable these days.

Actually one disappointment with the GW-1 was that it only worked with the first two GRD models, but when they changed the lens with the GRD III, it broke compatibility. It was one thing that put me off upgrading the camera. So my advice is to use it well on your GR and not to view it as the same kind of investment as you would a K-mount lens.

[Eyewanders]

I'm glad you like the converter. I had a similar reaction to the converter for the GRD (original). It surprised me how heavy it was and also in out sharpness. Unfortunately, I don't use it much because I only use the GRD when I want something truly pocketable these days.

Actually one disappointment with the GW-1 was that it only worked with the first two GRD models, but when they changed the lens with the GRD III, it broke compatibility. It was one thing that put me off upgrading the camera. So my advice is to use it well on your GR and not to view it as the same kind of investment as you would a K-mount lens.

Indeed. I never purchased additions of any kind for my GRDIII the whole time I had, so this is a rather new and fun experience all around. Just picked up a used GT-1 that I'll mount using the extension tube and a step-down at the suggestion of Devorama in another thread. Good times with GR.