Best wide-angle lens for K-1?

**Fries** · 06-10-2019, 01:25 PM

Originally posted by MJKoski

I recently tried Samyang 24mm f/1.4 for infrared and while it did not work there very well I noticed it easily surpasses 15-30 when stopped down to f/5.6 or so in standard color photography.

There are however very bad copies out there.

I agree. I use the Samyang also and I am very satisfied with it. And it takes regular 77mm filters.

Edit: I haven't used the DFA15-30 so I don't know ho it stackes up against the Samyang. The zoom does offer far more flexibility...

Last edited by Fries; 06-10-2019 at 02:13 PM.

Sandy Hancock · 06-10-2019, 01:52 PM

I have the FA20/2.8, FA*24/2.0 and DFA15-30. The zoom would be my recommendation for versatility, weather resistance and all around image quality.

MJKoski · 06-10-2019, 02:25 PM

15-30 WR, Like its Tamron cousin, works best in 15-20mm range, the rest of the zoom range is only nice-to-have feature. I used to have one but it died along with K-1 thanks to user error few years ago. Mostly missing the 15mm end. My current Irix 15mm does not cut it against the 15-30.

**Wheatridger** · 06-10-2019, 09:40 PM

As a real estate photographer, I've kept looking for the best UVA zoom in the K mount. The new DA* 11-18 is outstanding. I've been testing it for a few weeks, and it's impressively sharp and flare resistant. I plan to send it back, though- I don't need the speed or the corner-to-corner sharpness in my RE work, and I'd hesitate to haul its weight on a hike or a trip. The cost is a big factor, too. Used at 15mm on the K-1, it's the best wide zoom I've used yet. The only flaw that bothers me is barrel distortion. It's simple distortion to fix, but it's an issue.

My hate of barrel distortion is why I always come back to my Sigma EX 12-24 zoom. It's supremely slow, reaching only f4.5 at its widest. It's sharp enough, though no match for the new DA*. Flare can be a problem in long HDR exposures. But this old Sigma has almost no barrel distortion, even at its widest. These old lenses are bulky, but not heavy. They change hands for well under $500. They'd be useless for astro, and bokeh is hard to come by. But it's another choice, probably the best one for me.

Fenwoodian · 06-10-2019, 10:14 PM - **1 Like**

.
If you are indeed looking for the "absolute best" wide manual focus lens, consider the Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 in F mount. It's aptable to Pentax K mount with a Leitax adapter.

If you want Zeiss "3D-pop" and rendering for a bit less money, consider the Zeiss 25mm f/2 "classic" lens. I've owned a couple copies of it, and Pentax forums member Les currently shoots with it on his K-1.

DaveSimo · 06-12-2019, 03:44 AM

Hmmm. So much to consider. What would you guys say about me just buying an FA 31mm Ltd? I think this might just be wide enough. I’d want it for Astro and land/cityscape

Sluggo · 06-12-2019, 06:39 AM

Originally posted by DaveSimo

just buying an FA 31mm Ltd? I think this might just be wide enough

You might find this blog post interesting. The author's statement that "there is no one lens that’s better for landscapes than another" is a little hyperbolic but read the context and you'll understand. Not every landscape shot needs to be wide angle, and some stunning landscapes are made with telephotos. Keep yourself versatile so you can look at what a given scene gives you and choose the composition that speaks to you.

The FA31's famous "pixie dust" is most apparent when there is some separation between subject and background -- environmental portraiture and such. It can be recommended unreservedly to any K-1 owner on that basis -- I adore mine -- and it's also a fine landscape lens just because it's a great lens all around. But if you're really concentrating on landscapes, I think Mirocal's recommendation of the FA 20-35/4 makes a lot of sense. It can go quite a bit wider than the FA31 when the scene calls for it; and at those times when you want an even bigger angle, if you don't have an ultrawide in your bag, a few shots at 20mm stitched in software might be just the ticket.

Here's a thoughtful review of the FA 20-35 by one of our forum members, "northcoastgreg."

**pres589** · 06-12-2019, 08:13 AM

My Sigma 28mm EX DG f1.8 is quite nice (I only use it on crop digital personally) although it is not available new. There were factory refurbs available through retailers like Adorama a couple of years ago which is how I got mine and it seems like a brand new lens.

Laowa 12mm f2.8 hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread. Pentaxforums did an in-depth review of it a while back and it might be worth considering; Venus Optics Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

Fenwoodian · 06-12-2019, 12:04 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by DaveSimo

Hi all,

I'd really appreciate it if someone would give me advice on the absolute best rendering wide-angle lens for landscape photography for my K-1 (preferably a full-frame lens). I now have my D-FA* 50 1.4 and want to only invest in the absolute best I can save up for. I'm looking at the HD Pentax-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR but don't know if it's worth it. I'm not interested in auto-focus anyways since this will be for landscape photography so finely-adjusted slow photography will be the name of game I guess. Perhaps there's something in the vintage lenses by Pentax or other brands?

Any suggestions would be greatly, greatly appreciated

Much love.
David

,

Your original post confused me. It would now seem that you are not interested in the "very best" full frame MF lenses that you mentioned twice in your original post. Now it would appear that you have a limited budget to work with. It would have been helpful knowing up front what that budget was. By saying "absolute best" twice you were inferring that you had an unlimited budget and would consider very expensive premium lenses (e.g. Zeiss) that are considered by me (and others) to be better than any of the above mentioned Pentax lenses.

.

DaveSimo · 06-12-2019, 02:21 PM

Originally posted by Fenwoodian

,

Your original post confused me. It would now seem that you are not interested in the "very best" full frame MF lenses that you mentioned twice in your original post. Now it would appear that you have a limited budget to work with. It would have been helpful knowing up front what that budget was. By saying "absolute best" twice you were inferring that you had an unlimited budget and would consider very expensive premium lenses (e.g. Zeiss) that are considered by me (and others) to be better than any of the above mentioned Pentax lenses.

.

Hey
I’m not sure what it is I said to counter the idea that I do want the best lens...

Fenwoodian · 06-13-2019, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by DaveSimo

Hey
I’m not sure what it is I said to counter the idea that I do want the best lens...

.

It sounded like you have decided to go with the Pentax 31mm LTD lens. While certainly not a dog, this "very good" Pentax lens isn't in the same league as the "great" Zeiss lenses that I mentioned above (I'm probably the only one on this forum who's actually owned both).

TerryL · 07-29-2019, 06:44 PM

Originally posted by DaveSimo

Hi all,

I'd really appreciate it if someone would give me advice on the absolute best rendering wide-angle lens for landscape photography for my K-1 (preferably a full-frame lens). I now have my D-FA* 50 1.4 and want to only invest in the absolute best I can save up for. I'm looking at the HD Pentax-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR but don't know if it's worth it. I'm not interested in auto-focus anyways since this will be for landscape photography so finely-adjusted slow photography will be the name of game I guess. Perhaps there's something in the vintage lenses by Pentax or other brands?

Any suggestions would be greatly, greatly appreciated

Much love.
David

I really like the IRIX 15mm Lens.

Gerbermiester · 10-04-2019, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by Ash

Rokinon 14mm f/2.8. It's decently sharp but it has strong barrel distortion and a boring colour rendition that needs some PP work to make its results pop.

I'd second this recommendation. I've got the Vivitar branded version (Called the 13mm f/2.8) and I've been very pleased with how sharp it is. I like the rendering it puts out too, for such a wide optic.
It's a great night sky shooter, but I've been happy with it for non-architectural wide shots too.

builttospill · 10-06-2019, 05:52 PM - **1 Like**

The 31 is a great wide angle prime that is hard to beat. The only problem with it is once you start using an FA Limited, you'll be forced to buy the other two because of how good they are.

**Kerrowdown** · 10-07-2019, 04:17 AM - **1 Like**

I should mentioned in my previous post and she has been getting on at me ever since...

My “Mistress"(Pentax-A 15mm F3.5), so if you come across one of these you will not be disappointed, she's also a rectilinear lens.

The DOF is absolutely huge, I could actually touch the wall on the left when I took this shot.

06-10-2019, 09:40 PM	#19
Wheatridger Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Colorado Front Range Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 644	I've tried most of them... As a real estate photographer, I've kept looking for the best UVA zoom in the K mount. The new DA* 11-18 is outstanding. I've been testing it for a few weeks, and it's impressively sharp and flare resistant. I plan to send it back, though- I don't need the speed or the corner-to-corner sharpness in my RE work, and I'd hesitate to haul its weight on a hike or a trip. The cost is a big factor, too. Used at 15mm on the K-1, it's the best wide zoom I've used yet. The only flaw that bothers me is barrel distortion. It's simple distortion to fix, but it's an issue. My hate of barrel distortion is why I always come back to my Sigma EX 12-24 zoom. It's supremely slow, reaching only f4.5 at its widest. It's sharp enough, though no match for the new DA*. Flare can be a problem in long HDR exposures. But this old Sigma has almost no barrel distortion, even at its widest. These old lenses are bulky, but not heavy. They change hands for well under $500. They'd be useless for astro, and bokeh is hard to come by. But it's another choice, probably the best one for me.

06-12-2019, 12:04 PM - 1 Like	#24
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	Originally posted by DaveSimo Hi all, I'd really appreciate it if someone would give me advice on the absolute best rendering wide-angle lens for landscape photography for my K-1 (preferably a full-frame lens). I now have my D-FA* 50 1.4 and want to only invest in the absolute best I can save up for. I'm looking at the HD Pentax-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR but don't know if it's worth it. I'm not interested in auto-focus anyways since this will be for landscape photography so finely-adjusted slow photography will be the name of game I guess. Perhaps there's something in the vintage lenses by Pentax or other brands? Any suggestions would be greatly, greatly appreciated Much love. David , Your original post confused me. It would now seem that you are not interested in the "very best" full frame MF lenses that you mentioned twice in your original post. Now it would appear that you have a limited budget to work with. It would have been helpful knowing up front what that budget was. By saying "absolute best" twice you were inferring that you had an unlimited budget and would consider very expensive premium lenses (e.g. Zeiss) that are considered by me (and others) to be better than any of the above mentioned Pentax lenses. . Last edited by Fenwoodian; 06-12-2019 at 12:20 PM.

10-04-2019, 07:16 PM	#28
Gerbermiester Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: British Columbia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 377	Originally posted by Ash Rokinon 14mm f/2.8. It's decently sharp but it has strong barrel distortion and a boring colour rendition that needs some PP work to make its results pop. I'd second this recommendation. I've got the Vivitar branded version (Called the 13mm f/2.8) and I've been very pleased with how sharp it is. I like the rendering it puts out too, for such a wide optic. It's a great night sky shooter, but I've been happy with it for non-architectural wide shots too. Last edited by Gerbermiester; 10-08-2019 at 02:40 PM.

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06-10-2019, 01:25 PM	#16
Fries Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Gauw Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,582	Originally posted by MJKoski I recently tried Samyang 24mm f/1.4 for infrared and while it did not work there very well I noticed it easily surpasses 15-30 when stopped down to f/5.6 or so in standard color photography. There are however very bad copies out there. I agree. I use the Samyang also and I am very satisfied with it. And it takes regular 77mm filters. Edit: I haven't used the DFA15-30 so I don't know ho it stackes up against the Samyang. The zoom does offer far more flexibility... Last edited by Fries; 06-10-2019 at 02:13 PM.

06-10-2019, 01:52 PM	#17
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,272	I have the FA20/2.8, FA*24/2.0 and DFA15-30. The zoom would be my recommendation for versatility, weather resistance and all around image quality.

06-10-2019, 02:25 PM	#18
MJKoski Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1,784	15-30 WR, Like its Tamron cousin, works best in 15-20mm range, the rest of the zoom range is only nice-to-have feature. I used to have one but it died along with K-1 thanks to user error few years ago. Mostly missing the 15mm end. My current Irix 15mm does not cut it against the 15-30.

06-10-2019, 10:14 PM - 1 Like	#20
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	. If you are indeed looking for the "absolute best" wide manual focus lens, consider the Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 in F mount. It's aptable to Pentax K mount with a Leitax adapter. If you want Zeiss "3D-pop" and rendering for a bit less money, consider the Zeiss 25mm f/2 "classic" lens. I've owned a couple copies of it, and Pentax forums member Les currently shoots with it on his K-1.

06-12-2019, 03:44 AM	#21
DaveSimo Forum Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: London Photos: Gallery Posts: 68 Original Poster	Hmmm. So much to consider. What would you guys say about me just buying an FA 31mm Ltd? I think this might just be wide enough. I’d want it for Astro and land/cityscape

06-12-2019, 06:39 AM	#22
Sluggo Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ames, Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 774	Originally posted by DaveSimo just buying an FA 31mm Ltd? I think this might just be wide enough You might find this blog post interesting. The author's statement that "there is no one lens that’s better for landscapes than another" is a little hyperbolic but read the context and you'll understand. Not every landscape shot needs to be wide angle, and some stunning landscapes are made with telephotos. Keep yourself versatile so you can look at what a given scene gives you and choose the composition that speaks to you. The FA31's famous "pixie dust" is most apparent when there is some separation between subject and background -- environmental portraiture and such. It can be recommended unreservedly to any K-1 owner on that basis -- I adore mine -- and it's also a fine landscape lens just because it's a great lens all around. But if you're really concentrating on landscapes, I think Mirocal's recommendation of the FA 20-35/4 makes a lot of sense. It can go quite a bit wider than the FA31 when the scene calls for it; and at those times when you want an even bigger angle, if you don't have an ultrawide in your bag, a few shots at 20mm stitched in software might be just the ticket. Here's a thoughtful review of the FA 20-35 by one of our forum members, "northcoastgreg."

06-12-2019, 08:13 AM	#23
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	My Sigma 28mm EX DG f1.8 is quite nice (I only use it on crop digital personally) although it is not available new. There were factory refurbs available through retailers like Adorama a couple of years ago which is how I got mine and it seems like a brand new lens. Laowa 12mm f2.8 hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread. Pentaxforums did an in-depth review of it a while back and it might be worth considering; Venus Optics Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D Review - Introduction \| PentaxForums.com Reviews

06-12-2019, 02:21 PM	#25
DaveSimo Forum Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: London Photos: Gallery Posts: 68 Original Poster	Originally posted by Fenwoodian , Your original post confused me. It would now seem that you are not interested in the "very best" full frame MF lenses that you mentioned twice in your original post. Now it would appear that you have a limited budget to work with. It would have been helpful knowing up front what that budget was. By saying "absolute best" twice you were inferring that you had an unlimited budget and would consider very expensive premium lenses (e.g. Zeiss) that are considered by me (and others) to be better than any of the above mentioned Pentax lenses. . Hey I’m not sure what it is I said to counter the idea that I do want the best lens...

06-13-2019, 01:59 PM	#26
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	Originally posted by DaveSimo Hey I’m not sure what it is I said to counter the idea that I do want the best lens... . It sounded like you have decided to go with the Pentax 31mm LTD lens. While certainly not a dog, this "very good" Pentax lens isn't in the same league as the "great" Zeiss lenses that I mentioned above (I'm probably the only one on this forum who's actually owned both).

07-29-2019, 06:44 PM	#27
TerryL Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 850	Originally posted by DaveSimo Hi all, I'd really appreciate it if someone would give me advice on the absolute best rendering wide-angle lens for landscape photography for my K-1 (preferably a full-frame lens). I now have my D-FA* 50 1.4 and want to only invest in the absolute best I can save up for. I'm looking at the HD Pentax-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR but don't know if it's worth it. I'm not interested in auto-focus anyways since this will be for landscape photography so finely-adjusted slow photography will be the name of game I guess. Perhaps there's something in the vintage lenses by Pentax or other brands? Any suggestions would be greatly, greatly appreciated Much love. David I really like the IRIX 15mm Lens.

10-06-2019, 05:52 PM - 1 Like	#29
builttospill Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Utah, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,398	The 31 is a great wide angle prime that is hard to beat. The only problem with it is once you start using an FA Limited, you'll be forced to buy the other two because of how good they are.