[saabeilin]

Hi! For the context: I'm not a pro but not a newbie either; I love landscape photography but for some reasons most of the pictures I like myself I took with 50mm in film era and recently with f/2.4 35 "plastic fantastic" (maybe proportions feel more natural with this angle of view?) and as well ~21-24mm @ zoom.

A few days ago I could not withstand buying a 15mm Limited in a really mint condition for 50% of the new price. I was definitely driven by "I want it, I'll figure out how to". Comes out I have no idea how to deal with 15mm, I actually quite rarely used 18mm on my zoom. Well I actually planned for a 21mm lim but...

I'm definitely keen to exploring different genres and techniques. I love travelling and both wild nature landscape and city/architecture are in my list

I'd be extremely thankful for good examples and maybe some articles (sure I can google, too)

//mvh Sergei

[jgnfld]

First piece of advice I can give is do not think of it as just another landscape lens. Leastways I've never liked the results over panos using longer FLs which capture far more detail.

Get close to the subject(s) as possible.

[robiles]

Hi! For the context: I'm not a pro but not a newbie either; I love landscape photography but for some reasons most of the pictures I like myself I took with 50mm in film era and recently with f/2.4 35 "plastic fantastic" (maybe proportions feel more natural with this angle of view?) and as well ~21-24mm @ zoom.

A few days ago I could not withstand buying a 15mm Limited in a really mint condition for 50% of the new price. I was definitely driven by "I want it, I'll figure out how to". Comes out I have no idea how to deal with 15mm, I actually quite rarely used 18mm on my zoom. Well I actually planned for a 21mm lim but...

I'm definitely keen to exploring different genres and techniques. I love travelling and both wild nature landscape and city/architecture are in my list

I'd be extremely thankful for good examples and maybe some articles (sure I can google, too)

//mvh Sergei

I was also overwhelmed, and twice that is:

- 1st time when i bought a tamron 10-24 (now long gone);

-2nd time when i tried the sigma 8-16 borowed from a wor coleague.

The wider you go, the weirder it gets, because it is really hard to imagine what fits in the frame, and how it all looks, what you see with your eyes and what the camera sees thru the lens.

The 15 limkted though is a more easy to use lens. The lens is generally used for: compositions with two points of interests, one smaller close and the other further away and bigger; photos with sun in the frame because of the flare resistance; and the smc version is known for the sun stars (or how they are called).

My advice is to use the exagerated perspective in creative ways, and do not be afraid to experiment - you have to try to get to know your lens to use it best.

A good place to start is check out the "The 15mm Limited controls my mind - club" dedicated to this lens:
The 15mm Limited controls my mind - club - PentaxForums.com

there you will see what the lens is capable of and also learn about how best to use this lens.

Hope this is enough to get you started, and most off all, gets you out of the house to just use it, because it is a lot of fun.

---------- Post added 12-07-19 at 12:30 AM ----------

First piece of advice I can give is do not think of it as just another landscape lens. Leastways I've never liked the results over panos using longer FLs which capture far more detail.

Get close to the subject(s) as possible.

I find the 15 limited more than capable of producing really good panoramas - i have a 30x90cm panorama, croped from a 24mp image and the detail is really outstanding - except the extreme edges of the frame, which are decent. On a tripod, with carefull focusing, the results might be even better.

[c.a.m]

I'd be extremely thankful for good examples and maybe some articles

Hi @saabeilin,

I also have the DA 15mm Limited. It took me some time to become familiar with it. I do not use it as frequently as some of my other lenses, but I have been happy with the pictures I get.

In my usage, I often use the DA 15 as a 'foreground lens'. I use it to accentuate the contrast between foreground and background, thus emphasizing the foreground subject. I found that using the DA 15 to 'get everything in' usually resulted in a completely dead area in the centre foreground.

Perhaps this image shows an example of a strong foreground subject. The background serves as context for the subject.


- Craig

[aslyfox]

If the OP has not done yet look under " Lenses " above l suggest that be done

Look at the " in depth " review as well as the " user reviews "

and then there is a thread about the limiteds that might be of interest

it is not a short one however

the limiteds do they live up to the reputation and why

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/358446-lim...ml#post4169799

[ChristianRock]

Wide angle isn't for everyone... my favorite landscape shots are also in the slightly-wide, normal and short telephoto range (and I'm also nowhere near to being a pro in any sense of that word).

Though I have to say that I have used the 16mm end of my DA 16-45mm a few times, with good results, I don't think I could just stick a 15 or 16mm lens on my camera because those times were more the exception than the rule. And if you don't really use the 18mm hardly at all but 21mm might be ok... I think trading that 15mm for the DA 21mm Limited might be just what the doctor ordered

[pschlute]

My advice is preset focus to the hyperfocal distance. Turn off AF. Then get shooting. I do have a 15mm lens but not your one. This is a 18mm k series lens on Pentax K-1.

[ChristianRock]

Hi @saabeilin,

I also have the DA 15mm Limited. It took me some time to become familiar with it. I do not use it as frequently as some of my other lenses, but I have been happy with the pictures I get.

In my usage, I often use the DA 15 as a 'foreground lens'. I use it to accentuate the contrast between foreground and background, thus emphasizing the foreground subject. I found that using the DA 15 to 'get everything in' usually resulted in a completely dead area in the centre foreground.

Perhaps this image shows an example of a strong foreground subject. The background serves as context for the subject.


- Craig

I get what you are trying to say, and what you say is even taught at some educational articles on how to use wide angle lenses. But for me, that use of ultrawide might not generate the most aesthetically pleasing pictures - and I realize this is a purely personal point of view, so please don't take it as an offence I might in fact be in the minority here - landscapes of beaches with rocks looking huge due to the ultrawide effect seem to be very popular.

In this case, using a normal lens and stepping back a few steps would make the canon look more normal (i.e. not having a "big butt" ).

The use I have for ultrawide is when I have a subject that is not so close that it distorts to much, and not so far that it looks tiny - and I can't step further back for whatever reason. Two examples of using my DA 16-45 at 16mm:

[Madaboutpix]

The DA15 Limited is a wideangle prime that takes you to the brink of ultra-wideangle territory, while still avoiding some of the grosser distortions of even more extreme lenses. By no means an easy lens to deeply learn, as it has its quirks (not least, a pretty pronounced field curvature, which, depending on the situation, can make it a bit tricky to achieve edge sharpness), but at the same time a lens with considerable character and even a couple of aces up its sleeve (e.g. remarkable contrast and colour rendition, flare resistance, low distortion, beautiful sunbursts).

The images below may not be award-worthy, but illustrate a number of techniques, or at least some of them, that might help you make this lens sing:

• Get close to your subject, closer than you comfortably would normally, then move back a tad.
• Utilize foreground interest, leading lines, and the human brain's tendency to complete shapes that are cut-off in meaningful ways.
• Look up what "hyperfocal distance", "double-the-distance method", and "field curvature" mean (if you don't know already) and use them for (pre)focussing.
• Use the levels display of your camera to keep your horizons straight.
• Try out different apertures and their effect; often, medium apertures will serve you best by giving you a good balance between overall sharpness and depth of field.
• Definitely explore what this lens can do with back- and sidelit subjects (but extend the built-in hood when you do so).
• Wideangle lenses exaggerate distances, including your distance from the ground; sometimes it helps to get a bit closer to that ground.
• Look for foreground elements you can utilize as internal-framing devices.
• Set yourself some kind of one-lens challenge that makes you shoot the DA15 a lot; nothing can replace hands-on experience and practice.
• Perhaps most importantly, have fun and enjoy this little gem of a lens for what it is.

[cooks333]

I'm certainly not a pro, but have been learning to use my 15mm this year and would agree with other posters about needing to get close to subjects. I was hesitant to get close enough at first, so tried training myself by thinking to get as close as possible...and then then take another step closer after that. I've also found that foregrounds are really important at 15mm to give depth to the landscape to go along with the width. I suppose that's a good principle for landscapes with any lens, but I find myself paying a lot more attention to it when shooting at 15mm.

[dchemist]

Use the levels display of your camera to keep your horizons straight.

This is good advice. Watch your tilt... Once you're good and comfortable at keeping it straight, start playing around with tilt to intentionally mess with your perspective.

[travelswsage]

Lots of great advice. One additional use I've found for the 15mm (I have the 15-30) would be tight architectural interiors -- just be sure to keep level to avoid "falling" perspectives.

[MaineNative]

I have a 20 mm for my K-1 and find it a little too wide sometimes because if there isn’t a foreground object, everything is too small to see... Nothing really catches your eye.

However, I have found the ultra-wide good when you are forced to stand close to something but still want to capture a picture of then whole object. For example, if you want to take a picture of a store window but can only get a shot from the sidewalk 4 feet away, the ultra-wide can do it. Or if you want to take a picture of a waterfall but the only place to stand is 10 feet from the base, the ultra-wide can do it. If you could back up, you could use something like a 28 or 50 mm instead.

I have a big maple tree about 20 feet in front of my house. If I stand across the road with my 28-105, I can get a picture of my whole house with a tree in front. If I stand 18 feet away with my 20 mm, I can get a picture of the whole house, but without the distracting tree.

[Fenwoodian]

.
I'm definitely NOT a wide angle guy. The distortion of wide angle lenses makes me dizzy. To me, wide angle lens distortion looks much like a fun house mirror at the carnival.

The widest lens I will use is a 35mm lens on a full frame Pentax K-1. I have not found any lens wider than that that has zero distortion.

If I want to capture more of the scene, I'll stitch multiple, distortion-free images I take with my 35mm or 50mm lenses.

[mconwxdr]

Excellent advice here. One thing I’ll add....I know you had landscape in mind, but don’t be afraid to try environmental portraits with it. 21-35mm are thought to be best for this, but I’ve been happy with how I’ve been able to use lines and shapes in the environment to frame people with it. And the lack of distortion compared to WA zooms is noticeable in these types of shots.