| Author: | | New Member Registered: June, 2008 Location: SH Posts: 9
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 15, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $650.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | outstanding size/performance ratio | | Cons: | slight weakness in edge sharpness | | New or Used: New
| |
For me this lens is an excellent piece of optics. The size/performance ratio is
outstanding - in absolute terms, I consider the performance as very good.
Center sharpness is quite sufficient (my English is not) and even some slight
weakness in edge sharpness doesn't prevent from creating excellent images,
particulary in extreme lighting situations (such as against harsh sunlight). A Zoom
like DA12-24 cannot provide such amazing insensitivity against incoming direct light.
The color rendering is very good - like known from other modern pentax lenses.
The look and feel of this lens is like other Limiteds, the only little disadvantage
I can see (for me) is the screw mount lens cap - but you also can use some
modern standard pentax plastic cap (like the one from DFA100).
2 samples (taken by myself):
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| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: July, 2009 Location: Singapore Posts: 182
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 10, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $569.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Compact and well-built, low distortion and good flare and CA control | | Cons: | sharpness can be better | |
A very nice lens to hold and behold - probably the best built among the DA limiteds. For its size, nothing comes close - think DA14, DA12-24 and Sigma10-20. I would have picked the DA12-24 if I want sheer optical quality. Sharpness seems a bit lacking but probably I am nit-picking here since it's so wide, objects are very zoomed-out compared to normals and telephotos. Sharpness just increase slightly as you stop down. Very well controlled distortion - minimal barrel and very rectilinear. I use it mainly for city-scape which means f8 or higher usually:
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: July, 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 57
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 10, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $1,000.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Build quality, size, IQ when stopped down | | Cons: | Max aperture and sharpness wide open | |
This certainly is a very good lens with only a few minor flaws. The max aperture is a bit slow, and the sharpness wide open isn't spectacular. Stopped down, it gets better although never quite as sharp as the best WA zooms. Still, it should be sufficient for most normal users.
Where this lens truly shines is build quality and size. It is really small and light, yet still built like a tank. You simply don't get these lenses anywhere else. The Limited primes was one of the main reasons I switched to Pentax, and every time I use this lens, I'm very happy I did. As an amateur photographer, enjoying using my gear is (almost) as important as getting the results, and while other lenses might offer slightly better sharpness, they most certainly wouldn't be as nice to use.
The price is a different story, of course, and proof of how screwed up the Pentax Europe pricing policy is.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: February, 2009 Posts: 46
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 20, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $540.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Compact size, build quality, contrast | | Cons: | sharpness near the edge isnt the best | |
I am very happy with this lens. Same Limited build quality as other limited lenses. Very compact size, great for traveling. Lens cover screws on which I like, better then that on my 35mm limited which is prone to falling off.
My only complaint is that its not a 12-24mm, and that the sharpness in the outer sections of the photo isnt the best (but still pretty good!).
3 shots, F/6.7, 1/60 s, ISO 100. 7:50am
 | | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: August, 2008 Location: Brazil Posts: 532 | | Review Date: December 2, 2009 | Recommended
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | razor sharp wide open, no distortion or flare, small and light, metal construction | | Cons: | none really | |
A gem of a lens. I have no problem giving it a 10 rating.
Razor sharp. Flare-free. Small and light. Top-notch metal construction wows Canonites and Nikonians.
A small amount of vignetting wide open but it's a physical limitation of all wide angles so can't penalize the lens for it.
Thank you Pentax!
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: May, 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 69 | | Review Date: December 18, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $786.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Razor sharp,flare-free,small and light,finest optical and mechanical quality | | Cons: | screw-in lens cap | |
This is a fantastic little lens.
Razor sharp,flare-free,small and light.
Finest optical and mechanical quality.
A small amount of vignetting wide open,
but it's a physical limitation of all wide angles.
The only annoyance is the screw-in lens cap.
Instead,i use the original Pentax Plastic Snap-In 49mm lens cap.
Sample Shots with the Pentax K-7 and the Pentax DA 15/4 Limited lens.
Lens at maximum aperture for the following photos.
The Pentax Lens DA 15 / 4 Limited, also has a very good
minimum focusing distance of just 18cm.
Shots freehand without a tripod, JPG, only resized.
Regards,
Hartmut from Berlin/Germany
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2007 Posts: 8,237
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 13, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $540.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small, superb center sharpness, fast AF, flare control | | Cons: | Corners weaker than 12-24 | |
One of the funnest lenses I've shot with in a while. The sharpness in the center at f/4 and across the frame at f/8 make this little beauty something you want to take everywhere. Combined with the typical DA limited contrast pop, and you just spend the day smiling when you're out with this baby.
See this thread for my and other's journey with this lens: ---> It Controls My Mind.
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2008 Location: Emeryville, CA Posts: 1,122 | | Review Date: January 25, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $540.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Color, contrast, sharpness | | Cons: | lens cap | |
I've had this lens for a little over a week. And I'm amazed by the color and contrast. And sharpness of this lens is nicer than my 21. I don't notice the distortion that can happen with an ultrawide. Like the DA 35 it is a wonderful piece of glass. Loving it.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: June, 2009 Posts: 35
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 9, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Build quality, size, predictable performance | | Cons: | not extremely sharp for a prime. | |
All has been said in previous reviews. I'll only add that extreme wide angles need a lot of thinking to get critically sharp results through the whole frame, against what one might think. When you point a lens this wide to the horizon and focus at infinity at the corners of the frame you get stuff that might be a little more than a meter away. And also because of field curvature it's hard to get those areas well focused, even if you don't see it. For landscape shots this lens can produce great results, but at least in my sample there is still huge improvement going from f/8 to f/11. And I wouldn't hesitate to go for f/16, the very small loss in center sharpness is compensated by a much more homogenous sharpness level from center to corners. As I said, with a lens this wide you sometimes get little things in the frame you didn't quite see before. For great results a tripod is mandatory.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 744
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 13, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Build quality, manual focusing, size, image quality | | Cons: | built-in lens hood | | New or Used: New
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1) Build Quality:
This is a solid lens. It's fit and finish are top notch and the manual focusing on this lens is reminiscent of the old manual focus lenses, with the right amount of dampening.
2) Optics:
For all the talk of soft images in some of the formal reviews, this lens is very sharp all the way around. I've only used it stopped down, but I have never felt the image quality has been anything other than superb. I should also mention the colour is fantastic on this lens....right up there with the DA* line of lenses, and the contrast is also top notch.
3) My personal wishes....
I had a DA14mm and it was a faster lens, but I never used it at f/2.8. Also, it vignetted horribly with my Cokin 'P' sized filters. Although you need to use a 49mm ring-mount filter before you can add the cokin P set-up, it does work with only the extreme corners vignetting. I wish the built-in hood sat flush with the end of the lens when retracted and haven't ruled out removing some of the lens hood to do this. Having said that, the vignetting can be fixed and it's only at the very extreme corners so it's much better than the results I get even from the DA*16-50 at the wide end.
Of course, if this lens was weather-sealed, it would be that much closer to perfection, but all in all, there's very few reasons to critisize this lens.
Overall, I'd say a 9.5/10 for my uses. Paired up with my 43mm limited, I've got the perfect walk-around kit and for the first time since going digital, I can use my singh-ray filters (including the polarizers) without having to sacrifice a good portion of the original image because of vignetting. It now comes down to whether or not I break out the hack-saw and 'fix' the lens-hood 
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From yesterday's play-time with the 15mm with a Singh-ray Reverse GND and Hi-Lux 49mm filter. The flare is probably caused by my hand coming in contact with the filter (which was in my pocket) when I was changing lenses.
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 14, 2010 | Recommended
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, small, light weight, built-in lens hood, no distortion | | Cons: | Expensive, lens cap | | New or Used: New
| |
I find this lens very sharp. Itīs a little bit soft in the corners wide open but otherwise - razor sharp. The contrast and the colors are great. Almost no distortion at all.
Iīm more and more into primes instead of zooms and I especially like the small size, the glass and metal materials and the built-in lens hood.
I donīt like the screw-in lens cap. itīs better to use a traditional one.
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| | | | | New Member Registered: January, 2010 Location: Fresno, Ca Posts: 13 | | Review Date: March 12, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $534.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | image quality, size, lens hood, metal barrel | | Cons: | only f/4, metal screw on lens cap, lens hood | |
My absolute favorite lens in my bunch. I shoot with this lens probably 75% of the time. Its is a great lens and a rugged performer. I love the all metal design. I listed the lens hood as like and dislike. It's great it is built in. But it sticks up a bit making it hard it get the caps on. I ended up getting a plastic snap cap instead of the metal one. Overall though... I would say it's probably one of the best performers I have worked with. I wish it was a 2.8 but I can have it all. Still love it.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: August, 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 7,484
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 17, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $499.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build, speed, handling, of course image quality | | Cons: | Lens cap | |
What can I add that hasn't already been said. The only thing I Don't like about the lens is the screw on lens cap. I would have preferred a slip on type like that on my other Limited lenses.
The color rendering from this lens is absolutely gorgeous. It is fast to focus on the K7. Lens flare is very well controlled but as with any lens, care should be taken when including a very bright sun in the photo. I haven't noticed any distortion on the edges, and it's plenty sharp across the board. It might have been nice if it went to f2.8 but they already have the DA14mm for that.
Overall it's a fun lens to use and will let you get up close and personal on those Wide subjects.
In case the photos above disappear for some reason, here is my flickr page for the DA15mm Limited.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13300089@N08/sets/72157623887190114/detail/
Simply a pleasure to use. It's my go to lens when I cannot decide on what lens to take with me (I have too many of them  )
 | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: September, 2006 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 10,685
7 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 1, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $525.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | amazing IQ, incredibly small even with hood, a really useful focal length | | Cons: | awkward screw-in cap (easily replaced by a standard 49mm pinch version) | |
This has become my most used lens, and by a pretty large margin - surprising from someone who does shoots a ton of concert photography and generally leans toward telephoto. It's hard to put into words how much fun this lens is. Being so much smaller and not quite so unnaturally wide as the DA14, but noticeably wider than the DA18-55, it's really a perfect focal length for a wide prime in my opinion. Someone who is totally into wide angle photography would probably prefer a zoom that starts wider and ends longer, but such lenses are much larger than I would want to be carrying around on a regular basis. And make no mistake - I do have a prime basis, largely for this reason. Someone with an overall zoom basis would be well served getting the DA12-24, Sigma 10-20, Sigma 8-16. But someone looking for a way of getting wide angle capability without needing to buy a whole new bag just for the new lens - this is the lens, period.
Some specifics worth mentioning:
- As someone who shoots in low light quite a lot, I would *not* be concerned over a max aperture of f/4. It's not like you often need fast shutter speeds in low light when at 15mm. With that wide an FOV, neither camera shake nor subject motion are big issues except at point blank range. Also, at close range, DOF is already surprisingly thin. I'd rate the DA15 as being at least as generally use in low light as any of the other DA Limiteds.
- The lens is practically free of linear distortions, but that doesn't mean it violates the laws of physics and eliminates *perspective* distortion. Shoot a person from very close range and their nose *will* look big, because it is significantly closer to you. Nor do you want your subject in the corners. Taking a large field of view that almost wraps around to your sides and shrinking it into an image you look at directly in front of you rather than wrapped around to the sides like the original scene will *always* result in things looking "stretched".
- Center sharpness is absolutely incredible - almost off the chart even wide open, as verified by Photozone and my sample below. Corners are the really the part people debate, and then, only at relatively large apertures. I'd note that the corners are almost *never* in focus at f/4 or f/5.6 when shooting ultra-wide - the large FOV and the DOF and field curvature issues make that very difficult to achieve. And the perspective distortion means details in the corners seldom reproduce as you'd want them anyhow. But FWIW, when you do manage to get the corners in focus at larger apertures, there is really nothing to complain about in the sharpness department, as I will try to demonstrate below.
- The lens is *so* sharp throughout most of the image that cropping it to resemble the 21mm FOV is really quite doable. A 12MP image taken at 15mm but cropped to the 21mm FOV yields, um, something like a 6MP image - still more than enough for large prints with good resolution. So if, like me, you're debating the 15 or 21, I say, get the 15 and have it both ways.
- Flare resistance is admirable, and you often see people post shots with the sun in them that demonstrate this (see below). I would just caution that the lens does not have the magic ability to fix the dynamic range problems in inherent in such shots. Expose to show any detail in the sky, and your foreground will still be silhouetted; expose to show foreground detail and the sky will still be blown out. But if you catch the sun being filtered by a cloud or through trees, or in a cloudless sky where there is no detail worry about, or if you simply brighten the shadows in a silhouetted image, you can certainly get the kind of results you see in samples. My sample below had the foreground brightened in PP.
So here are my shots to demonstrate what I think are the salient points the lens:
Legendary flare resistance, wide-but-not-unnaturally-so FOV:
The fun factor cannot be overstated:
Perfectly usable in "low light" situations:
Good close focus capabilities, and fairly shallow DOF possible even at f/4:
There's probably no better lens for the "hold-the-camera-and-point-back-at-yourself-to-prove-you-were-there" shot - wide enough to take in some of the scene along with a couple of people, light enough to actually hold this way:
And for the pixel peepers, some 100% crops (from a 10MP K200D):
100% crop from center at f/8:
100% crop from center at f/4:
100% crop from extreme border at f/4:
100% crop from extreme corner at f/5.6:
 | | | | | Administrator
Site Webmaster Registered: September, 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 51,594
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 3, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $499.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Compact, sharp, great colors, stunning close-ups | | Cons: | Screw-in cap is tedious to use, lens hard to hold | | New or Used: New
| |
B&H Photo was generous enough to loan us this lens for an official PentaxForums.com review! It is currently offered for $499 - click here to buy!
After spending a couple of weeks with this lens, we were quite impressed, especially when comparing it with the SMC-A 15mm F3.5 full-frame lens. The DA 15mm seemed sharper at F4 and F5.6, and frequently produced better-exposed images in P mode.
We found that this lens is very sharp in the center, and therefore an amazing choice for close-up shots. There was no loss in resolution when text was photographed from a distance of 3 to 6 feet. At a distance, and to the naked eye, there was no noticeable difference in overall sharpness between this lens, the A 15mm, and the DA 12-24mm zoom. 15mm is a pretty wide focal length, and therefore something like this is to be expected.
Pentax's modern coatings as well as the built-in hood do a pretty good job with flare control, so that impressed us as well. AF speed was very fast, and throw and stiffness were both above average for this kind of lens. Like all DA limited lenses, the DA 15mm features a very elegant all-metal finish.
The only negatives we could identify were that the screw-in cap was a pain to use, and that the lens was somewhat hard to hold on to when mounted. An extra stop of light would also sometimes come in handy, but we can't complain about considering the lens's tiny size and weight. For those needing a faster lens, there's always the SMC Pentax-DA 14mm F2.8, which is considerably larger.
If I were more of a wide-angle shooter, I would have held onto this lens in a heartbeat! I strongly recommend it for anyone who enjoys taking landscapes, panoramas, or wide close-ups!
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