| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: May, 2014 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,710 | | Lens Review Date: June 13, 2020 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $350.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Fun Factor, Perspective, Lack of distortion, Sharp | | Cons: | so far none... | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K5 IIs
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This is not one of these lenses where you pixel-peep, shoot charts and boast about the CA you found on certain images. This is a lens you take out the house and have some fun with ! The perspective this lens gives you on a cropped camera is amazing ! You could be standing a few feet away from an object and you are still able to get the entire object in the frame. With most lenses you have to back up to get the entire scene in the frame, but with this lens you actually have to move forward and closer to the subject ? Of course you still have to have to take into consideration things such as white balance, ISO, aperture and shutter speed, but once that is settled, you will be amazed at the pictures you can take with this lens. The distortions are minimal ! The Pentax colors are there, if not the occasional pixie-dust magic. Can't wait to take this lens out at night with my tripod and check out the star-burst !    
 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2018 Location: Tokyo Posts: 10 | | Lens Review Date: June 13, 2020 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $230.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Small | | Cons: | Front cap, f4 | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: KP
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Contrast is good but not as good as the 31mm Limited by the latter is on a different level. The front cap really takes time to open.
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2019 Posts: 18 | | Lens Review Date: April 16, 2020 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | | | Cons: | | | New or Used: New
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K3
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 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: September, 2013 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,012 | | Lens Review Date: March 5, 2020 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $225.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Wide! Small and leightweight, build quality great, starbursts, nice retractable hood | | Cons: | Could be a little sharper and have a larger aperture? | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-3
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This is a nice small lens that can go wider than the 18-55mm kit I had. I bought it for a trip to Japan and it was able to fit a lot in the viewfinder. I also took it to Yellowstone and it didn't disappoint there either. Lots of contrast and plenty sharp stopped down. You do have to be careful how you focus at wider apertures or it can appear soft on the edges if they are out of focus. I also wanted this lens for the starbursts, and you can shoot right into the sun with this one. I've also had a limited lens before and like the build quality of them. I also like how the built in metal pedal hood retracts easily. Mine came with a plastic Pentax pinch cap so I've never used it with the original metal one so can't comment on that. I have no issues with focusing it, but when taking close photos at max aperture the bokeh can appear a little "busy" as they say, but you can get decent subject isolation if you are close. This is a lens that will teach you a lot about composition. Just changing where you stand by a few steps can change what you see in the photo dramatically, and a poorly composed shot can appear quite boring, so keep your shots creative! Below is a link to an album of some high resolution samples I've gotten with this lens:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/joshhphotography/albums/72157713363148671 | | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: September, 2018 Location: Poland Posts: 722 | | Lens Review Date: December 23, 2019 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $300.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | build quality, IQ | | Cons: | price | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
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Beautiful lens, excellent for all sorts of themes, from landscapes to street photography. Pretty sharp from the widest aperture. Excellent build quality; the built-in hood is a nice advantage. SMC-version is famous for its starbursts, especially when stopped-down.*
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: March, 2010 Location: Vermont Posts: 923 | | Lens Review Date: November 30, 2019 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $300.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Starbursts, micro-contrast, Pentax colors | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-3
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This is a keeper when it comes to all the lenses I've owned. This is one very versatile lens that is my go-to when shooting APS-C and landscape. And the starburst characteristic is very special, which is missing to some degree with the newer HD version of this lens. Not sure if the HD is worth losing the starburst effect that this lens is known for.
 Selected-4935 by David Carman, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2015 Posts: 1 | | Lens Review Date: August 27, 2017 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Excellent color, contrast and built quality | | Cons: | difficult to add lens filter | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: k-50
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This is now the widest lens I own. It has been simply wonderful to use.
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2015 Posts: 3 | | Lens Review Date: December 26, 2015 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $400.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharpness | | Cons: | lens cap | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: k3
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I also love this lens and hate the screw on lens cap.
Keep in mind you can buy a pentax brand plastic non screw on lens cap that fits on top. I have this on my lens, and have no issues.
Pentax 49mm O-LC49 Lens Cap 31526
I kind guesstimated the amount of space between the front of the lens and the inside of the lens cap. I figure there are a couple of millimeters between the front of the lens and the back of the lens cap. And that's only when you squeeze it together. I have been using it for months and i haven't ever had it scratch the lens. The plastic cap looks like it was made for the lens.
| | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2015 Location: Stockholm Posts: 15 | | Lens Review Date: November 2, 2015 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $400.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, small, built in hood | | Cons: | Slow | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K5 IIs
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Nice little quality lens with great IQ and nice colours.
At f4 it has good center sharpness but is a bit soft towards the corners. Stopped down to f8-f13 it really shines. Haven't experienced any CA worth mentioning. I do find it a bit slow since I need to keep it at around f8 to get corner sharpness. If it where a 2.8 it would be 3 times larger and heavier so why complain, it's a practical little wide angle! 
@ f6,3:
 | | | | | Forum Member Registered: July, 2015 Posts: 53 | | Lens Review Date: September 28, 2015 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $520.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Size, build quality, flare resistance | | Cons: | corner sharpness, purple fringing | | Sharpness: 6
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 7
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K 3 II
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Either my copy was really bad or people don't care about corner sharpness and purple fringing.
Corners on my copy were atrocious, worse than Sigma 10-20 I used to have. Visible even at screen size, not 100%. Purple fringing all over high contrast areas as well.
On plus size: great build quality, really loved the size. AF quick and accurate, great colors and starbursts.
Overall: I've sold it as I couldn't accept those corners. Check the photos, these are resized and corner softness is easily visible.
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2011 Location: Hanoi Posts: 213 | | Lens Review Date: August 27, 2015 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $500.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | close up, well-control distortation | | Cons: | easy to drop the shade | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: Pentax K200D
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The size of this lens is quite small but the quality is really valuable. When I travelled around Europe, I used only 15ltd to pose.
 Spree river, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: July, 2011 Posts: 8 | | Lens Review Date: October 14, 2014 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $500.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Size, colotr rendering, angle | | Cons: | Aperture? | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K5
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Brilliant gem from Pentax. Small, high quality, great build and overall great image quality. It is well larger than the 40 or 21 Limited, more in the order of size of the 40 limited. However, for a 15mm, that is really small. Compared for instance to the 10-20 Sigma (3.5) it is amazingly small.
This is a lens I often use for wide angle photography, both outdoor (great starburst indeed) and indoor. I also own a 10-17 fisheye, and this is in a different league. That is great as toy for fun pictures, this is serious equipment. Very happy with the purchase - although it is expensive...
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2013 Location: Weddington, NC Posts: 468 | | Lens Review Date: August 15, 2014 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $500.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharp & compact | | Cons: | wish it were a bit faster | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: Used
Camera Used: K-5, K-7, K20D, K220D
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I wasn't sure that I needed this lens as I already own the DA12-24 however once I put it on the camera I realized how much different it handled than the 12-24. It is small, light and easy to carry. I have taken some of my best images with this lens. I find it excellent for street shooting and general use in a closed setting. It's also great for architecture.
The only drawback is that it's f4. I wish that it were a stop or two faster but that would change the size and handling of the lens.
I consider it to be a core lens that compliments my collection of FA's and is equally as sharp.
taken with the DA15 / K-5
 floating_ducks_DxO by peterjcb, on Flickr
 IMGP2725_DxO by peterjcb, on Flickr
 under_the_heros_Photoshop CS6 / Topaz plug-in by peterjcb, on Flickr
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: February, 2011 Posts: 4,873 | | Lens Review Date: August 4, 2014 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: $600.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Vibrant images, joy of use, small, light, no flare. | | Cons: | No WR, corner sharpness wide open, small aperture | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K-5
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Giving this one a 10.
It's better, IMO, than the HD 15mm. The sunbursts are beautiful, the bokeh is great for a 15mm. No flare, which is a big concern (for me at least) at this aperture.
There's a tradeoff between aperture and weight, and Pentax built this for weight. No flare.
Only downside that really bothers me is the lack of WR.
That said I don't think I'm ever going to sell mine.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: June, 2009 Location: Berlin Posts: 103 | | Lens Review Date: July 25, 2014 | I can recommend this lens: Yes |
Price: N/A
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Built, quality, integrated retractable hood | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5
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One of my favourites. Great for travel. Small, great build, great optical quality and thank you Pentax for the retractable hood. This is VERY convenient.
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