| Author: | | New Member Registered: November, 2018 Location: Tokyo Posts: 10 | | Review Date: June 13, 2020 | Recommended | 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: April, 2015 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: August 27, 2017 | Recommended
| 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 | | Review Date: December 26, 2015 | Recommended | 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 | | Review Date: November 2, 2015 | Recommended | 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 | | Review Date: September 28, 2015 | Recommended | 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 | | Review Date: August 27, 2015 | Recommended | 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 | | Review Date: October 14, 2014 | Recommended | 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 | | Review Date: August 15, 2014 | Recommended | 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 | | Review Date: August 4, 2014 | Recommended | 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 | | Review Date: July 25, 2014 | Recommended
| 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.
| | | | | New Member Registered: April, 2012 Location: jakarta, Indonesia Posts: 15 | | Review Date: July 18, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $700.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | all metal, flare resistant, beautifull color | | Cons: | barel distortion, expensive | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: Pentax K-5
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My first APS-C lens, wide lens and DA *limited. Bought for landscape in low light (since I have Tamron 17-50mm/F2.8 that is very good at F5.6 and smaller). I was striked by the color and flare resistant it has, but little bit surprised by distortion. May be, I'm not used to such wide lens. I take this lens and FA-43mm/F1.9 for our last trip. Very amazing image.
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 4,005 | | Review Date: May 25, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | IQ, Sturdy, Compact, AF | | Cons: | None | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K-7
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I bought the DA15mm Ltd to use on my K-7. Since I used it with my K-01 and K-3 also and my comments apply to all these usages. I was 'conned' to get the lens after reading https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/86234-15mm-limited-controls-my-mind-club.html.
The IQ of the DA15mm Ltd is breathtaking. I have both the DA10-17mm and DA15mm Ltd now. They are different and the DA15mm Ltd has more use.
A major feature of the DA15mm is its pancake design: a very solid and sturdy lens, with a very compact size. Together its IQ (did I mention IQ?), this is a winner.
After reading https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/86234-15mm-limited-controls-my-mind-club.html, I can fully adhere to the thread: the DA15mm Ltd is a 'mind blowing' WA lens.
Very highly recommended.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: November, 2012 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,035 | | Review Date: March 1, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | compact size, build quality, sharpness, autofocus speed, good for close ups, built in hood | | Cons: | nothing significant | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5 and K10D
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Not much I can say that hasn't been said already. This is a great wide angle lens, compact and exceptionally well built. This was the first of the limiteds that I bought and it did not take long before I made it my goal to get them all. This along with the 21 mm limited fulfill all I could want for wide angle photography. Also this lens takes beautiful close ups as well.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 95 | | Review Date: February 28, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $520.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, Flare resistance, Colors, Hood Design | | Cons: | Screw in lens cover | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Autofocus: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K01; K5
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I also have DA21 and DA40 but they cannot reach a 'Wow' sharpness and colors that DA15 has. A50 F1.4 can catch up the sharpness but the flare resistance is far away from DA15. I can be quite free to take photos with DA15 even if with he bright sun included.
Build quality is very good and the hood design is smart and fun!
I travelled to Japan last November. Originally I wanted to buy a DA or Sigma 12-24mm but finally purchased a DA15 in Kyoto Japan. It became the main lens on K-01 during the trip and occasionally DA 18-135 is used.
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2007 Location: Arnold, Md. Posts: 762 | | Review Date: November 1, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $499.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, color, flare resistance | | Cons: | none so far | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Autofocus: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
New or Used: New
Camera Used: K5
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Bought this on closeout sale because I don't think the new coating on the new models will be worth the extra bucks. I can see why it has such a following. I'm sure it will become one of my favorite lens. Cannot understand why some are complaining about the lens cap unless they are suffering from excessively chubby fingers. | | |
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