Pentax smc DA 15 mm f/4 ED AL Limited review - Introduction

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Pentax smc DA 15 mm f/4 ED AL Limited

16 August 2011

Arkadiusz Olech

1. Introduction

When digital cameras with sensors smaller than full frame appeared on the market they forced some changes in the offer of lenses as well. Plenty of instruments, designed for small detectors, have been launched ever since but, what is interesting, the majority of them were mainly zooms. If any fixed focal lens was launched it usually has been a standard device or an instrument with longer focal lengths. For example the Canon company has managed to produce just one “prime” for smaller sensors during last ten years – the EF-S 60 mm F/2.8 USM Macro. Not much better situation can be seen for Nikon where we are given just the equivalent of a standard lens, so the Nikkor AF-S 35 mm f/1.8 DX, a telephoto macro lens, the Nikkor AF-S DX Micro 85 mm f/3.5G ED VR or the Nikkor AF-S DX Micro40 mm f/2.8G, presented not so long ago. Sony can boast a better array but their offer concerns mainly a bottom of the range segment, of low price and very low mechanical quality. The independent producers don’t spoil us either – there are simply no wide angle “primes” designed for smaller sensors in their offers.

A nice change from that clichéd pattern gives us Pentax, though. A whole series of Limited class lenses (and not only), designed for smaller detectors, has appeared recently on the market. In fact, it is the only company which offers lenses with a really wide angle of view, the Pentax smc DA 15 mm f/4 ED AL Limited among others, which on an APS-C/DX sensor gives you an angle of almost 87 degrees. Exactly this model will be the main character of our newest test – enjoy your reading!

The lens was provided for testing purposes by the Fotozakupy.pl shop.

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