Photography News Issue 33

Photography News | Issue 33 | absolutephoto.com

43 First tests

HD-Pentax-D 15-30mm f/2.8 FA ED SDMWR £1499

Specs

Format Full-frame and APS-C (equivalent to 23-46mm) Mount Pentax KAF3 Construction 18 elements in 13 groups Special lens elements EX (Extra-low dispersion) and aspherical elements – three of each type Coatings SP (Super Protect) on front element to repel water and grease, HD Filter size Not applicable Aperture range f/2.8-22 Diaphragm 9 blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes, quick shift – changes from AF to manual just by rotating the focusing barrel Minimum focus 28cm Focus limiter No Maximummagnification 0.20x Distance scale Yes, feet and metres Depth-of-field scale No Image stabiliser No Tripod collar No Lens hood Integrated cut-off hood Weather-sealed Yes Dimensions (lxd) 143.5x98.5mm Weight 1040g Contact ricoh-imaging.co.uk

There is no escaping the fact that this is a serious ultra-wide lens, in stature, price and ability, but then it is rich in specification too including a constant fast f/2.8 maximum aperture throughout its focal length range. Fit it onto an APS-C format Pentax and this lens is definitely the boss. Fit it onto the full-frame K-1 however, and the pair make for a well-balanced, if weighty, combination – this is the camera I used for this test. The lens range is covered in less than one- quarter of a turn of the smooth zoom barrel and should you want to manual focus, the distance of travel is not much greater. Pentax’s SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) enables fast, almost silent AF and should you need to manually fine-tune or override the camera, you can do so just by twisting the manual focus barrel without the need to flip any switch first. There’s no image stabilisation mechanism needed because Pentax has its Shake Reduction system built into its camera bodies. The inevitable consequence of the wide angle of view and constant fast aperture is the sizeable and bulbous front element and fixed cut-out lens hood. This makes life a challenge for keen filter users and you need the Lee Filters SW150 Mark II system to enable this. Physically, this Pentax lens is not far off from the Tamron 15-30mm so the adapter for that lens might be suitable.

Optically, the Pentax 15-30mmproved itself to be a quality optic capable of impressive photographs when used at its best apertures. The widest setting of an extreme wide-angle is often the most challenging, but on this Pentax it is just about the strongest, in a relative sense, of the three focal lengths tested here. At the wider apertures sharpness at the edges lags slightly behind the centre but by the time we reach f/5.6 and especially f/8, sharpness across the frame is very good and fine detail is crisply rendered. Sharpness then falls away at f/16 and f/22. At the 20mm setting quality at the widest and smallest

apertures is okay but not outstanding. However, the settings in between are much more impressive with f/5.6 and f/8 very crisp before gradually dropping off by f/16. A similar pattern was shown at the 30mm setting where performance was respectable wide open and quality across the frame got better with stopping down; f/5.6 just about showing as the optimum aperture ahead of f/8. Given the design of the lens and the bulbous front element, flare is a potential hazard shooting into the light so you need to watch for that when shooting in strong light. WC

15mm

20mm

30mm

The Pentax 15-30mm proved itself to be a quality optic capable of high-quality photographs We tested this lens in a variety of situations and it proved a fine performer. It’s bulky though and filter use isn’t straightforward.

f/2.8

f/5.6

Verdict

High spec, fast aperture wide-angle zooms are rarely cheap but they are such essential optics that for many photographers they are worth serious consideration. Pentax users can go for this ultra-wide zoom with confidence because it is a very able lens. True, it’s big, expensive and using filters is a hassle, but those points are outweighed by its optical class.

f/11

Features Fast aperture, great zoom range suitable for diverse subject matter

24/25

f/16

Performance Capable of contrasty, high resolution images so no real complaints here

24/25

23/25

Handling It’s a big chunky lens but handles well enough. Filter use possible but awkward

Value for money Fast ultra-wide zooms from a camera brand are rarely cheap

21/25

f/22

92/100

Overall Fujifilm reputation for high optical quality upheld

Pros Optical performance Cons Bulk, filter use an issue