----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim King"
Subject: Re: yay...15mm enabled
I would be very interested to hear about PDML members' experiences with
the 15/3.5 on a DSLR. Several months ago I bought a used A15/3,5
primarily for use on film, and I've been very disappointed with its
performance on my *ist-D. Compared to the DA14/2.8, my A15/3.5 has poor
sharpness and contrast, particularly at the edges. even when stopped down
to f8 or so. I sent it to Pentax USA for service, thinking that it might
be poorly collimated, but repeat tests after it came back still show it to
be rather poor on my D.
Perhaps this is one of those lenses which just don't perform well with
digital sensors, despite acceptable performance on film. Or perhaps I
just got a bad copy...
I haven't been dissapointed with my A15 on the digital, but I also haven't
gone out of my way to find problems with it, either.
it wouldn't surprise me at all if the DA14 is a better lens, it is a much
newer design. The A15 is the same design as the K15, which makes it a pretty
old lens formula, possibly as much as 30 years old.
William Robb
