ddekadt's reviews

  • Pentax 21mm f/3.2 Limited SMC P-DA

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Tiny size, beautiful design, great optics, sharp sharp sharp, close focussing, af speed
    Speed, getting used to the focal length

    This is a beautiful lens. Everything about it is fantastic: it AFs like a charm, it's brilliantly sharp, the closest focusing distance lets you get up close and personal with your subject, its rendering of colour is great... My only problem with this lens is that the fl just doesn't work for me that well. I've been forcing myself to use it more lately, and have already started to warm up to it.

    I've had my DA 21 for 2 and a half years, and I've not used it enough. Have thought about letting it go a few times, but in the end it always surprises me and it stays in my bag.

    Aside from the optics, the lens is tremendously well made, aesthetically pleasing in and of itself. I always laugh at my friends who shoot Nikon/Canon, because the limiteds are just so much more aesthetically appealing than their lenses. .

    The compact size is also brilliant, on my old K100D I had a light, portable combo.

    Some examples:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4277074834/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4276326913/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4209422308/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/3638036957/

    reviewed January 19th, 2010 (purchased for $420)

  • Pentax 70mm f/2.4 Limited SMC DA

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Size, weight, build, optics, colours, sharpness wide open, AF speed, bokeh
    Speed, close focusing distance

    This lens is spectacular in every way, excepting for it's close focusing distance which is a real disappointment. Aside from that, this is just a magnificent lens.

    The build is superb, tight tolerances, smooth focusing, aesthetic beauty in and out. The speed is ok, f2.4 is good enough, and considering the size of the lens as a result of the narrower aperture, it's not much of a problem. Optically it is just something else. I don't have another lens whose images I enjoy so much. The bokeh is always beautiful. Somehow I haven't used it as much as I like it, but still, it's absolutely special.

    A couple of examples:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4276326097/ (for bokeh)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4208668101/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4209428402/ (blow it up for sharpness)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4172743571/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/3643680273/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandekadt/4172739013/

    reviewed January 19th, 2010