Pentax 17-45

Just taken some architectural photos with the 16-45. I'm a bit disapointed with the level of barrel distortion at 16mm I must admit - this is a landscape rather than architecture lens! Any bright ideas for an ultrawide with good drawing at a vaguley sensible price? Otherwise I will just have to resign myself to correcting in PSP or go back to film and my 28 3.5 shift!

Hi Tony,
The results that you are getting don't seem to follow the trend of the other views though this could be because of the architecture showing up the problems. As to alternatives, I am not sure there is a cheap one. The 15 and 20 A lenses are superb but pricey even on the second hand market. The 20 K and M versions are a lot less but are known for their distortion.

Kim

I recently picked up a SMC Pentax-A 20mm f2.8 in mint condition for around £180, which I thought was quite good.

The 15mm I have owned and it is a good if somewhat bulky lens. Distortion is low.

Maybe the new 12-24mm will be better, but it is a sad fact that often modern lens designers sacrifice accuracy of drawing in favour of other properties, especially sharpness and compactness.

The 16-45 seems to improve significantly by the time it gets to 20mm so there would not be much point in getting a 20mm (and I have the M20/4 anyway). The 15 is a beast and rare and expensive secondhand. Tamron do (or did) a 17mm rectilinear lens - anyone any experience of that? Otherwise I guess there are the various ultrawide Sigma full frame zooms (bulky), or even the 14/2.8 (expensive but perhaps one day...)

But for the time being I guess it is the lens distortion correction fuction in PSP!

Next stop Rome - might take film...