The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 and the PENTAX15-30mm F2.8 ED WR for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. PENTAX15-30mm F2.8 ED WR is the longer of the two lenses at 144mm. The HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 with a length of 100mm, is 44mm shorter. Besides being longer, the PENTAX15-30mm F2.8 ED WR also has a larger diameter of 99mm compared to the HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8's 90mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 weighs 704g, which means it is 336g (32%) lighter than the PENTAX15-30mm F2.8 ED WR which has a weight of 1040g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Pentax KAF3 Mount for size comparison purposes.
Ultra-Wideangle Lenses in Pentax KAF3 Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 and the PENTAX15-30mm F2.8 ED WR has the same Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF3 lenses are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Focal Range
HD Pentax-DA 11-18mm F2.8 has a focal range of 11-18mm and
1.6X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
16.5-27mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the PENTAX15-30mm F2.8 ED WR has a focal range of 15-30mm and 2.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 22.5 - 45mm.
