Sigma 18-35mm To Ship in Late June, 2014

Sigma's fastest zoom is finally making its debut in the Pentax mount

By PF Staff in Third-Party Announcements on Jun 11, 2014

Sigma Japan announced today that the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 wide-angle zoom will start shipping in the Pentax and Sony mounts "towards the end of June".  The Pentax version of the Sigma 30mm F1.4 was announced in a similar manner back in February, and it started shipping in the US only days after the promised Japanese launch date.  Now that a definitive launch date for the 18-35mm has been revealed, Pentax users who have been waiting for this lens will be able to have it in their hands in just a few weeks.

It's been over a year since Sigma originally announced the 18-35mm, and it has been available for Canon, Nikon, and Sigma cameras for several months.  The 18-35mm has been recognized for its optical performance alongside the fact that it is the fastest DSLR zoom lens currently in production.  As part of the Sigma Global Version "Art" series, this lens features Sigma's latest technologies, including silent HSM autofocus, a streamlined design using Thermally Stable Composites (TSC), internal focusing and zooming, 4 aspherical lens elements, and 5 Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens elements.

If you want to be among the first owners of this lens, don't forget to get your pre-order in at B&H.  The lens retails for $799 in the US.

Samyang 10mm F2.8 Coming for Pentax

Widest ultra-wide rectilinear prime in K-mount

By PF Staff in Third-Party Announcements on Mar 23, 2014

The much-anticipated Samyang 10mm F2.8 ED AS NCS CS ultra-wide angle lens has finally officially been announced in the US.  The lens will shortly be available in a variety of different DSLR mounts, including the Pentax K-mount.  In addition to being offered under the "Samyang" name, it is also being re-branded as "Rokinon" and possibly other brands in different markets.  B&H Photo expects it to start shipping as early as next week; the list price is $529.

A field of view of 109.5 degrees makes this the widest rectilinear (i.e. non-fisheye) lens currently available for Pentax DSLRs, and its price makes it competitive alongside wide Pentax primes such as the 15mm F4 Limited and 14mm F2.8, though it is considerably wider.

Although the Samyang lens is manual focus, it does support automatic aperture control (via its "KA" mount).  It also includes some of Samyang's latest lens technologies, including a Nano Crystal lens coating for superior flare control.

We will reviewing this lens in-depth once it becomes available.  Until that time, see its full specifications in our lens database, or pre-order it now.

Sigma Announces 30mm F1.4 Art for Pentax

The latest premium standard lens for APS-C cameras

By PF Staff in Third-Party Announcements on Feb 10, 2014

Sigma Japan has just announced the imminent launch of its 30mm F1.4 DC HSM Art lens for the Pentax and Sony mounts.  This lens was released last year for Sigma, Canon, and Nikon cameras.  It is the successor to the now-discontinued Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC HSM, one of the most popular Sigma primes previously available for Pentax. 

This lens is designed exclusively for APS-C cameras, and as such it is rather compact, measuring 2.5" long (63mm, w/o hood) and weighing in at about a pound (435g).  With a focal length of 30mm, it offers a "normal" field of view, delivers roughly the same magnification as what your eyes see.  This makes it an excellent everyday prime lens, like 50mm lenses were in the film days.  Its maximum aperture of F1.4 lets you go all out with the bokeh and means it will be a great choice for low-light photography.

Sigma 18-200mm OS HSM "Contemporary" Announced

A new all-in-one superzoom lens for Pentax

By PF Staff in Third-Party Announcements on Jan 10, 2014

The one and only CES product announcement related to Pentax this year came from Sigma, which announced the new Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM "Contemporary" superzoom lens for all camera mounts, including Pentax.  This lens is designed as an all-in-one solution for everyday use and it is more affordable than the 18-250mm in the current Sigma lineup.  Like other modern lenses, the 18-200mm of course includes silent autofocus.

This new lens replaces the Sigma 18-200mm OS HSM II which was originally launched in mid-2012. Compared to its predecessor, the 18-200mm "Contemporary" sports a redesigned plastic barrel that resembles the other Sigma Global Vision lenses rolled out over the course of 2013.  The barrel design is  more elegant and simpler than before.  The new lens also features rounded aperture blades, weighs less (430g), and focuses closer in macro mode (1:3).  Best of all, it's being launched at a reasonable introductory price of just $399 in the US - a whole $100 less than its predecessor.  This makes it a great upgrade over the standard 18-55mm kit lens as well as a viable alternative to the Pentax 18-135mm for those who do not need weather sealing and who desire the extra reach.

For the full specifications of this new Sigma lens, visit its entry in our lens database.  It is already available for pre-order at US retailers including B&H Photo.

Sigma also announced at 50mm F1,4 "Art" lens at CES, but it will not be produced in the Pentax mount based on what we know so far.

Rokinon 16mm F2 for Pentax Is Here

New fast wide-angle prime

By PF Staff in Third-Party Announcements on Jul 5, 2013

The Rokinon 16mm F2 wide-angle manual focus lens for Pentax has just hit the shelves!  This lens is an affordable alternative to current autofocus lenses, and it offers a fast aperture of F2, which is a full stop faster than the closest comparable lens (Pentax 14mm F2.8).

The lens is now in stock at B&H photo for $479.

To learn more about the lens, visit its entry in our camera database or read the original announcement.

Please note that Rokinon lenses are sold under various brands worldwide, including Samyang, Vivitar, Bower, and Falcon.


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