| Author: | | New Member Registered: March, 2021 Location: Castellón de la plana Posts: 1 | | Review Date: May 16, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $170.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | focal range, lightweight | | Cons: | flares, not a 2.8 lens | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: Nikon D700
Autofocus: 10
New Or Used: Used
| |
Really very good lens, for the price. Light body for the wide focal range and 17 elements inside, Sigma did a very good job here, easy to handle and stabilize. Nice image quality overall, the flares are biggest flaw. Fast AF for action, if your camera has a good AF drive (only 25º to turn from closest to infinity). I recommend, very affordable but not always available on second hand market.
 | | | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: January, 2009 Location: Springe Posts: 3,693
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 2, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $260.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | IQ, AF/MF clutch, FF ready | | Cons: | big (but not very heavy), difficult to use filters | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K3
Autofocus: 9
| |
I wanted a lens with better IQ than the DA 4/16-45 and found this lens for a very good price.
The build quality is good (feels much more solid than the 16-45) and IQ on an APSC body is excellent.
I don't have a FF body (yet ) and use it with a K3
The MF/AF clutch works well and is a nice feature.
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: February, 2010 Location: Adelaide, SA Posts: 273
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 20, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $350.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, well built, great contrast and IQ | | Cons: | Large(ish) and a weak older Sigma finish. | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K7
Autofocus: 9
| |
This lens is way underrated here, given there are no Full Frame ultra-wide offerings of comparable image quality for Pentax - this just before the FF model comes along.
Used it on my old film camera (with slide film) as well as on the DSLR if I wanted image quality better than the Sigma 10-20 could cope with.
It's a big lens for Pentax mount, but smaller than tons of Canon/Nikon lenses but doesnt weigh much as it looks like it would.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,520 | | Review Date: April 9, 2015 | Not Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | Solid build, full frame | | Cons: | Poor coloration, work against the light, corner sharpness, size | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 6
Value: 5
Camera Used: *istD
Autofocus: 6
| |
The biggest problem is coloration, especially in dawn and dusk hours of key landscape shooting. The lens will shift greens to red in warm light - and RAW converters won't fully compensate for the shift. The size is unyieldy, although the weight isn't bad. The lens clearly was designed for film, and might be better full frame on film - although corners are weak even on crop sensor. Newer UWA zoom designs have far eclipsed this model. Despite its marginal build, the Pentax 16-45 is a far better lens for less money.
| | | | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: March, 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Posts: 23,920
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 9, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $400.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, versatile ultra-wide angle range | | Cons: | large size (but not really the weight), cannot use filters without vignetting on a FF camera (not an issue on APS-C) | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| |
This is a fine EX ultra-wide lens.
It ticks all the boxes for a FF compatible UWA.
Sharp, bright and colourful in rendition.
Everything said above indicates my sentiment on this lens, and it is a workhorse.
Definitely a lens to last a lifetime, as its build and IQ is exemplary for its range.
The size can appear daunting but the weight of it easily balances on dSLRs.
A brilliant lens.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: December, 2012 Location: Cirebon Posts: 29
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 2, 2013 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Build quality, Dual Focus, Nice Color, Minimal distortion | | Cons: | Little bit noisy, Vignette if using filter, Flare control | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 5
Handling: 6
Value: 10
| |
I've got this lens with new old stock condition (feel so lucky). Build quality very good yes of course cause this high grade lens from Sigma and have apperture ring.
Negative things from this lens i can't complaint cause i've got this lens with very low priced.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: February, 2011 Posts: 706
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 29, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $310.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Build, feel, sharpness, wide | | Cons: | Big, causes shadow with bulit-in flash | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
| |
This is not just a lens, it is really a LENS! You feel like a pro just holding it. It balances well.
Images are sharp, not too distorted even wide. I do not mind the front lens since I don't use filters. They can be attached but would be huge.Or then one could use gelatine filters in the rear. I haven't noticed flare even if I have taken pics on a sunny day with sun ray reflections from snow.
Got mine in mint condition and find it a bargain for the price. Attached most of the time.
A small draw back is that the large lens creates a circular shadow if you try to use the built-in flash when focusing close.
This lens is quite uncommon in K-mount.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: December, 2009 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 120
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 28, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $520.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, excellent build quality, very easy to use in manual mode. | | Cons: | Heavy. | |
This is a super lens. The results I have got from this lens have been excellent at all focal lengths. I was concerned that I could not use filters at the front of the lens very easily and that the front element is unprotected, but this proved unfounded.
The build and finish on this lens is superb. My lens is 6 years old now and still feels like new and the crackled finish seems to repel scratches.
Clever lens hood that has a separate sleeve for the fixed hood that really helps cut down flair used with a digital camera.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: October, 2009 Location: ita/swiss Posts: 267
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 23, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $530.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | sharpness, building unique, fun | | Cons: | big | |
was very surprised, the results made with this Sigma.
The first two photos taken at 640Iso, a plant flowers, are beautiful, color and definition.
I was lucky, because this sigma is very difficult to find, is very rare.
Then double luck, mine is good he is lucky, is not one of those sigma failed.
Compared to the 10-20 is really enormous, it is heavy, but very solid, it satisfies me, because I love the big lenses and sturdy.
before you take it I read some things on the internet, and I must say, that really has an unusual construction.
Who knows what they drank the engineers to build ..... But the result is really good.
@15mm, distorts a little, but you've only known the edges, if there are buildings on either side, or plants, otherwise you will not notice much.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: March, 2008 Location: N. Calif Posts: 3,652
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 22, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $475.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very good IQ | | Cons: | Heavy | |
This is one great lens. I wanted something wider than the 18mm (I own a DA 18-250). Works well in tight spaces.
Its extremely well built and sturdy. Should last for a long time.
| | | | | Moderator
Site Supporter Registered: June, 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Posts: 17,377
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 6, 2010 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Ballance and easy to operate in MF mode | | Cons: | Its Big | |
This lens is built and operates similar to its sibling the 20-40mm f2.8. It easy very easy to m.f. and is almost as convenient as Pentax's quick shift system. The distortion is minimal at the wide end and the color rendition is good. The only negative is the size, its big. However, it balances well on the K20d and K200d. The other really good think is it is FF and I can use it on my MZ-3. I found that this lens excels outside.
Note: No price is listed because I traded my 20-40mm f2.8 for after getting the DA 21mm ltd.
Edit: Some sample images
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/997725-post31.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/1025552-post78.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/1002641-post32.html | | | | | Inactive Account Registered: July, 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 11
5 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: November 15, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $550.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, well built, nice durable surface | | Cons: | might be heavy for some | |
After I got the 24-70/2.8 I missed a wider lens. As the Pentax 12-24/4 and Pentax 14/2.8 were both out of my reach at the time, I came across this one.
Got it used for the equivalent of $550 from a bloke living just about 40 miles North from me, so I did try both my K10D and a roll of film on it before I got it.
And I LOVE it ever since
As you can see on the attached pictures, there is a metal ring siting on the metal hood. The ring has 82mm filter thread and holds the lens cap.
This ring is for digital only, and on 15mm setting there is vignetting even when a slim filter is used. I've got B&W slim polarizer and the amount of vignetting with it can be seen here: http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx17/kolista2/Machines/Lenses/Sigma_15-30_d.jpg
For this reason, for digital shooting the ring is OK only without a filter attached. However, when I feel like it, I use filter anyway and then crop the cornes off.
On film, the metal ring has to be taken off and filters can be used at the mount side in a slot provided for that purpose. As I don't have such a filter, I couldn't try this.
Zoom and focus rings are both damped a bit, just enough to feel nice in my hand.
IQ at 15mm is perfect (well for me anyway, don't search for MTF curves here) and I think it remains very good for the whole range.
All in all, if you shoot film as well as chip this lens will not let you down. If I was only a digital guy, I would look for a zoom starting at 10mm or Pentax 12-24/4 if I could afford one.
Couple pics can be seen here:
2 film shots
http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx17/kolista2/Machines/Lenses/vecere_m.jpg
http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx17/kolista2/Machines/Lenses/Pred_vystoupenim.jpg
2 digital shots
http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx17/kolista2/Machines/Lenses/podpalubi_1.jpg
http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx17/kolista2/Machines/Lenses/Spinnaker_Tower.jpg | | |
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
