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06-08-2012, 06:35 PM   #1
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Sigma 85mm f/1.4 HSM

I've just put a deposit down on an 85 1.4 at a camera store in city , The salesman had a Nikon mount 85 and he put it on a Nikon Body so I could try it out , amazing how quick it focuses , Hopefully I won't have too much trouble with the Motor. should I go for extended warranty?

06-08-2012, 06:37 PM   #2
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It will be interesting if you get the same AF speed with the K-mount version and a Pentax body. The speed you noted may have been more to do with Nikon than Sigma....
06-08-2012, 06:40 PM - 1 Like   #3
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The AF speed should be the same, only difference will be the accuracy and low light/continous performance.

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06-08-2012, 06:46 PM   #4
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With the QC issues known to happen with Sigma, the extended warranty might not be a bad idea. Their QC is what keeps me from buying any of their lenses.

06-08-2012, 06:46 PM   #5
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Sandy , I believe the AF speed would be about the same , but as Adam has noted it may be accuracy in low light on a K5 body. he said I could take my K5 Body into the store and place the lens on the camera and try it out as soon as it comes in, it was a special order as they don't sell too many of these for Pentak K-Mount.
06-08-2012, 11:21 PM   #6
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I have the sigma 85mm f/1.4 HSM EX and I absolutely love it. My favourite lens by far. Autofocus is extremely fast (beats my pentax lenses by miles) and super quiet. You can hardly hear the motor. It's alos super sharp.
I haven't has it long enough to comment on warranty, no issues so far (8 months or so)...
06-09-2012, 01:36 AM   #7
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I was just amazed on how quickly the lens focused on a Nikon mount , Iwillau , any chance you could comment on performance in Low light and accuracy of the AF ?

06-09-2012, 01:55 AM   #8
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Aussie Sigma stuff has 2 year standard warranty
06-09-2012, 02:02 AM   #9
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I've used that lens extensively to take pictures of speakers at scientific meetings during their presentations, ie lights are dimmed so that slides projected can be seen. It performs very well in low light. Some of the results are stunning. The only trouble I had was the poor perfomance of the K-7 at high ISO... (which is why I bought then K-5 recently... worlds better!!!) So the K-5 with the 85mm should be an absolute winner! Haven't really had a chance to test them out together yet, but can't wait to do so. Accuracy is pretty good too! I also use that lens outdoors a lot with very busy focus areas. I does really well there too. I really highly recommend that lens!
06-09-2012, 02:15 AM   #10
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tougefc , I was thinking about getting an extended 5 year warranty ;-)

Iwillau thanks for the comments , looks to me like k5 and sigma 85 1.4 GSM is a winner . I can't wait to pick it up and start using it .
06-09-2012, 02:20 AM   #11
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5years for how much $$$?
06-09-2012, 04:17 AM   #12
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Here are some sample shot taken with the 85mm mounted on the K-7.They are all outdoors as I principally don't post pics of people, so I can't send examples of the indoor performance.

They're also in my album sigma 85mm f/1.4
06-09-2012, 03:41 PM   #13
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Thanks for that iwillau , had a look through the album.

Tougfec , I'm not surehow much 5 year extended warranty will set me back . I'm definitely considering it ,seeing all QC issues I read about with regards to sigma . I personally never had any quality problems with sigma lenses . My 24-70 2.8 has been flawless , I don't use that Lena very often as a walk around due to the weight of the lens.
06-09-2012, 10:04 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by disco_owner Quote
I'm definitely considering it ,seeing all QC issues I read about with regards to sigma . I personally never had any quality problems with sigma lenses .
Where did you read about Sigma QC issues?

Like you I have never had any issues with my Sigma lenses. And when I read about lens QC issues they are Pentax-related as in bad 55/1.4 copies (DPreview tried three and none was good, forum member robgo tried five and none was good), SDM failures, 16-50 decentering issues, etc.

Surely Sigma produces some copies that should be returned but where is evidence that this happens any more often than with other manufacturers?

In Germany, Sigma once sold lenses with a six year warranty (not sure whether they still do it). That's quiet a statement of confidence. Compare that to the one year Pentax warranty even for DA* lenses.

P.S.: If you don't want "Sigma" to be automatically equipped with a link, you need to opt out the "Enable Experimental Forum Features" in your forum options panel.

Last edited by Class A; 06-10-2012 at 11:58 PM.
06-10-2012, 12:55 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Class A Quote
Where did you read about Sigma QC issues?

Like you I have never had any issues with my Sigma lenses. And when I read about lens QC issues they are Pentax-related as in bad 55/1.4 copies (DPreview tried three and none was good, forum member robgo tried five and none was good), SDM failures, 16-50 decentering issues, etc.

Surely Sigma produces some copies that should be returned but where is evidence that this happens any more often than with other manufacturers?

In Germany, Sigma once sold lenses with a six year warranty (not sure whether they still do it). That's quiet a statement of confidence. Compare that to the one year Pentax warranty even for DA* lenses.
Interesting, I was talking to a Nikon full frame shooter the other day, I said that one of my most used lenses was the Sigma 50-150 f2.8, he wanted to know if it worked as "Sigma have a bad reputation" and he hadn't got on well with the ones he had tried. My Sigma lenses are fine (the aforementioned 50-150 non OS, 30mm f1.4, 24nn f2.8 manual focus, 28mm f2.8 manual focus) and the 50-150 was about 40% of the cost of the da* 50-135, Still Sigma seems to have not the best of reputations. Maybe I'm just lucky (or just easily pleased) as my K5 appears to focus well even in dim artificial light, although outdoors in moonlight is a job for manual focus only!
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