new sigma 50mm F/1.4 ultrasonic

saladin · 04-02-2008, 05:55 PM

just for everyones information:

i was inquiring about a good 50mm prime for my new K10d at my local camera shop, and they told me to hold off for a month, because Sigma have a new 50mm on it's way. At f/1.4, and equipped with a HSM on-lens focusing motor, they think (not 100% certain) that it will cost around $600 Aus ( US$550) and is not digital specific.

kenyee · 04-02-2008, 06:01 PM

but why would you want this instead of the relatively inexpensive FA50/1.4 which is known to have excellent image quality, at less than half the price of the Sigma?

I didn't understand why Sigma would release this for the Pentax mount, not that I'm complaining if anyone releases stuff in Pentax mount ;-)

saladin · 04-02-2008, 06:07 PM

perhaps focusing speed is enhanced by the ultrasonic? maybe it's likely to be sharper than any alternative when wide open - although how would anyone know that yet? don't know. certainly the shop owner thought it was worth waiting for in preference to what's currently available - but then he may have an, err, "incentive" to say that.

mwcfire · 04-02-2008, 06:17 PM

Not much info on Sigma's website. I was all excited until I read the price you were told. I will probably just get a Pentax FA.

Sigma 50mm F1.4

dtra · 04-02-2008, 06:19 PM

if you're not desperate, wait and see what the lens is like, and compare it with the fa50
see if it is actually worth twice the cost, faster, quieter focusing would be the advantages that it would probably have

dave

bigben91682 · 04-02-2008, 07:09 PM

Or get the FA50 and use it until the sigma comes out, if it gets good reviews, sell the FA50 and pick up the sigma. You can get FA50 new for $200 and they sell easy for $180. Consider the $20 renting the FA50 for a few months....that way you can be taking pictures the whoooole time.

CWL · 04-02-2008, 08:17 PM

The FA50 is already an excellent LENS with good focus speed, I don't really see the need to pay $300 more for the HSM. There are other options in the similar focal length. The DA* 55mm f1.4 on the Pentax roadmap looks quite promising. The FA43 Limited is slightly cheaper. If you don't might manaul focusing, the Zeiss 50mm F1.4 and Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 are at similar price or cheaper, and you know what these names mean in quality. There are also other older Pentax 50mm lenses with large aperture and high quality. So I really don't understand why Sigma would release a 50mm F1.4 for Pentax. In terms of brand name, Sigma do not have any advantage over the mensioned brands above, and the price is the same as Zeiss, being one of the most expensive...

joele · 04-03-2008, 01:56 AM

Originally posted by saladin

certainly the shop owner thought it was worth waiting for in preference to what's currently available - but then he may have an, err, "incentive" to say that.

Pentax and Sigma are both distributed by the same company (CRK) so while it may be possible I doubt SPIVs are involved in this case, maybe he just likes Sigma?

Interestingly at AUD$600 for the Sigma the price difference in Australia to the Pentax is not so great at all... How much was your local dealer charging for the FA50/1.4? I have seen it for AUD$550 which is a joke considering the US price..

As for quality comparison, who knows, until it is released we cannot compare. Though I would be interested to see if the f1.4-f2 corners are better than the pentax and what the PF/L.CA control is like as MY FA50/1.4 had a lot of problem in that area... Though I do think though the Sigma will be a fair bit bigger and heavier than the Pentax, which is a negative IMO..

Personally I would just wait and see, unless unlike me you have money to burn

roscot · 04-03-2008, 02:32 AM

You do realize that Pentax has a new 55mm f1.4 SDM lens on the lens road map.

kenyee · 04-03-2008, 07:16 AM

It'll probably be quieter. My FA50 is pretty loud when it can't lock and it slams it from one end of the focus range to the other trying to lock on something :-)

But it'd have to be a lot better than the relatively inexpensive FA50. At that price, I'd much rather have the FA43...

aegisphan · 04-03-2008, 08:10 AM

LOL, both of my FA* do the slamming thing too. I think it's pretty common for the FA/F series back then. As for me, I don't pay much attention to brand (though I admit I like Zeiss and its name a lot). So whichever comes out ahead, I would get one. Personally, I don't think Sigma optics can be even close to Pentax, VL, or Zeiss, so they should price more reasonably. That's also why I don't get into one of those Foveon cameras even though the body is dirt cheap right now.

Groundloop · 04-03-2008, 08:43 AM

Did anyone notice this at the bottom of the product page?

"Fittings: Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax*, Sony*

*If the camera body does not support HSM, auto focus will not be available."

Do Sigma and Pentax consider SDM and HSM to be equivalent technology?

Anyway, I just bought an FA 50 f1.4 on Saturday and I'm very pleased with the shots I've gotten.

JMS · 04-03-2008, 09:09 AM

Originally posted by Groundloop

Do Sigma and Pentax consider SDM and HSM to be equivalent technology?

Yep.

The Sigma will probably be sharper than the Pentax wide open on the edges- it uses an asphericl element, so the bokeh might not be quite as nice though.

roscot · 04-03-2008, 09:55 AM

Originally posted by Groundloop

Did anyone notice this at the bottom of the product page?

"Fittings: Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax*, Sony*

*If the camera body does not support HSM, auto focus will not be available."

Do Sigma and Pentax consider SDM and HSM to be equivalent technology?

Anyway, I just bought an FA 50 f1.4 on Saturday and I'm very pleased with the shots I've gotten.

Yes, that disclaimer is for previous generation cameras that do not have the contacts for the SDM system.

roscot · 04-03-2008, 09:58 AM

What makes you say that? Nobody has seen the optical design of the new Pentax 55.

04-02-2008, 05:55 PM	#1
saladin Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: outer eastern melbourne, australia Posts: 427	new sigma 50mm F/1.4 ultrasonic just for everyones information: i was inquiring about a good 50mm prime for my new K10d at my local camera shop, and they told me to hold off for a month, because Sigma have a new 50mm on it's way. At f/1.4, and equipped with a HSM on-lens focusing motor, they think (not 100% certain) that it will cost around $600 Aus ( US$550) and is not digital specific.

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04-02-2008, 06:01 PM	#2
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	but why would you want this instead of the relatively inexpensive FA50/1.4 which is known to have excellent image quality, at less than half the price of the Sigma? I didn't understand why Sigma would release this for the Pentax mount, not that I'm complaining if anyone releases stuff in Pentax mount ;-)

04-02-2008, 06:07 PM	#3
saladin Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: outer eastern melbourne, australia Posts: 427 Original Poster	perhaps focusing speed is enhanced by the ultrasonic? maybe it's likely to be sharper than any alternative when wide open - although how would anyone know that yet? don't know. certainly the shop owner thought it was worth waiting for in preference to what's currently available - but then he may have an, err, "incentive" to say that.

04-02-2008, 06:17 PM	#4
mwcfire Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: OKC Photos: Gallery Posts: 186	Not much info on Sigma's website. I was all excited until I read the price you were told. I will probably just get a Pentax FA. Sigma 50mm F1.4

04-02-2008, 06:19 PM	#5
dtra Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: melbourne, au Photos: Gallery Posts: 158	if you're not desperate, wait and see what the lens is like, and compare it with the fa50 see if it is actually worth twice the cost, faster, quieter focusing would be the advantages that it would probably have dave

04-02-2008, 07:09 PM	#6
bigben91682 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 728	Or get the FA50 and use it until the sigma comes out, if it gets good reviews, sell the FA50 and pick up the sigma. You can get FA50 new for $200 and they sell easy for $180. Consider the $20 renting the FA50 for a few months....that way you can be taking pictures the whoooole time.

04-02-2008, 08:17 PM	#7
CWL Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Syracuse NY Posts: 40	The FA50 is already an excellent LENS with good focus speed, I don't really see the need to pay $300 more for the HSM. There are other options in the similar focal length. The DA* 55mm f1.4 on the Pentax roadmap looks quite promising. The FA43 Limited is slightly cheaper. If you don't might manaul focusing, the Zeiss 50mm F1.4 and Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 are at similar price or cheaper, and you know what these names mean in quality. There are also other older Pentax 50mm lenses with large aperture and high quality. So I really don't understand why Sigma would release a 50mm F1.4 for Pentax. In terms of brand name, Sigma do not have any advantage over the mensioned brands above, and the price is the same as Zeiss, being one of the most expensive...

04-03-2008, 01:56 AM	#8
joele Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,308	Originally posted by saladin certainly the shop owner thought it was worth waiting for in preference to what's currently available - but then he may have an, err, "incentive" to say that. Pentax and Sigma are both distributed by the same company (CRK) so while it may be possible I doubt SPIVs are involved in this case, maybe he just likes Sigma? Interestingly at AUD$600 for the Sigma the price difference in Australia to the Pentax is not so great at all... How much was your local dealer charging for the FA50/1.4? I have seen it for AUD$550 which is a joke considering the US price.. As for quality comparison, who knows, until it is released we cannot compare. Though I would be interested to see if the f1.4-f2 corners are better than the pentax and what the PF/L.CA control is like as MY FA50/1.4 had a lot of problem in that area... Though I do think though the Sigma will be a fair bit bigger and heavier than the Pentax, which is a negative IMO.. Personally I would just wait and see, unless unlike me you have money to burn

04-03-2008, 02:32 AM	#9
roscot Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Beach VA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,363	You do realize that Pentax has a new 55mm f1.4 SDM lens on the lens road map.

04-03-2008, 07:16 AM	#10
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	It'll probably be quieter. My FA50 is pretty loud when it can't lock and it slams it from one end of the focus range to the other trying to lock on something :-) But it'd have to be a lot better than the relatively inexpensive FA50. At that price, I'd much rather have the FA43...

04-03-2008, 08:10 AM	#11
aegisphan Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Mexico Posts: 815	LOL, both of my FA* do the slamming thing too. I think it's pretty common for the FA/F series back then. As for me, I don't pay much attention to brand (though I admit I like Zeiss and its name a lot). So whichever comes out ahead, I would get one. Personally, I don't think Sigma optics can be even close to Pentax, VL, or Zeiss, so they should price more reasonably. That's also why I don't get into one of those Foveon cameras even though the body is dirt cheap right now.

04-03-2008, 08:43 AM	#12
Groundloop Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 236	Did anyone notice this at the bottom of the product page? "Fittings: Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony *If the camera body does not support HSM, auto focus will not be available." Do Sigma and Pentax consider SDM and HSM to be equivalent technology? Anyway, I just bought an FA 50 f1.4 on Saturday and I'm very pleased with the shots I've gotten.

04-03-2008, 09:09 AM	#13
JMS Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 273	Originally posted by Groundloop Do Sigma and Pentax consider SDM and HSM to be equivalent technology? Yep. The Sigma will probably be sharper than the Pentax wide open on the edges- it uses an asphericl element, so the bokeh might not be quite as nice though.

04-03-2008, 09:55 AM	#14
roscot Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Beach VA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,363	Originally posted by Groundloop Did anyone notice this at the bottom of the product page? "Fittings: Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony *If the camera body does not support HSM, auto focus will not be available." Do Sigma and Pentax consider SDM and HSM to be equivalent technology? Anyway, I just bought an FA 50 f1.4 on Saturday and I'm very pleased with the shots I've gotten. Yes, that disclaimer is for previous generation cameras that do not have the contacts for the SDM system.

04-03-2008, 09:58 AM	#15
roscot Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Beach VA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,363	What makes you say that? Nobody has seen the optical design of the new Pentax 55.