Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

**nitehntr** · 02-04-2015, 06:12 PM

any opinions on the sigma 120-400 pro or con ? i am a little concerned that the only ones i have seen are located in japan. i will not be able to afford the new lenses just announced for the foreseeable future barring hitting the lottery. i am also considering the 150-500. i have been holding off pulling the trigger hoping the new lenses would be reasonably priced and am very disappointed.

**boriscleto** · 02-04-2015, 06:23 PM

You're disappointed a premium lens has a premium price tag? The 150-450 should be down to around $2000 by next Christmas...

I don't have any experience with the 120-400, but @normhead still hasn't forgiven Sigma for selling him a bad one.

The 150-500 is a very nice lens. But it doesn't have the AF functions that the new Pentax has, and it isn't AW like the new Pentax. But as I have it, and I can't afford the 150-450, I will recommend it. Most of the pictures I had accepted to PPG since June were taken with the 150-500.

**jatrax** · 02-04-2015, 06:40 PM

The Sigma 50-500 is another option that often gets better ratings than the other big Sigma zooms.

I have one I might be selling quite reasonably. PM me if you are interested.

vonBaloney · 02-04-2015, 06:43 PM

Originally posted by nitehntr

any opinions on the sigma 120-400 pro or con ? i am a little concerned that the only ones i have seen are located in japan. i will not be able to afford the new lenses just announced for the foreseeable future barring hitting the lottery. i am also considering the 150-500. i have been holding off pulling the trigger hoping the new lenses would be reasonably priced and am very disappointed.

I have one for sale (non OS version), or that will be anyway when it gets back from Sigma. They are updating the firmware because CDAF (live view) autofocus doesn't work (without the update), so if you get one watch out for that.

The lens is somewhere between "consumer zoom" and "high end" in quality. (It is not an "EX" designated lens.) The zoom range is not quite Bigmaesque, but 120-400 is not bad. Build quality is high. The HSM autofocus is fast and silent with PDAF -- obviously I'll see how well CDAF works when I get it back shortly. It is fairly big and heavy (but does have a tripod collar).

I haven't used it enough yet to really decide how good the image quality is. First impressions are that it is pretty decent, but doesn't have that stunning sharpness that a higher end lens would give you (but they cost at least twice as much). At wide apertures I've seen a few aberrations (mostly at the long end I think) and it is not at its sharpest at 400mm wide-open (but it is pretty good at f/8). I'll do some more tests when they send it back. For my non-OS version I'll be looking for $475 I think, if it was the OS version probably at least $100 more. Seems to be about where the market is at...

VoiceOfReason · 02-04-2015, 08:45 PM

Why not go longer if you can afford it? I have the 150-500, and it is pretty sharp until about 480mm, and still then it is decent when stopped down a bit.

**demondata** · 02-04-2015, 08:46 PM

I like mine, but as with any long lens, you have to learn how to use it well, and then it can achieve really good results: Springbuck Portrait - demondata's Album: Sigma DG 120-400 4.5-5.6 APO HSM - PentaxForums.com. Not being a pro, or aspiring to be one, this is as much as I need.

**nitehntr** · 02-05-2015, 03:15 AM

Originally posted by boriscleto

You're disappointed a premium lens has a premium price tag? The 150-450 should be down to around $2000 by next Christmas...

I don't have any experience with the 120-400, but @normhead still hasn't forgiven Sigma for selling him a bad one.

The 150-500 is a very nice lens. But it doesn't have the AF functions that the new Pentax has, and it isn't AW like the new Pentax. But as I have it, and I can't afford the 150-450, I will recommend it. Most of the pictures I had accepted to PPG since June were taken with the 150-500.

i understand a premium lens carrying a good price tag but i just think that these prices are way out of line. since sigma and tamron are apparently not making new glass in the pentax mount they have a somewhat captive audience now. i even called sigma and tamron both to check if the 150-600 would be coming out in the pentax mount and they said not for the foreseeable future. and i paid premium prices for 5 DA* SDM lenses and have been really disappointed in the build quality, three of them have been to the shop. the 16-50 twice and the 300 twice and the 60-250 three times all for SDM failures except once the 300 had a focusing problem.

AdrianM · 02-05-2015, 04:41 AM

I have owned this lens for a while, but find it a tad fussy in focusing on K5IIs and K3, so was quite happy to give it to my son when he went off to work in Africa late last year. For example, I found that I couldn't get a consistent focus correction using my normal methods, and found it adjusting inconsistently anywhere between +5 to -5 at 400mm. A friend of mine had similar results - actually wanting to take the lens back to the shop. I have had some great shots with this lens, and so has my son, but the percentage of disappointments was probably a lot higher than I would like, and I am used to working with super telephoto. It really has to be stopped down, at least to f7.1 or f8 to get any real consistency. It is also not a lightweight, so on a recent trip to South America, the DA*300 f4 and Pentax 1.4x Rear Converter was the weapon of choice, even though I had actually bought the 120-400 with the South America trip in mind. On the good side, it is the only lens that I have received a 'photo of the week' nomination from on a popular birding site here in Oz, something which I have not been able to achieve with my super sharp Sigma 500 f4.5 or DA*300 f4. I intend to buy the D FA 150-450.

02-04-2015, 06:12 PM	#1
nitehntr Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Rivesville West Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 238	sigma 120-400 any opinions on the sigma 120-400 pro or con ? i am a little concerned that the only ones i have seen are located in japan. i will not be able to afford the new lenses just announced for the foreseeable future barring hitting the lottery. i am also considering the 150-500. i have been holding off pulling the trigger hoping the new lenses would be reasonably priced and am very disappointed.

02-05-2015, 04:41 AM	#8
AdrianM Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ipswich, Queensland, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 589	I have owned this lens for a while, but find it a tad fussy in focusing on K5IIs and K3, so was quite happy to give it to my son when he went off to work in Africa late last year. For example, I found that I couldn't get a consistent focus correction using my normal methods, and found it adjusting inconsistently anywhere between +5 to -5 at 400mm. A friend of mine had similar results - actually wanting to take the lens back to the shop. I have had some great shots with this lens, and so has my son, but the percentage of disappointments was probably a lot higher than I would like, and I am used to working with super telephoto. It really has to be stopped down, at least to f7.1 or f8 to get any real consistency. It is also not a lightweight, so on a recent trip to South America, the DA300 f4 and Pentax 1.4x Rear Converter was the weapon of choice, even though I had actually bought the 120-400 with the South America trip in mind. On the good side, it is the only lens that I have received a 'photo of the week' nomination from on a popular birding site here in Oz, something which I have not been able to achieve with my super sharp Sigma 500 f4.5 or DA300 f4. I intend to buy the D FA 150-450. Attached Images

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
120-400, 150-500 Sigma Outlet	Ray Pulley	Pentax Price Watch	8	05-08-2014 03:20 PM
Sigma 120~400 OR 150~500	pntxjack	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	18	02-24-2014 09:36 AM
For Sale - Sold: sigma 120-400 APO HSM	Rodny	Sold Items	3	06-11-2013 06:08 PM
Sigma 120-400 v Pentax 55-300	Hokonui	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	8	05-21-2013 01:59 PM
sigma 120-400 ???	pauk	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	8	11-20-2008 04:13 PM

02-04-2015, 06:23 PM	#2
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	You're disappointed a premium lens has a premium price tag? The 150-450 should be down to around $2000 by next Christmas... I don't have any experience with the 120-400, but @normhead still hasn't forgiven Sigma for selling him a bad one. The 150-500 is a very nice lens. But it doesn't have the AF functions that the new Pentax has, and it isn't AW like the new Pentax. But as I have it, and I can't afford the 150-450, I will recommend it. Most of the pictures I had accepted to PPG since June were taken with the 150-500.

02-04-2015, 06:40 PM	#3
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,992	The Sigma 50-500 is another option that often gets better ratings than the other big Sigma zooms. I have one I might be selling quite reasonably. PM me if you are interested.

02-04-2015, 06:43 PM	#4
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Originally posted by nitehntr any opinions on the sigma 120-400 pro or con ? i am a little concerned that the only ones i have seen are located in japan. i will not be able to afford the new lenses just announced for the foreseeable future barring hitting the lottery. i am also considering the 150-500. i have been holding off pulling the trigger hoping the new lenses would be reasonably priced and am very disappointed. I have one for sale (non OS version), or that will be anyway when it gets back from Sigma. They are updating the firmware because CDAF (live view) autofocus doesn't work (without the update), so if you get one watch out for that. The lens is somewhere between "consumer zoom" and "high end" in quality. (It is not an "EX" designated lens.) The zoom range is not quite Bigmaesque, but 120-400 is not bad. Build quality is high. The HSM autofocus is fast and silent with PDAF -- obviously I'll see how well CDAF works when I get it back shortly. It is fairly big and heavy (but does have a tripod collar). I haven't used it enough yet to really decide how good the image quality is. First impressions are that it is pretty decent, but doesn't have that stunning sharpness that a higher end lens would give you (but they cost at least twice as much). At wide apertures I've seen a few aberrations (mostly at the long end I think) and it is not at its sharpest at 400mm wide-open (but it is pretty good at f/8). I'll do some more tests when they send it back. For my non-OS version I'll be looking for $475 I think, if it was the OS version probably at least $100 more. Seems to be about where the market is at...

02-04-2015, 08:45 PM	#5
VoiceOfReason Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Mishawaka IN area Photos: Albums Posts: 6,124	Why not go longer if you can afford it? I have the 150-500, and it is pretty sharp until about 480mm, and still then it is decent when stopped down a bit.

02-04-2015, 08:46 PM	#6
demondata Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Aurora, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 632	I like mine, but as with any long lens, you have to learn how to use it well, and then it can achieve really good results: Springbuck Portrait - demondata's Album: Sigma DG 120-400 4.5-5.6 APO HSM - PentaxForums.com. Not being a pro, or aspiring to be one, this is as much as I need.

02-05-2015, 03:15 AM	#7
nitehntr Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Rivesville West Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 238 Original Poster	Originally posted by boriscleto You're disappointed a premium lens has a premium price tag? The 150-450 should be down to around $2000 by next Christmas... I don't have any experience with the 120-400, but @normhead still hasn't forgiven Sigma for selling him a bad one. The 150-500 is a very nice lens. But it doesn't have the AF functions that the new Pentax has, and it isn't AW like the new Pentax. But as I have it, and I can't afford the 150-450, I will recommend it. Most of the pictures I had accepted to PPG since June were taken with the 150-500. i understand a premium lens carrying a good price tag but i just think that these prices are way out of line. since sigma and tamron are apparently not making new glass in the pentax mount they have a somewhat captive audience now. i even called sigma and tamron both to check if the 150-600 would be coming out in the pentax mount and they said not for the foreseeable future. and i paid premium prices for 5 DA* SDM lenses and have been really disappointed in the build quality, three of them have been to the shop. the 16-50 twice and the 300 twice and the 60-250 three times all for SDM failures except once the 300 had a focusing problem.