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02-18-2015, 01:40 PM   #1
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Questions about a main zoom with K-3

Does anyone use Tamron 17-50 or Singma 17-70 as a main walkaround lens with K-3? I have a few questions.

- Does it work well with K-3? (I saw some reviews that K-3 is picky on 3rd party lenses-not sure if it's credible.)
- Anyone has an excellent made in China version Tamron? Just wondering if Japan & China version have any difference.
- I'm contemplating between Tammy 17-50 and Sigma 17-70. Does anyone have an experience with both and like a specific one?

It looks like Sigma 17-50 is not as popular as those two here in this forum, and my brief experience with it was not very excellent (compared to my experience with Tammy with Canon gear,) so I excluded it.

02-18-2015, 02:09 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by ychousa Quote
Does anyone use Tamron 17-50 or Singma 17-70 as a main walkaround lens with K-3? I have a few questions.

- Does it work well with K-3? (I saw some reviews that K-3 is picky on 3rd party lenses-not sure if it's credible.)
- Anyone has an excellent made in China version Tamron? Just wondering if Japan & China version have any difference.
- I'm contemplating between Tammy 17-50 and Sigma 17-70. Does anyone have an experience with both and like a specific one?

It looks like Sigma 17-50 is not as popular as those two here in this forum, and my brief experience with it was not very excellent (compared to my experience with Tammy with Canon gear,) so I excluded it.
To answer your questions:
- yes it works fine with the K-3
- I use the made in china version.
- I have no experience with the sigma 17-70, but would not buy it. The 17-50 range allow larger aperture

In this focal range, I have Pentax 18-55, 17-70, 15,21,35,40 limited lenses. Not happy with the AF with 17-70, I purchased the Tamron 17-50 (non VC). The problem is it better than the 15 and 21 limited and no clear difference with the 35 macro and 40 limited. So now I have no use of the limited except the 35 macro limited...
02-18-2015, 02:14 PM - 1 Like   #3
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I have the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 Made in China. The IQ is really good with great sharpness at the corners but the focus can be a little weird on some of them. If I focus having set an aperture larger than f/5.0 it will not focus correctly so I have to set an aperture lower than f/5.6 when focusing and then set it to f/8 or what I want. It is the firmware doing this. Before this it would have a back focus at 17 mm but not at 50 so I could not adjust the focus since it changed over focal length. The workshop changed the firmware and now it focuses correctly IF set to below f/5.6. This is really weird since there is no stopping down or so when focusing but this is how it works now. I have learned how to use it and so it works well with good IQ. I had one before this and that one did not have this problem but that one was stuck in the repair shop for so long that they finally gave me a new one.

It is my go to lens for landscape and daily use. I have the 18-135 but it is to dark and it does not have the same IQ.
02-18-2015, 02:20 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by ychousa Quote
Singma 17-70 as a main walkaround lens with K-3?
I use the Sigma 17-70/2.8-4 DC (C) as the main lens on my K-3. It works well for my general choice of subjects and seldom leaves the camera. This is saying quite a bit. Before acquiring the Sigma, my main walk-around was the quite excellent FA 35/2. I have the exceptional FA 77/1.8 Limited in the bag as well and neither sees much use anymore. My only real complaint is that the Sigma is not that great for manual focus (short throw), but that is the case for the Tamron as well, IIRC.


Steve

02-18-2015, 03:44 PM   #5
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I don't have the Sigma 17-50 as I needed weather-sealing, but DXOMark rates the Sigma performance with the K-3 better than the DA 16-50 (for resolution, couldn't say about autofocus).
02-18-2015, 03:47 PM   #6
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On the K-30 and K-S1, the Tamron 17-50 is part of my two zoom setup with the 50-135. The Sigma 17-70 is now my normal walk around single zoom.
02-18-2015, 03:53 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by jrpower10 Quote
I don't have the Sigma 17-50 as I needed weather-sealing, but DXOMark rates the Sigma performance with the K-3 better than the DA 16-50 (for resolution, couldn't say about autofocus).
I have the Sigma 17-50 on my K-3 and am very happy with it. Sharpness, color rendition and AF all seem top notch to me.

02-18-2015, 04:07 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
The problem is it better than the 15 and 21 limited and no clear difference with the 35 macro and 40 limited. So now I have no use of the limited except the 35 macro limited...
Wow, you must have a really good copy :-) It looks like copy variation exists more for Tamron 17-50 lens. Congrats on your acquisition of a good copy! I can't pull the trigger for Tamron easily because of the fear of getting a bad used copy or new one from abroad.

---------- Post added 02-18-15 at 03:14 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by lsimpkins Quote
I have the Sigma 17-50 on my K-3 and am very happy with it. Sharpness, color rendition and AF all seem top notch to me.
That's really good for you. The copy that I briefly used was not that good. It was very soft at wide open, especially for 17mm range. But compared to Tamron 17-50 canon version, look & feel, corner sharpness, focus noise, and purple fringe was superior. But I don't know why, but I liked color rendition of Tamron better. I think it's just a personal preference, but I saw more pop and contrast (something similar to Pentax lenses in my taste) from Tamron.

---------- Post added 02-18-15 at 03:17 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
I use the Sigma 17-70/2.8-4 DC (C) as the main lens on my K-3. It works well for my general choice of subjects and seldom leaves the camera. This is saying quite a bit. Before acquiring the Sigma, my main walk-around was the quite excellent FA 35/2. I have the exceptional FA 77/1.8 Limited in the bag as well and neither sees much use anymore. My only real complaint is that the Sigma is not that great for manual focus (short throw), but that is the case for the Tamron as well, IIRC. Steve
Thank you for sharing your experience, Steve.
02-18-2015, 04:37 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
In this focal range, I have Pentax 18-55, 17-70, 15,21,35,40 limited lenses. Not happy with the AF with 17-70, I purchased the Tamron 17-50 (non VC). The problem is it better than the 15 and 21 limited and no clear difference with the 35 macro and 40 limited. So now I have no use of the limited except the 35 macro limited...
So you have problems with AF on 15 and 21mm limiteds? Have you had them checked? The 15 should be hard to fail to focus with given the depth of field. I have had zero problems with mine. No experience with the 17-50, 17-70, or the 21.
02-18-2015, 11:47 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
So you have problems with AF on 15 and 21mm limiteds? Have you had them checked? The 15 should be hard to fail to focus with given the depth of field. I have had zero problems with mine. No experience with the 17-50, 17-70, or the 21.
I have lack of infinity focus with the 17-70 in hot weather , infinity focus is fine in winter time/cold. There is no AF problem at all with the 15 and 21 limited. But the 15 limited is visibly not sharp beyond 2/3rd of the image center. And the 21 corner sharpness is no better that the Tamron at the same focal length. Limited are a bit sharper in the center of the image (hardly visible) and kind of better color rendering. But overall, the Tamron 17-50 wins, and it is cheap. I have both Tamron 28-75 and Tamron 17-50. But the Tamron 28-75 has is not sharp on the left side of the image, even stopped down. My 17-50 has even sharpness. So there must be quiet a lot of quality difference from lens to lens.

Last edited by biz-engineer; 02-18-2015 at 11:55 PM.
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