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07-21-2017, 01:58 PM   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by jlh Quote
...The Pentax is much better at contrast and IQ than the Sigma 150-500 that I sold...
Undoubtedly, the Pentax 560 has better IQ than the budget Sigma 150-500. The OP asked about the Sigma 500 prime, though, which is a completely different lens.

12-02-2017, 05:06 AM   #32
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QuoteOriginally posted by Chris Mak Quote
I have owned the Sigma 500/4.5 for about 18 months and now have had the DA560 for about 9 months.
Both are great lenses, but also very different lenses, in handling as well as image rendering.
Let's list a few of their differences, although other posters have already done so as well.The Sigma 500 is a relatively compact, short lens, with the tripod foot pointing backwards (towards you)
  • The DA 560 is a relatively long lens with the tripod foot pointing forwards (away from you).
    This makes handling the lenses very different, but both are fairly easy to shoot handheld with some getting used to and practice. They way almost exactly the same, just over 3kg.
  • The sigma has a max. aperture of f4.5 and is 500mm long. It works relatively well with the 1.4tc's either the Sigma or the Pentax (colors/contrast are better with the Pentax version of the 1.4tc), although the AF is a challenge, with no real confidence about getting spot on AF, so you miss a lot of shots if you care about proper AF.
    The Pentax has a max. aperture of f5.6 and is 560mm long. The scale tips the other way i.m.o., and it is really better shooting the DA560 without a 1.4tc. On the one hand, 560mm is nearing the point where you won't really want to extend the length any further for handheld shots, on the other hand, the DA560 has a truly remarkable ability to resolve fine detail and this takes a more noticeable hit than the IQ of the Sigma, that is very sharp, but does not really resolve as fine detail. I've completely stopped using the 1.4tc since getting the DA560mm, where it was on the Sigma 500 most of the time.
  • The Sigma has screw drive AF, that is accurate as long as you don't use the 1.4tc, but that can make a lot of objectionable noise depending on your use of the lens. Birding with c-af is no joy due to the noise alone..
    The DA 560 has almost silent AF that is not really fast, but that is silent and very accurate, and moreover: also very consistent. If you have really gotten into shooting this lens, you will not miss very many shots due to less than perfect focus. Still, for c-af, the AF is really too slow.
  • The Sigma has a "vintage style" color rendition, and a very smooth bokeh. Contrast can be low, leading to washed out colors. It is sharp, but does not resolve very fine detail.
    The Pentax DA has lively, modern style colors, and tremendous contrast in practically all circumstances. It is very sharp and resolves very highly. It can be very rewarding to not shoot jpeg's with this lens, but use a good raw converter and work a bit more on the images, because there's lot's of detail.
  • The Sigma is black, the Pentax DA is white. I don't see a very large white lens as very practical, so I use a black lens cover from lenscoat.
  • The Sigma is compact and will fit in many bags, the Pentax is long, few bags will hold it with the camera attached. I use a long lens bag from lenscoat.
Good luck deciding. Both are very special lenses.
QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
Neither the 560 nor the 500, the DFA150-450 is the one to have and here is why:
  • almost as much reach as the 560 or 500
  • cheaper (half the price)
  • 1 Kg less than the 560 or 500
  • DFA150450 is smaller, easier to carry while travelling
  • zoom: more versatile
  • excellent AF
  • all weather
  • easier to resell if you want to
  • depth of field is such that you have to stop down so, sharpness wide open is no much of an issue
  • so the difference with the 560 is non existent (you also have to get to f7.1 to get sharp images)
  • DFA150-450 has way less CA than the 560
AF features:
  • silent AF
  • AF limiter over 3 different AF ranges
  • AF present function
  • PDAF works fine with x1.4 TC
  • CDAF works fine with two x1.4TC stacked (=900mm x 1.5 APSC)... imagine the reach...
  • 3 manual AF modes
  • geared manual AF, easy to manually focus
Since the DFA150-450 was released, it does not make much sense to get a DA560 or Sigma 500, unless you really are looking to pay twice the price for a small difference in sharpness and 10% more reach.
QuoteOriginally posted by angerdan Quote
Missing points in the Pentaxforum Review Conclusion are:

Pro for the Pentax 560mm:
  • AF-Limiter
  • In-Camera Correction for Distortion, Peripheral Illumin., Lateral Chromatic Aberration, Diffraction
  • Dust-resistant and drip-proof construction (AW), lens barrel has been sealed in 29 locations
  • Still build and available to order
  • integrated retractable lens hood
Con for the Pentax 560mm:
  • slower 5.6 max aperture
  • around 20cm more overall build length, second longest AF fixed focal lens ever (after the Canon EF 1200mm 5.6 L USM)
  • only a few backpacks available for that massive build length with attached camera (it's longer than an 800mm 5.6 lens from CaNikon)
  • bad center of weigth with the tripod collar, additional lens plate is absolutely needed
  • tripod collar points towards the camera

Pro for the Sigma 500mm:

  • around 20cm less overall build lengh (fits in many backpacks even with camera attached)
  • better combination of speed/focal length ratio for handheld use
  • better center of weight for handheld use, good balancing

Con for the Sigma 500mm:

  • no weather sealing
  • production stopped, only available used
  • Lens hood is way to short for the focal lenght, even on 35mm/FF/K-1


My personal conclusion is:
If Pentax would include the advantages of booth lenses into a new glass, this would be awesome.
For example an HD D FA 400mm 4.0 Limited DC WR or even an HD D FA* 450mm 4.5 DC AW.

Role model can be the Minolta AF 400mm f/4.5 APO G HS, which has only 1.920g and 27,5cm lengh.
Including the retractable focus ring cover, this kind of design is perfect for the AF-Era.
dyxum.com/lenses/Minolta-AF-400mm-F4.5-HS-APO-G_lens22.html
Most of the points are named in several posts. In some posts it's not clear if a point is an advante or whats the concrete disadvantage.
Having two threads with the same topic can be suprising for some.
I still wonder that besides the pentaxforums.com Staff review of the DA 560mm no one mentioned the strap mount and the not included/missing lens strap for this lens.

Last edited by angerdan; 12-02-2017 at 05:15 AM.
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