Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
10-30-2016, 01:31 PM   #1
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Roi-et, Thailand
Posts: 773
Bigma or DFA?

The price difference is considerable, nearly a thousand £'s. These days that's a lot of money.

So the question is how much better is this Pentax at £1,699 . . .

Pentax HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW Lens

than this Sigma at £799 . . .

Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Lens - Pentax Fit

My longest lens right now is the D-FA* 2.8/70-200 which is phenomenal at all focal lengths/any aperture. But I need more zoom. The D-FA 150-450 and the Sigma 50-500 seem to be the only options. The D-FA seems to have reliability issues too, reading reports on PentaxForums. I go away for long periods which means the gear can't fail in the field and I can't return the equipment, sometimes within the warranty period.

Preferably, I'm looking for optimal performance at the long end. Use will be on the K-1.

Many thanks in advance.


Last edited by HopelessTogger; 10-30-2016 at 03:00 PM.
10-30-2016, 02:00 PM - 2 Likes   #2
Pentaxian




Join Date: Feb 2015
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 12,177
QuoteOriginally posted by HopelessTogger Quote
My longest lens right now is the D-FA* 2.8/70-200 which is phenomenal at all focal lengths/any aperture. But I need more zoom. The D-FA 150-450 and the Sigma 50-500 seem to be the only options.
Those are not the only options. When you have a DFA*70200 the quality of the glass makes it a good candidate to sticking a TC at the back of it. I haven't tried yet, but I bet you could rival the DFA150450 with a x1.4x and x2 TC on the DFA70200, + the advantage that the DFA70200 is internal focusing. If you need a longer FL for safari kind of things, 100-300 is enough. If you need more FL for bird photography, either you do it from a blind and 100-300 could be enough, or you don't shoot from a blind and 500mm is too short...
10-30-2016, 02:04 PM   #3
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Roi-et, Thailand
Posts: 773
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
Those are not the only options. When you have a DFA*70200 the quality of the glass makes it a good candidate to sticking a TC at the back of it. I haven't tried yet, but I bet you could rival the DFA150450 with a x1.4x and x2 TC on the DFA70200.
A quality idea! Much cheaper and lighter option.
10-30-2016, 02:14 PM   #4
Veteran Member
MadMathMind's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,717
QuoteOriginally posted by HopelessTogger Quote
A quality idea! Much cheaper and lighter option.
Problems:
1) The Pentax TC is crop only
2) The other AF/auto aperture TC options just pass the focal length through without modifying, so you don't get proper shake reduction focal length. For a long lens, that could be a big shortcoming.
3) Quality won't be as good.

There's also the Sigma 150-500. It's not nearly as good (but probably better than the 50-500) as the DFA but it can be found less than $700.

10-30-2016, 02:20 PM   #5
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Roi-et, Thailand
Posts: 773
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by MadMathMind Quote
Problems:
1) The Pentax TC is crop only
2) The other AF/auto aperture TC options just pass the focal length through without modifying, so you don't get proper shake reduction focal length. For a long lens, that could be a big shortcoming.
3) Quality won't be as good.

There's also the Sigma 150-500. It's not nearly as good (but probably better than the 50-500) as the DFA but it can be found less than $700.
Thanks.

I've read the Sigma 50-500 is better than the 150-500. There's also a 120-400.

Get above 135mm primes and I get all confused.
10-30-2016, 02:48 PM   #6
Pentaxian




Join Date: Feb 2015
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 12,177
QuoteOriginally posted by MadMathMind Quote
There's also the Sigma 150-500. It's not nearly as good (but probably better than the 50-500)
No , the 50-500 is sharper than the 150-500... that's not what we would think at first because of the zoom ratios, but that's it.
10-30-2016, 02:51 PM   #7
Pentaxian
Paul the Sunman's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Melbourne
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 4,836
My son recently bought the Sigma 50-500 for Pentax. I was surprised how good it is. By all accounts the D FA 150-450 is in a different league, but in absolute terms the Sigma is a great option, especially at the price.

10-30-2016, 02:57 PM   #8
Pentaxian




Join Date: Feb 2015
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 12,177
QuoteOriginally posted by MadMathMind Quote
Problems: 1) The Pentax TC is crop only 2) The other AF/auto aperture TC options just pass the focal length through without modifying, so you don't get proper shake reduction focal length. For a long lens, that could be a big shortcoming. 3) Quality won't be as good.
I own both DFA150450, DFA70200 and HD TC... so I did not write out of nothing. The HD TC vignette slightly in the corners, I can get more than 30Mpixels 100% free of vignetting.
10-30-2016, 03:02 PM   #9
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Roi-et, Thailand
Posts: 773
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
I own both DFA150450, DFA70200 and HD TC... so I did not write out of nothing. The HD TC vignette slightly in the corners, I can get more than 30Mpixels 100% free of vignetting.
Biz, when you got the time, can you post a couple of shots taken with the K-1, 70-200 with teleconverter @280mm?

I've remembered I have a friend with the Bigma in K-mount so I'll see if I can borrow it to test on the K-1.

Need to get this right, photo kit budget is pretty much done.
10-30-2016, 03:32 PM - 1 Like   #10
Pentaxian




Join Date: Feb 2015
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 12,177
QuoteOriginally posted by HopelessTogger Quote
Need to get this right, photo kit budget is pretty much done.
Important is to be clear about the focal length range that you need the most based on what you want to photograph.
10-30-2016, 03:35 PM   #11
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Roi-et, Thailand
Posts: 773
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
Important is to be clear about the focal length range that you need the most based on what you want to photograph.
300 and up on full frame. Although if the 1.4x tc works on the 70-200 I might have to live with that.
10-30-2016, 03:38 PM - 1 Like   #12
Veteran Member




Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 1,448
The Sigma 50-500 and 150-500 are f6.3 at 500mm. Stacking a 1.4 AND 2x TC on the 70-200, aside from some rather bad image loss, becomes a 560mm f8. Not even a close comparison and there's a VERY good chance the camera won't even AF with that combination. The 1.4x TC is a great TC, so you can get away with that on good glass, but I have never ever found a 2x TC worth putting on any quality glass. The math doesn't add up and the results will be very disappointing.

What makes my two cents worth anything? I've owned the 50-500, 150-500 and now own the 150-450. I have also owned the Pentax 1.4x, Tamron 1.4x, Sigma 1.4x and 2x and the Kenko/Vivitar 1.4x TC. I've tried just about ever combination of long lens out there except the DA 560mm.

My opinion: The 150-500 is better at 500mm than the 50-500, but the 50-500 is better UP TO about 400mm. The 50-500 is actually closer to a 50-460ish if i remember the exact specs in terms of magnification, whereas the 150-500 is pretty close to 500 at 500. AF performance on the K5iis and K3 is slightly better for the 150-500 than the 55-300 but that's not saying a whole lot. It's slow for wildlife. The 50-500 AF is slower and less consistent than the 150-500.

The 150-450 is in a different league and for the price it better be. It pairs very well with the Pentax TC on a K3, but I would never use the Pentax TC on my K1, the vignetting coupled with the extreme edge distortion leading into the vignetting is just not good enough to be classified as useable on FF. AF is significantly better; faster more accurate. (Anecdote: My 150-450 had issues with its zoom and is now in repair. When I asked my GF, the main user if she wanted the lens repaired or to get another option, she was adamant that I get another 150-450. She did NOT want to "downgrade" to another 150-500.) I personally use MY ultimate long lens, the Sigma 500 f4.5 and the Pentax DFA gives it a pretty good run for its money. The Sigma is slightly faster at focusing for BIF and pixel peeping sharper for objects beyond about 50 yards. Inside 50 yards I have a tough time telling the difference, and that's probably the extra 50mm the Sigma has. The Sigma 500 f4.5 is a 5k lens.

Bottom line, I tried to go cheap and budget in so many different ways, and nothing really worked to my standards or expectations. When it comes to long FL lenses, you better be prepared to ante up, because you can't take shortcuts and expect the same results.

PS - the 120-400 is trash...
10-30-2016, 03:45 PM   #13
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Roi-et, Thailand
Posts: 773
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by nomadkng Quote
The Sigma 50-500 and 150-500 are f6.3 at 500mm. Stacking a 1.4 AND 2x TC on the 70-200, aside from some rather bad image loss, becomes a 560mm f8. Not even a close comparison and there's a VERY good chance the camera won't even AF with that combination. The 1.4x TC is a great TC, so you can get away with that on good glass, but I have never ever found a 2x TC worth putting on any quality glass. The math doesn't add up and the results will be very disappointing.

What makes my two cents worth anything? I've owned the 50-500, 150-500 and now own the 150-450. I have also owned the Pentax 1.4x, Tamron 1.4x, Sigma 1.4x and 2x and the Kenko/Vivitar 1.4x TC. I've tried just about ever combination of long lens out there except the DA 560mm.

My opinion: The 150-500 is better at 500mm than the 50-500, but the 50-500 is better UP TO about 400mm. The 50-500 is actually closer to a 50-460ish if i remember the exact specs in terms of magnification, whereas the 150-500 is pretty close to 500 at 500. AF performance on the K5iis and K3 is slightly better for the 150-500 than the 55-300 but that's not saying a whole lot. It's slow for wildlife. The 50-500 AF is slower and less consistent than the 150-500.

The 150-450 is in a different league and for the price it better be. It pairs very well with the Pentax TC on a K3, but I would never use the Pentax TC on my K1, the vignetting coupled with the extreme edge distortion leading into the vignetting is just not good enough to be classified as useable on FF. AF is significantly better; faster more accurate. (Anecdote: My 150-450 had issues with its zoom and is now in repair. When I asked my GF, the main user if she wanted the lens repaired or to get another option, she was adamant that I get another 150-450. She did NOT want to "downgrade" to another 150-500.) I personally use MY ultimate long lens, the Sigma 500 f4.5 and the Pentax DFA gives it a pretty good run for its money. The Sigma is slightly faster at focusing for BIF and pixel peeping sharper for objects beyond about 50 yards. Inside 50 yards I have a tough time telling the difference, and that's probably the extra 50mm the Sigma has. The Sigma 500 f4.5 is a 5k lens.

Bottom line, I tried to go cheap and budget in so many different ways, and nothing really worked to my standards or expectations. When it comes to long FL lenses, you better be prepared to ante up, because you can't take shortcuts and expect the same results.

PS - the 120-400 is trash...

Many, many thanks for this. Yes, I've been stung before by trying workarounds. Might be a case of "maybe next year, son."
10-30-2016, 03:56 PM   #14
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
UncleVanya's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2014
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 28,182
Manual focus 2x converters like the Pentax 2x-a are excellent, but I don't know of any great 2x autofocus converters. The f 1.7x ad converter is another good longer teleconverter but it only offers semi-autofocus.

Perhaps using the DFA with the 70-200 and the F 1.7x would give you a stopgap while you try to determine other options. Another option albeit less flexible would be a F/FA/DA* 300 plus the 1.7x, those two added to your DFA 70-200 might give you the reach you need.
10-30-2016, 04:53 PM - 1 Like   #15
Pentaxian




Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NY
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 6,043
I have the Sigma 150-500. I have used it for birding/wildlife with the K-20D, K-5IIS, and K-3II. It has performed well with all of them. When it is used, I recommend the lens OS to be set to off, camera body SR on, using "Continuous" AF mode, and "Spot" AF focusing area mode. The AF performs well and the lens is capable of outstanding images on a regular basis when appropriate light is available.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
1.4x, af, experience, frame, k-mount, lens, lenses, pentax, pentax lens, sigma, slr lens, tc, wildlife
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
DFA 24-70 or DFA 15-30 for the K-1? Hattifnatt Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 42 10-25-2016 08:03 AM
DFA 28-105 or DFA 100mm? surfar Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 27 10-06-2016 08:36 PM
DFA 100 macro or DFA 100WR macro or Sigma 70 Shanti Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 7 03-03-2013 12:06 AM
DA* 300mm or Sigma 100-300/f4 or Bigma or ? Teo D'Or Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 51 08-13-2009 03:02 PM
Bigma Now or Bigma Later? land65 Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 10 03-19-2008 08:48 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:16 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top