Tamron vs Sigma?

Richard B 13 · 05-13-2020, 10:47 AM

Pentax K 3 II would you get a Tamron 70-200 2.8 Di SP LD (IF) lens or the Sigma 70-200 2.8 EX DG HSM?

**aslyfox** · 05-13-2020, 11:11 AM

there is an in depth review that I think might help you

Quote:

HD Pentax-D FA* 70-200mm F2.8 ED DC AW
Vs. Other 70-200mm Lenses
It is not our custom to compare reviewed lenses with equivalent offerings from other manufacturers in a standalone review. The lack of interchangeability makes such an exercise pointless since our reviews are targeted for current Pentax users. . . .

70-200mm F2.8 Options
Manufacturer
Canon
Tamron
Tamron
Nikon
Sigma
. . .

Read more at: HD Pentax-D FA* 70-200mm F2.8 ED DC AW Review - Vs. Other 70-200mm Lenses | PentaxForums.com Reviews

**BigMackCam** · 05-13-2020, 11:46 AM - **1 Like**

Moved to Pentax SLR Lens Discussion forum

normhead · 05-13-2020, 11:51 AM - **1 Like**

It's all about the screw drive noise. If you don't mind it, go for the Tamron. If you do, go for the Sigma. The Tamron despite being screw drive is quite fast forcusing, and if ordering new, make sure you can return it. It has a terrible DOA percentage, like close to 10%. Once you have a good one though, people love it. Usually it's the best value for a casual user and the IQ is top shelf.

The Sigma is also very good. It seems no one makes a bad 70-200 optically. You need to select on other features.If it were me, I'd probably go with the Sigma, just because I'm really starting to dislike screw drive.

rr1736 · 05-13-2020, 12:12 PM

I have the Sigma 70-200 and it never disappoints it is my event lens of choice

gatorguy · 05-13-2020, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by normhead

It's all about the screw drive noise. If you don't mind it, go for the Tamron. If you do, go for the Sigma. The Tamron despite being screw drive is quite fast forcusing, and if ordering new, make sure you can return it. It has a terrible DOA percentage, like close to 10%. Once you have a good one though, people love it. Usually it's the best value for a casual user and the IQ is top shelf.

The Sigma is also very good. It seems no one makes a bad 70-200 optically. You need to select on other features.If it were me, I'd probably go with the Sigma, just because I'm really starting to dislike screw drive.

IIRC isn't there a significant weight difference between the two? That might be pertinent depending on use case.

EDIT: Yes the Sigma is a bit more than a half pound heavier.

Sidney Porter · 05-13-2020, 02:19 PM

I have the Tamron, no complaints.

gatorguy · 05-13-2020, 03:25 PM

Originally posted by Richard B 13

Pentax K 3 II would you get a Tamron 70-200 2.8 Di SP LD (IF) lens or the Sigma 70-200 2.8 EX DG HSM?

Personal suggestion: If you don't already have the Pentax 50-135 2.8 that would be more useful than the 70-200 for your K3. It's an amazing lens that serves as fine portraits, or landscapes, or as a concert or event shooter. It's never disappointed me. It's the crop-equivalent of the full-frame 70-200 and renders marvelous pics.

**FozzFoster** · 05-13-2020, 03:27 PM

Can't the FA* 80-200 be had for around the same price? Shouldn't that be a contender in this list?

Sidney Porter · 05-13-2020, 04:33 PM

Originally posted by FozzFoster

Can't the FA* 80-200 be had for around the same price? Shouldn't that be a contender in this list?

I paid $450ish for the Tamron the Pentax goes for $800-950

Kozlok · 05-13-2020, 04:44 PM - **1 Like**

In my mind, the answer depends on if the Tamron's superior close-focusing matters for your use case. I use mine for butterflies and other similar things. I really like the 0.32 maximum magnification; it seems just right for a lens like this. There are different versions of the Sigma with different magnifications, but I think .12 or thereabouts is the typical one.

Also, the Tamron really takes amazing images. I'm glad with my choice. I do wish it had a quiet motor, but nothing is perfect.

btnapa · 05-14-2020, 06:27 AM

Originally posted by normhead

I'd probably go with the Sigma, just because I'm really starting to dislike screw drive.

I have the Tammy and for most part did not mind the noise until I ended up shooting a wedding. Outdoors were just fine but I was so embarrassed from the noise of the lens in dead silent moments during the ceremony at the church. If I ever replace the Tammy (not likely anytime soon), I will probably go with the Sigma or the Pentax.

---------- Post added 05-14-20 at 06:38 AM ----------

I have the Tamron and very happy with the image quality. It is noisy to focus. I shot a wedding and during the church ceremony, the noise was noticeable and annoying. I picked the Tamron over the Sigma because it was cheaper by a good margin. The Pentax version did not exist at the time, I think.

A big feather in Tamron's cap. Just out of curiosity, I shot the same image with the Tamron at 77mm and my FA 77mm. Both set at f4. The center sharpness was almost identical but when you got to the corners, the Tamron was noticeably sharper! That was a major surprise for me.

normhead · 05-14-2020, 06:45 AM

Quote:

A big feather in Tamron's cap. Just out of curiosity, I shot the same image with the Tamron at 77mm and my FA 77mm. Both set at f4. The center sharpness was almost identical but when you got to the corners, the Tamron was noticeably sharper! That was a major surprise for me.

How did the out of focus areas compare?

btnapa · 05-14-2020, 07:13 AM

Originally posted by normhead

How did the out of focus areas compare?

This was a few years back and I do not remember the bokeh comparison. What hit me immediately was how much sharper the Tamron was. It was a shock to me as the FA77 is a prime and the Tammy is a zoom. A prime is supposed to be a lot better than a zoom. Tammy was only one stop away from wide-open and the FA77 was two stops away from wide-open. More reason for the prime to outshine the zoom. But that was not the case.

It was just a quick test and nothing scientific. It could have been a fluke too. I don't know.

normhead · 05-14-2020, 08:40 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by btnapa

This was a few years back and I do not remember the bokeh comparison. What hit me immediately was how much sharper the Tamron was. It was a shock to me as the FA77 is a prime and the Tammy is a zoom. A prime is supposed to be a lot better than a zoom. Tammy was only one stop away from wide-open and the FA77 was two stops away from wide-open. More reason for the prime to outshine the zoom. But that was not the case.

It was just a quick test and nothing scientific. It could have been a fluke too. I don't know.

77 f4 is 77 f4 on any lens. How far it is from wide open is irrelevant.

For the difference look in the out of focus background areas. The 77 should be smoother, unless the 70-200 is optimized for 70-80 mm.

Once you hit a certain level of lens, it's only in the back ground out focus areas that you see meaningful differences.

Quote:

It was a shock to me as the FA77 is a prime and the Tammy is a zoom.

The DA*s are built to do well on test charts and to be sharp edge to edge.
The FA ltds are designed by testing how much people like the prints made from the images. They're completely different design philosophies.

If you bought a 77 to be a test chart lens, you bought it for the wrong reason.

05-13-2020, 10:47 AM	#1
Richard B 13 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 48	Tamron vs Sigma? Pentax K 3 II would you get a Tamron 70-200 2.8 Di SP LD (IF) lens or the Sigma 70-200 2.8 EX DG HSM?

05-13-2020, 12:25 PM	#6
gatorguy Moderator Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,092	Originally posted by normhead It's all about the screw drive noise. If you don't mind it, go for the Tamron. If you do, go for the Sigma. The Tamron despite being screw drive is quite fast forcusing, and if ordering new, make sure you can return it. It has a terrible DOA percentage, like close to 10%. Once you have a good one though, people love it. Usually it's the best value for a casual user and the IQ is top shelf. The Sigma is also very good. It seems no one makes a bad 70-200 optically. You need to select on other features.If it were me, I'd probably go with the Sigma, just because I'm really starting to dislike screw drive. IIRC isn't there a significant weight difference between the two? That might be pertinent depending on use case. EDIT: Yes the Sigma is a bit more than a half pound heavier. Last edited by gatorguy; 05-13-2020 at 12:39 PM.

05-14-2020, 08:40 AM - 1 Like	#15
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by btnapa This was a few years back and I do not remember the bokeh comparison. What hit me immediately was how much sharper the Tamron was. It was a shock to me as the FA77 is a prime and the Tammy is a zoom. A prime is supposed to be a lot better than a zoom. Tammy was only one stop away from wide-open and the FA77 was two stops away from wide-open. More reason for the prime to outshine the zoom. But that was not the case. It was just a quick test and nothing scientific. It could have been a fluke too. I don't know. 77 f4 is 77 f4 on any lens. How far it is from wide open is irrelevant. For the difference look in the out of focus background areas. The 77 should be smoother, unless the 70-200 is optimized for 70-80 mm. Once you hit a certain level of lens, it's only in the back ground out focus areas that you see meaningful differences. Quote: It was a shock to me as the FA77 is a prime and the Tammy is a zoom. The DAs are built to do well on test charts and to be sharp edge to edge. The FA ltds are designed by testing how much people like the prints made from the images. They're completely different design philosophies. If you bought a 77 to be a test chart lens, you bought it for the wrong reason. Last edited by normhead; 05-15-2020 at 11:01 AM.*

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05-13-2020, 11:11 AM	#2
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	there is an in depth review that I think might help you Quote: HD Pentax-D FA* 70-200mm F2.8 ED DC AW Vs. Other 70-200mm Lenses It is not our custom to compare reviewed lenses with equivalent offerings from other manufacturers in a standalone review. The lack of interchangeability makes such an exercise pointless since our reviews are targeted for current Pentax users. . . . 70-200mm F2.8 Options Manufacturer Canon Tamron Tamron Nikon Sigma . . . Read more at: HD Pentax-D FA* 70-200mm F2.8 ED DC AW Review - Vs. Other 70-200mm Lenses \| PentaxForums.com Reviews

05-13-2020, 11:46 AM - 1 Like	#3
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,661	Moved to Pentax SLR Lens Discussion forum

05-13-2020, 11:51 AM - 1 Like	#4
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	It's all about the screw drive noise. If you don't mind it, go for the Tamron. If you do, go for the Sigma. The Tamron despite being screw drive is quite fast forcusing, and if ordering new, make sure you can return it. It has a terrible DOA percentage, like close to 10%. Once you have a good one though, people love it. Usually it's the best value for a casual user and the IQ is top shelf. The Sigma is also very good. It seems no one makes a bad 70-200 optically. You need to select on other features.If it were me, I'd probably go with the Sigma, just because I'm really starting to dislike screw drive.

05-13-2020, 12:12 PM	#5
rr1736 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Chicago Illinois Photos: Albums Posts: 203	I have the Sigma 70-200 and it never disappoints it is my event lens of choice

05-13-2020, 02:19 PM	#7
Sidney Porter Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Columbus Ohio USA Posts: 353	I have the Tamron, no complaints.

05-13-2020, 03:25 PM	#8
gatorguy Moderator Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,092	Originally posted by Richard B 13 Pentax K 3 II would you get a Tamron 70-200 2.8 Di SP LD (IF) lens or the Sigma 70-200 2.8 EX DG HSM? Personal suggestion: If you don't already have the Pentax 50-135 2.8 that would be more useful than the 70-200 for your K3. It's an amazing lens that serves as fine portraits, or landscapes, or as a concert or event shooter. It's never disappointed me. It's the crop-equivalent of the full-frame 70-200 and renders marvelous pics.

05-13-2020, 03:27 PM	#9
FozzFoster Custom User Title Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Alberta Photos: Albums Posts: 6,806	Can't the FA* 80-200 be had for around the same price? Shouldn't that be a contender in this list?

05-13-2020, 04:33 PM	#10
Sidney Porter Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Columbus Ohio USA Posts: 353	Originally posted by FozzFoster Can't the FA* 80-200 be had for around the same price? Shouldn't that be a contender in this list? I paid $450ish for the Tamron the Pentax goes for $800-950

05-13-2020, 04:44 PM - 1 Like	#11
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	In my mind, the answer depends on if the Tamron's superior close-focusing matters for your use case. I use mine for butterflies and other similar things. I really like the 0.32 maximum magnification; it seems just right for a lens like this. There are different versions of the Sigma with different magnifications, but I think .12 or thereabouts is the typical one. Also, the Tamron really takes amazing images. I'm glad with my choice. I do wish it had a quiet motor, but nothing is perfect.

05-14-2020, 06:27 AM	#12
btnapa Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 1,614	Originally posted by normhead I'd probably go with the Sigma, just because I'm really starting to dislike screw drive. I have the Tammy and for most part did not mind the noise until I ended up shooting a wedding. Outdoors were just fine but I was so embarrassed from the noise of the lens in dead silent moments during the ceremony at the church. If I ever replace the Tammy (not likely anytime soon), I will probably go with the Sigma or the Pentax. ---------- Post added 05-14-20 at 06:38 AM ---------- I have the Tamron and very happy with the image quality. It is noisy to focus. I shot a wedding and during the church ceremony, the noise was noticeable and annoying. I picked the Tamron over the Sigma because it was cheaper by a good margin. The Pentax version did not exist at the time, I think. A big feather in Tamron's cap. Just out of curiosity, I shot the same image with the Tamron at 77mm and my FA 77mm. Both set at f4. The center sharpness was almost identical but when you got to the corners, the Tamron was noticeably sharper! That was a major surprise for me.

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05-14-2020, 06:45 AM	#13
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Quote: A big feather in Tamron's cap. Just out of curiosity, I shot the same image with the Tamron at 77mm and my FA 77mm. Both set at f4. The center sharpness was almost identical but when you got to the corners, the Tamron was noticeably sharper! That was a major surprise for me. How did the out of focus areas compare?

05-14-2020, 07:13 AM	#14
btnapa Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 1,614	Originally posted by normhead How did the out of focus areas compare? This was a few years back and I do not remember the bokeh comparison. What hit me immediately was how much sharper the Tamron was. It was a shock to me as the FA77 is a prime and the Tammy is a zoom. A prime is supposed to be a lot better than a zoom. Tammy was only one stop away from wide-open and the FA77 was two stops away from wide-open. More reason for the prime to outshine the zoom. But that was not the case. It was just a quick test and nothing scientific. It could have been a fluke too. I don't know.