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06-20-2007, 05:38 PM   #1
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Sigmas' Fast, Best Glass is MIA

Looking through the offerings from Sigma I noticed that many of the faster EX line is not made in a Pentax mount. Most of these lenses have HMS drives and would be a great addition to the available new glass for Pentax DSLR's
The 30mm 1.4 ,150mm 2.8 macro ,300mm APO 2.8 500mm 4.5 EX primes and a hand full of the faster zooms(50-150 2.8and 70-200macro 2.8mm both HSM for instance) simply can not be purchased for Pentax camera's.
What gives with this situation? Is this about sales numbers ?
Sure is a shame to have so much good glass so close and not be able to buy it. One day soon perhaps Pentax Inc. will break down and release some new glass worth owning.Right, any day now :0)
Anyway, just ranting. Guess I should not be looking at these darn catalogs.
Kenn

06-20-2007, 05:55 PM   #2
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Well, you have the current Sigma 18-50mm Macro version, which is excellent. The 50-150mm should be releasing on July 1, according to Pentax Life. Good glass is coming for Pentax, slowly but surely .
06-20-2007, 07:17 PM   #3
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Third-party companies make choices to support a particular camera based on a number of factors. Competition is the most obvious. A company knows a certain lens is not going to sell well if the camera manufacturer, and/or a half dozen other companies, sell a similar lens at prices they simply cannot match or beat. So, rather than fighting a potentially losing battle, they focus more on lens designs where the competition is less heated.

Technical considerations are another issue. While a lens may fill a particular purpose for the camera(s) it was designed for, it may not work well with another camera. At that point, the campany has to decide if the redesign costs, competition, and so on, make it worthwhile (profitable) to modify that lens to work properly with that other camera.

The changing marketplace is another factor. Whenever a camera manufacturer announces a new lens design, third-party companies naturally hold back to see how well those lenses are going to sell before sinking more money into their existing products, perhaps later deciding instead to put more money into the new lens design if more profits can be made there.

There are other factors, of course. But this should give you an idea of the issues involved.

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06-20-2007, 08:09 PM   #4
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Good points. As noted in the first post all of these lenses are HMS and I imagine it would not be all that cheep to redesign them to work with the system Pentax has implemented in the K10D .
As far as the over all market share it looks like the new models from Pentax have helped market share a great deal. But at the same time even Pentax has been very slow to get new lenses out to the market.And add the busines issues they are going through. Perhaps it is understandable that new lenses are not rushing to market.
Still, it would be nice to see these models get K mounts.
Kenn

06-20-2007, 08:28 PM   #5
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HSM, not HMS. The 50-150 and 70-200 macro are being released soon.

The 30/1.4 is available in Pentax and Konica/Sony mount, but without HSM.
06-20-2007, 09:14 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by KennJ Quote
The 30mm 1.4 ,150mm 2.8 macro ,300mm APO 2.8 500mm 4.5 EX primes and a hand full of the faster zooms(50-150 2.8and 70-200macro 2.8mm both HSM for instance) simply can not be purchased for Pentax camera's.
30mm/1.4, 300mm/2.8, 500/4.5 are all available in Pentax mount, go check Sigmaphoto.

I do wish the 150mm macro was available in Pentax mount, though, maybe even the 120-300mm/2.8.

Cheers,
-Asad
06-21-2007, 02:09 AM   #7
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Don't forget, there is not a Pentax camera that can use HSM - YET.

Until Pentax releases firmware version 1.3 that activates the feature on the K10D, it is hard for any 3rd party manufacture to design the mount to interface with the body properly. I think Sigma is waiting for for Pentax to release their SSM lenses so they can reverse engineer them.

06-21-2007, 11:09 AM   #8
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SupremeMoFo, dyslexia strikes again but I imagine no one was lost by the error and I am glad to hear that these two macro lenses will be released soon.There is a real need for more new high quality lenses out there.
Asad, evidently the catalog (adoramas newest offerings) I was looking at has an old version of the availability list in it as none of those lenses were shown as having a K mount. Sigma - Lenses - Lens Chart is a very helpfull guide and I should have taken a look to ck. the catologs info. That 120-300 sounds like a good one for my needs and would be great to have.
Roscot, really really good point and I guess what I was fishing for information wise . I hope this will be done soon and that Pentax does not get derailed by the corporate activites of new ownership priorities. I can not see why they would do anything other than encourage the fast completion of the lens projects in the pipeline from a business angle and hope that is the outcome.
I am looking foward to the day that a nice long,fast HSM assisited lens is perched on my K10.
Kenn
06-21-2007, 11:56 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by roscot Quote
Don't forget, there is not a Pentax camera that can use HSM - YET.

Until Pentax releases firmware version 1.3 that activates the feature on the K10D, it is hard for any 3rd party manufacture to design the mount to interface with the body properly. I think Sigma is waiting for for Pentax to release their SSM lenses so they can reverse engineer them.
Yeah, Sigma reverse engineers their mounts and lens electronics, until and unless Pentax releases SSM lenses, there will be nothing from Sigma, since they have nothing available to reverse engineer.

Cheers,
-Asad
06-21-2007, 01:08 PM   #10
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Kenn,
I've got the EX non DG version of the 70-200. It still focuses pretty quickly. If you can find a used one or the new DG version, it is worth snapping up.
06-21-2007, 01:40 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Asad_Masede Quote
Yeah, Sigma reverse engineers their mounts and lens electronics, until and unless Pentax releases SSM lenses, there will be nothing from Sigma, since they have nothing available to reverse engineer.

Cheers,
-Asad
Frankly, that's one of the more reassuring statements I have heard regarding the missing sigma lenses. Maybe the 70-200 2.8 will be available by the time i ahve the cash to buy one.

Personally, I jsut want a decent fast zoom for under $1500.
06-21-2007, 03:08 PM   #12
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I have one of the EX 2.8 lenses myself and am pretty darn happy with it . The 28-70 EX DG is a fast smooth ,sharp lens without a doubt and I have never felt I wasted my money buying it. I would just like a longer lens that can do what it can. Of course I would rather have a Pentax for the quality coating and generaly better mechanics and price stability.But....
Kenn
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