[ScooterMaxi Jim]

My concerns with the fast Sigma are not with image quality which are assured to be best available in fast zooms. However, I'd hesitate about the overall size and weight, as well as color rendition. I'm a bit gun shy as having had the Sigma 15-30 which was optically marginal, awful to handle, and really terrible for color rendition (uncorrectable) - well I know Sigma has come a long ways... For now, I will stick with the 16-45 and remain very happy with it if I can remember to shoot starting at 19mm rather than 16mm.

I have a Samyang (Bower) 14mm coming (should make avoiding 16mm much easier), and that pretty clearly will be better than anything Pentax has offered in the world of ultra-wides - at least in the modern designs. I can't stand the softness and CA problems of most ultra-wides, and stopping down to f/8 or more isn't a good solution considering the prices being paid for those lenses. Rather than reissuing existing lens designs with new coatings, Pentax would have been better served implementing new designs both at the wide and long (300-400) ends of the spectrum.

[roksteady99]

I emailed sigma and received this response regarding the release date of the 18-35 for the K mount. Its still not definitive on a date but is definitive that they are still planning on releasing it.

"Good morning,


Unfortunately we still do not have an official release date for this lens. I can assure you that it is still going to be made, however production issues have severely slowed down the process. We are still expecting them to be delivered in late April.



I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.


Please let me know if you have any questions and have a great day!



Best regards,



Michael Sinnott

Sales Operations Supervisor

Sigma Corp of America"

[FabioPirovano]

I have K30 and SMC A 50mm f 1.7 and I CANT USE ANY OTHER LENS
I would heading to Sigma 18-35 1.8 but I don't know if is a good buy!

[schnitzer79]

another great option would be the sigma 17-50 f2.8 as I believe its a great lens and would give you the coverage you want. thats around $350 new. and then maybe get a used DA 70mm f2.4 ltd.u can get one in great condition for around $450.so ur looking at 2 lenses for $800 vs just the 18-35 for $700. both lenses also weigh less together than the weight of the 18-35 alone At least thats the way i would go if money was an issue

[FabioPirovano]

I have a K-30 and I am really happy with it. However, After learning what a fast lens can give you (after trying my Pentax-A 50mm 1.7) I have never looked back to my Kit lens.

I was looking at some fast primes but there is nothing from pentax in wide angle that is fast. All lenses below 30mm are f/3.2 or larger. And as usual, if there are any lenses faster than that (like the 31 f1.8) then they are ridiculously expensive. Considering photography is just a hobby for me and not a source of income, paying 1k plus for a lens is not really feasible.

Hainvg the sigma 18-35 1.8 pentax mount around the corner made me think if this would be a good companion to the K-30. Considering this lens will most likely run for $700 or less street price in few months, i think is a no brainer considering that a "slow" pentax limited runs for $500 each. Even Sigma's own primes 24mm, 28mm, 30mm (old) and 30mm (new) and finally the 35mm 1.4 all run for $400+

is quite sad that Pentax does not offer something fast that is wide angle. You can say that image quality of the sigma at 1.8 is not "perfect" but capability is there. Besides, most reviews say that by 2.0 the lens is REALLY sharp!.

I know Pentax limiteds have nice color, nice contrast, are smaller. But this lens is cheaper (than buying sepate limiteds), is faster (1.8 across the range) and highly acclaimed for sharpness. In fact, after reading a lot of reviews, it seems that one of the things people complain the most about (shake reduction) would not be an issue in pentax as we have in body SR.

so:
I just wanted to know if there are other K-30 users waiting for this lens?
What lens are you replacing when you get the 18-35?
Should i just forget about fast lens and get something like a 21mm 3.2 limited and maybe a sigma 28mm (joke)

Nothing to say, but now I have 2 50mm 1.7 and the 1.4(outstanding) and I have sold the 18-135 WR and buy the 15-55 WR(Works great believe me) + cash ; I had the SMC A 28 2.8 and was not great,I'm still waiting for some new about the sigma art 18-35

[rawr]

In case anyone missed this news ...

2014.06.10
SIGMA 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM F/SONY and F/PENTAX

SIGMA 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM F/SONY and F/PENTAX are scheduled to start the shipment towards the end of this month.

SIGMA 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM F/SONY and F/PENTAX - SIGMA CORPORATION

So end of June is Sigma 18-35 for Pentax time.

[Mushu]

My seven-month backorder finally arrived a few weeks ago, and it was worth the wait!

It is a very well-crafted lens, quite heavy though, which is the only drawback I've seen so far. It works great on my K-30. Now I am no longer going to use my kit lenses at all--this and my Pentax DA 55-300 4/5.8 zoom are the two lenses I will carry. So far the pictures the 18-35 takes are fantastic. I have not experienced any of the front/back focus issues the other camera bodies have been complaining about, only time will tell. I will be entering some of my compositions in the local fairs, gonna pull in big bucks with those $5 blue ribbon prizes!