[aliquis]

I have used the Sigma 30mm on a 4/3 mount and it is a average lens. It could definitely be sharper.

The Sigma 150mm Macro is a very good lens. Again I used it on a 4/3 body, but very sharp. 4/3 users call it the Bugma because it is a 30mm equiv. macro with excellent IQ.

I actually prefer the build of the Tokina 50-135 over the Pentax version.

Maybe depend on who's shooting maybe but what I like of the Sigma is the very nice boke, but as said if you read the edited version of my reply it seemed like it wasn't sharp at all out on the edges according to photozone. I thought it performed better compared to the nikon and canon glass but obviously it didn't

I also find it weird but I could swear that when looking at flickr 50/1.4 boke shoots (any brand) or comparing the results of the 85 mms and maybe also wider things such as the 35s or wider yet that the Nikon glass always puts out more pleasant images imho. Or maybe it just depend on the photographer (though it seems like nikon often have more aperture blades and a more circular shape on them, but on the bokeh shoots over at photozone they don't seem to perform perfectly, but in shoots people have MADE I think it's pretty easy to see what is canon and what is nikon and I find that weird.)

I think the boke looks pretty weird/bad on the 77 limited to, but maybe that's just unlucky shots. For sharpness and size it may be nice though .

I looked at the Pentax primes but the pancakes are so slow and the 77 and 33 (or is it 31?) or both fast and seem very nice, but they are out of my budget range I think, they cost like 1000-almost 1500 dollar over here in Sweden and well, it's primes =P

Though the Zeiss and such glass don't come cheap either.

Could had got a 7D with kit-lens for 9500 SEK two days ago, didn't take it (could probably had asked for 9000 SEK), may be stupid but well, the nikon glass seems nicer and per pixel level do, I don't know how much 18 mpx somewhat lower pixel quality make compares to 12 mpx of say the D90. Like if you resize the image to 12 mpx and hence balance out some noise if the 7D become better? Neither of the Canon 28 or 35s seem that nice so hence looking at the Sigma. But yeah, would had taken the 31 limited or whatever it's called over all of them

Haven't touched either Tokina, haven't touched anything at all actually . Still have no camera =P, would had preferred if the Pentax primes where faster and bigger instead of slower and smaller. But then again there's probably a lot of used glass around which may fit the bill but since I have no knowledge of such it makes things a lot harder.

Don't know if I should go DMC-GF1 + cheap used primes or something like the 7D and AF lenses, or D90 with AF lenses and then sell it and replace it when they upgrade it, but that will cost more (before it fall in price, the 7D with kitlens cost 16500 new and 9500 used is way less. It's the same price as the 550D with the same kitlens kinda ..)

Of topic like ****.

[aliquis]

(sigh) The 50-135 is a Pentax design. As is the 10-17mm fisheye. As is the 35mm macro. How many times do we have to go through this Pentax/Tokina thing?

K, dunno, one for each person who don't know? =P

[aliquis]

I'm sorry, but the Sigma 30mm lens is anything but average - and I have used it (and currently own it) in Pentax mount. I'm tired of the Sigma haters on this board...

Name me 1 other lens that is f/1.4 in the 30mm range that costs about the same (i.e. $400)????

As for sharper...that's BS too. The lens is amazingly sharp at f/1.4 and bleeding sharp from f/1.6 and up.

c[_]

Depends on where you look I guess, on Pentax:


So "very good" at center wide open, near out-resolve the camera on 2.8, and well, at 4 it's ridiculous. But the borders is another story, but then it's designed for APS-C I think and not an old FF lens.

Canons APS-C-sensor is slightly smaller so borders become better and center is excellent even wide open:


The 31/1.8 limited cost four times as much but anyway:


So yeah, 31/1.8 limited is better as far as sharpness go (and CA to I think, and eventually everything else to) but it cost four times as much to. And it's a full-frame lens so not that weird that borders are better on that one.

Throw in the Canon 28/1.8 (cheap) just to get another FF:

[aliquis]

I agree, the Sigma EX30 is a truly excellent lens in the Pentax mount (though, I think optically identical in all mounts). Not sure how anyone could describe it as average. The only thing I would like to see different is for us Pentaxians to get HSM like the other guys. The nature of the lens is such that it will be used indoors alot, so quieter would definitely be welcome. I'm pleased with all my Sigmas and just ordered 2 more!

I assume it (and all other third-party lenses) would be the same on all 1.5x crop APS-C-sensors and slightly better at the edges on Canon APS-C since the sensor is slightly smaller and a little more of the edges gets cropped away.

[Winder]

My comments about the 30mm being average are based on it overall performance and how I think the lens will be used. If it was longer and was more of a portrait lens then the edges would not be very important, but at 30mm it will probably be used to capture scenes more than head shots. I think a lens used to capture a wider scene needs to be sharper around the edges.

Average does not mean "bad". If you only use the Pentax system then you are pretty limited in your choices at this focal length. The Limited it too expensive for what you get.

[aliquis]

What exactly to you consider sharp? Center sharpness is very good, edge sharpness is very soft. Compare that to the excellent Sigma 50mm f/1.4 which out performs every other 50mm on the market, or the Sigma 150mm macro with is also sharp edge to edge.

IF you want to look at sharp lenses take a look at the Olympus 50mm macro, or the 150mm f/2. The 25mm f/1.4 Panasonic/Leica is amazingly sharp even at f/1.4, but it costs 2x the 30mm Sigma..... but edge sharpness on the Pan-Leica is almost as sharp as the center sharpness on the 30mm.

Your idea of "bleeding sharp" is not the same as mine apparently.

Nobody is a Sigma hater, but they have some lenses that are better than others. If YOU are happy with the 30mm then that is all that matters.

The two we used on a 4/3 mount had good center sharpness, but edges where not acceptable. I would assume the Pentax APS-C sensor would show more softness than the 4/3.

Must look at the 50 again.

I do understand that the four-thirds lenses are manufactured to fit the sensor (I assume), but I guess they always gets some edge here because they crop away even more edges? Don't know how large image they draw.

And yeah, on four-thirds the 30/1.4 must be even "better" since it will throw away even more. As far as sharpness and vignetting goes atleast.

Edit: Over here in Sweden the 25/1.4 cost just above the 31/1.8 limited, so still more than 4x the price of the Sigma. All the Olympus lenses and kinda all micro four-thirds lenses are so damn expensive to =p

[pspentax]

WOW, where this topic is already

[mysticcowboy]

Personally I'd much rather take an existing 8-16 than a non-existing one.

From what I had read earlier I thought the Sigma 30/1.4 was very nice, but now I looked at Photozone and it seem like it may not be. Though I may have only cared about boke and not sharpness and such when I looked earlier.

For price I'd rather take Sigmas 150/2.8 macro than Nikons 105/2.8 micro VR.

Also Pentax already use the 50-135 and one or more other Tokinas as their lenses.

The Tokinas are well regarded for their buld but so is the Sigma EX, and Sigmas lens line is a hell of a lot bigger than Tokinas.

From the way I read Photozone's review, they didn't exactly "not like" the Sigma 30. They just noted that the lens had noticeable corner sharpness drop-off. As they also said that the center of the lens at middle f-stops could out resolve their testing camera's sensor, I wouldn't worry about it.

michael mckee
My Port Townsend – A City in Photographs – 365

[Fl_Gulfer]

I sold all my Pentax glass and now just have 3 EX Sigma's and a Tamron as my carry-a-round's.

[Blue]

I sold all my Pentax glass and now just have 3 EX Sigma's and a Tamron as my carry-a-round's.

Did you have an LTD lenses?