[Edgar_in_Indy]

I was was only joking in relation to Edgar's post

This is serious business, no joking allowed. People are already on the edge of hysteria waiting for the 18-35mm, so you better start coughing up some good deals on the 560!

[tabl10s]

Yeah, okay. I thought the Sigma was out already? Since I just picked up an FA 85, I haven't thought about lenses much. I definitely want another K-3 before a lens.

[panoguy]

I have a plane ticket reserved on exactly the 1 year anniversary of Sigma's announcement for this lens in Pentax mount (June 14, 2013) and the day I preordered. If I don't have it by then, I'm not going to be happy...

Is it a plane ticket to Aizu, Japan?

[JPT]

Finally a release date for Japan - June 20!

SIGMA 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM??????????????????????????????

I know it is just a date for Japan, but in the past, people in other countries have reported taking delivery very close to the Japanese release date, such as in the case of the recent Sigma 30mm.

[Edgar_in_Indy]

Good to hear it may finally be coming. I was hoping to have it in time to take to the hospital for the delivery of our newest baby, but when it became apparent it would not appear before the delivery, I picked up a Sony RX100 II instead. It's an amazing little camera and I'm glad I had it at the hospital to supplement my DSLR.

[seventysixersfan]

I was hoping to have it in time to take to the hospital for the delivery of our newest baby,

Congrats! How many kids do you have anyway? It seems like quite a full house! At least you have lots of great portrait subject matter!

[ChristianRock]

Congratulations on the coming of your new baby, Edgar! I remember you talking about it earlier in the thread but I didn't know you already had her!

And this again proves that unlreleased gear should not be part of our plans... unless we have a good plan B like you did.

---

Last edited by ChristianRock; 06-10-2014 at 09:03 AM.

[Edgar_in_Indy]

Thanks you guys! The baby is our third daughter, and she's 23 hrs old right now. Mom and I are still at the hospital feeling exhausted after a sleepless night. She takes after her two older sisters in that regard!

It was a pleasure capturing photos and video of the delivery and her first few hours of (official) life. I didn't have a DSLR until shortly after our second daughter was born and I noticed how crappy the photos from our new $200 super-high-megapixel camera were. I suspected that photos weren't supposed to look like an impressionist watercolor painting when viewed at 100%, so that's when I started researching cameras, and here I am several thousand dollars later. So this is the first baby birth where I got to employ my photography hobby.

The 18-35mm f/1.8 would have been ideal at the hospital, but in its absence I took my RX100 II, as well as my K-30 with the Sigma 30mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.4. They let me take the whole thing into the operating room for the delivery. During the delivery I used the RX100 to shoot video, which it does a very good job of. I also used it to get a few wide angle pictures at f/1.8. And then after the baby had been out for a minute or two I switched to the K-30 for photos and first shot with the 30mm and then switched to the 85mm. I haven't been able to download the pictures yet, but viewing them on the camera I'm thrilled with what I got.

If I had gotten the 18-35mm in time, I would have just brought that and the 85mm and not needed the Sony. But the Sony is still great to have. I've only had it for a few days, so I'm still evaluating, but I may keep it to replace my trusty Olympus XZ-1 as my small camera. But then again, if the 18-35mm does shortly become available, I may be tempted to sell the RX100 to help fund it.

[seventysixersfan]

Mom and I are still at the hospital feeling exhausted after a sleepless night.

Wow, that's true dedication to the Pentaxforums if you're checking it and posting messages while still at the hospital less than a day after the birth of your baby! This new daughter is going to have quite a lot of brilliant pictures taken of her with your excellent camera gear! Enjoy these precious moments at the start of her life and try to get some sleep!!

[Unlimited]

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

[dadipentak]

"scheduled to start the shipment towards the end of this month."

Honest, Charlie Brown--this time I'm really going to hold the ball.

[ElJamoquio]

I believe it. Maybe I'm optimistic... but Sigma's delays in the past were from production volume problems that have since been resolved (the market is full in Canon/Nikon)...

[Mr Hyde]

I hope this new info is correct. I really do. But once again, I'll believe it when I get the shipping notification from B&H

[Cannikin]

Finally a release date for Japan - June 20!

SIGMA 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM??????????????????????????????

I know it is just a date for Japan, but in the past, people in other countries have reported taking delivery very close to the Japanese release date, such as in the case of the recent Sigma 30mm.

Yay! 1 year and 6 days after official announcement, and perfectly timed to just miss my trip...

Oh well, I'm glad at least now we have an actual date, as opposed to endless vague estimates.

[Black_Wizards]

Yay! 1 year and 6 days after official announcement, and perfectly timed to just miss my trip...

Me too