[Paul the Sunman]

I was at Professional Imaging in The Netherlands and talked to a rep from Sigma (Benelux).

1. 18-35 production is selling like cupcakes to Canon/Nikon.
2. So Pentax will only come when sales on those Canikon's is going to slow down.
3. So, don't expect it soon, maybe even not this year.
4. The 120-300mm is not even mentioned anymore in K-mount.

If that's true, then Sigma has been treating Pentaxians very poorly by constantly promising it would be available "soon". It will leave a very poor impression of the company.

[ElJamoquio]

Sure, but I think they might not have projected this good of a response from Canon / Nikon. It leaves a bitter taste in Pentaxian's mouths, but what are Pentaxians going to do? There's not really a lens that competes with Sigma's directly. Heck, Sigma might have a larger line of lenses in Pentax mount than anybody, Pentax included.

[fgaudet]

Sigma might have a larger line of lenses in Pentax mount than anybody, Pentax included.

Funny, I was thinking the same thing. And they've been releasing very good lenses on the last few years.

[Wosp]

I ordered the Pentax TC 1.4 and the Sigma 18-35 one week ago and they shipped the TC last friday and says they should get the sigma in stock at week 16.
I hope this is true, they are usually reliable
So i will have to play with my DA 300 and the TC for a couple of weeks...at least =o) I really hope it will come Before May 3rd so i can use it on our big car Cruise
ps. i would really like Sigma to get their latest 120-300 f2.8 S and a HSM version of 500mm in Pentax mount


Wosp

[mythguy9]

If it really shows up at $800 (the pre-order price listed right now) that's quite something. I was anticipating $1500+. Yet another lens making the MSRP for the DA*16-50 look ridiculous.

Well if you don't count the WR function and extra reach...

[JASMAZ77]

I was told end of April for the pentax mount for this lens. In Australia that is.

[fgaudet]

Well if you don't count the WR function and extra reach...

WR is found now even on the "entry-level" 18-55 so it shouldn't drive to price up so much. You do gain some reach but the Sigma is faster at f/1.8 (and in Canon mount anyways, it is extremely sharp wide open, where the DA* is softish at 2.8) Larger aperture usually drives the cost up a lot more than reach on a wide angle zoom. The DA* is a pretty great lens but since the price increase, considering what is available in other systems (canikon, sony) of similar reach, IQ and speed, it is over-priced.

[Mock]

I was at Professional Imaging in The Netherlands and talked to a rep from Sigma (Benelux).

1. 18-35 production is selling like cupcakes to Canon/Nikon.
2. So Pentax will only come when sales on those Canikon's is going to slow down.
3. So, don't expect it soon, maybe even not this year.
4. The 120-300mm is not even mentioned anymore in K-mount.

Useless anecdotal evidence ahoy! I've been playing with the same Nikon mount 18-35 that's been sitting on the shelf at my workplace for the last 2 months, and nobody is asking about it anymore. If these lenses are truly selling like hotcakes, it is not happening here any longer. The warm fuzzy early adopter rush has ended in my opinion, so bring on the Pentax mount!

However, the daily number of hits I get on my 18-35 images on Flickr tends to agree with the Benelux rep - unless it is hopeful Pentaxians salivating over them?

This lens already missed one vacation back in November, I really hope I'm able to take it to Europe in late June.

[thibs]

Useless anecdotal evidence ahoy! I've been playing with the same Nikon mount 18-35 that's been sitting on the shelf at my workplace for the last 2 months, and nobody is asking about it anymore. If these lenses are truly selling like hotcakes, it is not happening here any longer. The warm fuzzy early adopter rush has ended in my opinion, so bring on the Pentax mount!

However, the daily number of hits I get on my 18-35 images on Flickr tends to agree with the Benelux rep - unless it is hopeful Pentaxians salivating over them?

This lens already missed one vacation back in November, I really hope I'm able to take it to Europe in late June.

So is your story. It proves nothing as for the other thousands of 18-35 sold (or not, which is your point) by Sigma.
Neither is conclusive though one comes from an official rep.

Seems logical. If I were Sigma, I'd do the same (as a user I strongly disagree of course).

[ElJamoquio]

Uh, I think he was saying that his evidence was anecdotal, not anybody else's. But I could be wrong.

[fgaudet]

How about a conspiracy theory? Pentax won't allow Sigma to release the lens in K mount (not allowing them to use their K mount license) only because Pentax didn't want the 18-35 to interfere with Pentax's new 20-40?

I'm kidding of course (or am I?) but who knows why it's not out yet... I don't think 99% of Sigmas employees even have a clue. Let's keep on entertaining ourselves with theories will we patiently wait

[ElJamoquio]

Your theory would have more merit if Sigma was licensing Pentax's mount... but Sigma doesn't ask Pentax permission to do anything.

[lytrytyr]

because Pentax didn't want the 18-35 to interfere with Pentax's new 20-40?

Interfere? Those two lenses have very different design philosophies.

[fgaudet]

but very similar focal range

---------- Post added 03-30-14 at 16:23 ----------

But just for the sake or arguing...

Sigma sales description:

The Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 translates to 27mm-52.5mm on 35mm camera. Tapping into Sigma’s long history of lens innovations, the 18-35mm 1.8 DC HSM incorporates a wide glass molded aspherical lens with Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass to compensate for aberrations and curvature at the widest angle. Internal focusing and zooming allows for more usability and functionality. The 18-35mm is ideal for landscapes, portraits, still life, snap shots, casual, and close-ups and the Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures smooth, fast and accurate autofocusing.

Pentax sales description:
As the first zoom lens in Ricoh Imaging’s acclaimed Limited Lens series , this lens features a versatile focal length of from 30.5mm to 61.5mm (in the 35mm format) , ideal for a variety of subjects, settings and creative perspectives, all housed in a durable weather sealed body with state-of-the-art High Definition (HD) coating. With its large F2.8 maximum aperture and rounded diaphragm blades, the HD PENTAX DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 ED Limited DC WR lens produces stunning bokeh for exceptional visual expression. The in-lens direct current (DC) focus motor provides fast, quiet and smooth autofocus functionality.

So two fast, versatile wide angle zooms, sharing a very similar focal length, with DC/HSM motor for fast and quiet autofocusing.

[Parallax]

I don't think anybody considers f2.8-4 fast in its own right, and certainly not compared to f1.8.
The Pentax 20-40 and the Sigma 18-35 both have their merits, each with its own apeal, but I really don't see them as competitors. To me it's a bit like a Corvette vs a Jeep Wrangler. Both have their place, there is a large overlap in their suitability for how they would be used most often, but hardly interchangeable.