[dadipentak]

Now, please, post some pictures taken with it!

That's what cats are for, right?

with the K-5 at 1.8 (ISO 5000 some gentle pp)

I was (very pleasantly) surprised by the close focusing capability.

[TrueFocus]

Is that at 35mm? Looks really nice!
It seems to me that the bokeh is quite nice.

[dadipentak]

Is that at 35mm?

Yep. RE bokeh, my shot of the box was taken with the same combo.

[normhead]

Dam, 31 ltd or 18-35 1.8 zoom, I hate it... just when I had everything under control, there is a tremor in the force. Someone do a 31 ltd and 18-35 zoom comparison...

[ChristianRock]

Well, comparisons based on measurable aspects have been made. I believe that the numbers for the Sigma are a bit superior. Now regarding what the actual images look like, how beautiful they come out - that is probably the question that needs to be answered. As well as, what do you want the lens for? For landscapes, the Sigma might be the better lens I think - I'm just speculating here. For portraits and shots of details, it might be the Pentax with its "3D rendering". And even if in one application one of them might be slightly better, I think it's likely that they will both do everything well. So - the only way to find out for sure, is to buy both, and keep the one you like best and chances are, you might want to keep both, if you can

[mee]

Damn, all we needed was nearly 1000 posts to reach this point.
Now, please, post some pictures taken with it!

Does this mean the digital FF body is right around the corner?

[normhead]

Is the 18-35 a full frame lens?

[ElJamoquio]

Uh, not in the least.

[mee]

Is the 18-35 a full frame lens?

A big negarooski there, buddy.

Which might make some laugh.. or sob.. one of them.. if they really did actually launch a FF body at Photokina in 2 months hehe.

[normhead]

A big negarooski there, buddy.

Which might make some laugh.. or sob.. one of them.. if they really did actually launch a FF body at Photokina in 2 months hehe.

Well then, in my dreams I'm buying the 31. I honestly think at some point I'll break down and buy either an A7r or A7s. While I love the look of the lens... I don't buy what I can't carry, and I have the Sigma 8-16 and 70 macro, and they weigh as much as my TC, 35, 50, and 21 combined. As much as i love the 8-16, I may have to move it and go with the 15, just for the weight. Sigma has become the company, who sold out in the battle to keep weights down in the interest of technical excellence. I love every modern thing they make in their art series, I just don't want to carry them. In that way, they are the anti Pentax. The Pentax philosophy was centre ultra sharp, edges so so, and low weight. The modern Sigma philosophy is "you can't buy a lens better than this, but it's going to weigh a bit." Not the best for us outdoorsy types.

[dadipentak]

Well then, in my dreams I'm buying the 31. I honestly think at some point I'll break down and buy either an A7r or A7s. While I love the look of the lens... I don't buy what I can't carry, and I have the Sigma 8-16 and 70 macro, and they weigh as much as my TC, 35, 50, and 21 combined. As much as i love the 8-16, I may have to move it and go with the 15, just for the weight. Sigma has become the company, who sold out in the battle to keep weights down in the interest of technical excellence. I love every modern thing they make in their art series, I just don't want to carry them. In that way, they are the anti Pentax. The Pentax philosophy was centre ultra sharp, edges so so, and low weight. The modern Sigma philosophy is "you can't buy a lens better than this, but it's going to weigh a bit." Not the best for us outdoorsy types.

I think that's well and fairly stated, Norm.

[Rich M]

Well then, in my dreams I'm buying the 31. I honestly think at some point I'll break down and buy either an A7r or A7s.

The FA31 is a beautiful match on the A7/A7r (still can't wrap my head around the A7s thing tho).

Dadipentak........after your "retirement" from sports photography, maybe the 18-35mm creates a whole new venue (ya' know the one door closes...one door opens thingy )

[VoiceOfReason]

I wish mine would have been here in time for me going to the Smokies this weekend, but looks like Tuesday for me.

[DSims]

Well then, in my dreams I'm buying the 31.

Congratulations, normhead! You are our 1000th poster in this thread! You win an FA3 ... a Sigma lens cap! Just send $11.95 for S&H to the address that will be emailed to you shortly!

[Ayoh]

One could say this only proves the Pentax lens is astronomically overpriced.

Or more likely decentered. I have this lens and it is much sharper wide open than the optyczne test indicates. The build quality is also very high, which is often overlooked as a reason for the high cost.

Optyczne test a lens regardless of cenetring quality and if they receive a lemon then they publish the results regardless. This is quite fair though I think as their test lenses are obtained from a local shop sourced through official distribution channels hence representing the lens quality a likely customer is to receive. If the lens being sold is out of spec then that is the manufacturers fault for letting that lens leave the factory.