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11-07-2016, 12:21 PM   #31
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Im serously thinking about this 2 lenses.. Sigma 35mm or Pentax 31.. most ( if not all ) the reviews about the Sigma talks how great this lens is, samething happen with the Pentax.. my concern here is #1 price.. #2 weight, # Size... At Ebay used items the Pentax can be found at around $900.. Sigma at around $700.... Pentax it's just 345grm and on the other hand the Sigma is around 660g .. Image quality on both are awsome.. Sigma have the advantage to have new technology, while the Pentax have that classy and lovely look and feel.

11-07-2016, 12:52 PM   #32
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QuoteOriginally posted by kooks Quote
Im serously thinking about this 2 lenses.. Sigma 35mm or Pentax 31.. most ( if not all ) the reviews about the Sigma talks how great this lens is, samething happen with the Pentax.. my concern here is #1 price.. #2 weight, # Size... At Ebay used items the Pentax can be found at around $900.. Sigma at around $700.... Pentax it's just 345grm and on the other hand the Sigma is around 660g .. Image quality on both are awsome.. Sigma have the advantage to have new technology, while the Pentax have that classy and lovely look and feel.
By your own logic, price is the most important consideration, so it's the Sigma, despite the Limited's size advantage.

11-07-2016, 04:12 PM - 1 Like   #33
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
By your own logic, price is the most important consideration, so it's the Sigma, despite the Limited's size advantage.
Ha Ha...I see the opposite..... only $200 difference and the Limited wins on 2nd and 3rd place! Also, size and weight will stop you from taking a lens with you.... $200 that you've forgotten about after a month or two won't....and then off course....you have a nice classic metal limited..... all is then good in the world and pixies will be with you where ever your travels take you.
11-07-2016, 05:40 PM   #34
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QuoteOriginally posted by noelpolar Quote
Ha Ha...I see the opposite..... only $200 difference and the Limited wins on 2nd and 3rd place! Also, size and weight will stop you from taking a lens with you.... $200 that you've forgotten about after a month or two won't....and then off course....you have a nice classic metal limited..... all is then good in the world and pixies will be with you where ever your travels take you.

I totally agree with you, Noel, but he specified price first, and pixies didn't even get a mention.


We all have a bad habit of recommending to people our own preferences and priorities.


Me, I've ended up with both!


Last edited by clackers; 11-07-2016 at 06:00 PM.
12-21-2016, 12:34 PM   #35
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QuoteOriginally posted by dfp771 Quote
I bought a used Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art back in March. I use it for weddings. I considered the Pentax 31mm but it was too expensive. I do own the Pentax 77mm F1.8 limited- I also purchased this used from a vendor in Japan. The Sigma is my goto lens for wedding groups in church and for most bride & groom formal shots. It is an excellent lens, very quiet, which along with the K-1's quiet shutter helps me be discreet during wedding ceremonies. My clients are very happy with the photos using this lens.
After more use with the Sigma 35mm 1.4 I decided to sell this lens and purchase the Pentax 31mm 1.8. The Sigma still occasionally mis-focuses, even under ideal conditions. I've been missing some church shots and some formal shots that I shouldn't be missing- I always take 2 or 3 shots of groups because someone is always not paying attention, blinking, or other problems. Still, I am still missing some important shots with the Sigma. I just purchased a used Pentax 31mm on eBay from Japan. This lens will be noisier but I hope it will focus correctly.
12-21-2016, 12:55 PM   #36
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QuoteOriginally posted by dfp771 Quote
After more use with the Sigma 35mm 1.4 I decided to sell this lens and purchase the Pentax 31mm 1.8. The Sigma still occasionally mis-focuses, even under ideal conditions. I've been missing some church shots and some formal shots that I shouldn't be missing- I always take 2 or 3 shots of groups because someone is always not paying attention, blinking, or other problems. Still, I am still missing some important shots with the Sigma. I just purchased a used Pentax 31mm on eBay from Japan. This lens will be noisier but I hope it will focus correctly.
At some time, if you keep an auto focus lens long enough, its' auto focus mechanism may fail completely. It's happened to me a few times.

Rather than blame auto focus for your not nailing focus, learn and master the ability to manually focus. I have over 40 lenses, and all but one are manual focus. I even shoot fast action sports and birds in flight successfully with my manual focus telephotos.
12-21-2016, 02:38 PM   #37
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QuoteOriginally posted by Fenwoodian Quote
At some time, if you keep an auto focus lens long enough, its' auto focus mechanism may fail completely. It's happened to me a few times.

Rather than blame auto focus for your not nailing focus, learn and master the ability to manually focus. I have over 40 lenses, and all but one are manual focus. I even shoot fast action sports and birds in flight successfully with my manual focus telephotos.
I also own the Samyang 24mm 1.4 manual focus lens as well as the Rokinon 135mm f2.0 lens. I do use the Samyang 24mm at events when I'm sure the subjects will not be moving for awhile. Some of my best church shots are with the Samyang 24mm. So, yes, I also use Manual only lenses. Both for manual as well as auto-focus lenses, I rely on the phase-detection confirmation square and audible chirp in spot focus mode. The problem with the Sigma is that, in manual or auto-focus mode the confirmation chirp says it is in focus when it is not ( 5 times out of 100). All my lenses have been AF fine tuned as well. And, yes, I pre-focus both my 77mm and the 135mm on a church pew, for instance, if I know the subject will be walking past it-when they do I take the shot.

12-21-2016, 03:23 PM   #38
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QuoteOriginally posted by dfp771 Quote
After more use with the Sigma 35mm 1.4 I decided to sell this lens and purchase the Pentax 31mm 1.8. The Sigma still occasionally mis-focuses, even under ideal conditions. I've been missing some church shots and some formal shots that I shouldn't be missing- I always take 2 or 3 shots of groups because someone is always not paying attention, blinking, or other problems. Still, I am still missing some important shots with the Sigma. I just purchased a used Pentax 31mm on eBay from Japan. This lens will be noisier but I hope it will focus correctly.
Look, you're getting an iconic lens, Dfp, with metal all over the place ... and for manual focus it's also a beauty. You would never take a shot of a group at f1.4 so I don't think you'll miss a simple half stop of aperture.

With that Sigma, they know they have AF compatibility issues so I bought the USB dock from them to do microadjustment at different distances and firmware upgrades. It works with their Art and Contemporary lines, and it can help. For some owners of the 18-35mm f1.8, it still didn't solve their problems.
12-21-2016, 05:19 PM   #39
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
Look, you're getting an iconic lens, Dfp, with metal all over the place ... and for manual focus it's also a beauty. You would never take a shot of a group at f1.4 so I don't think you'll miss a simple half stop of aperture.

With that Sigma, they know they have AF compatibility issues so I bought the USB dock from them to do microadjustment at different distances and firmware upgrades. It works with their Art and Contemporary lines, and it can help. For some owners of the 18-35mm f1.8, it still didn't solve their problems.
Some people have complained of inconsistency with the Sigma 35 f1.4 as well. I wish Sigma would license their gear, rather than reverse engineering its compatibility. For the most part their lenses work fine, but sometimes they are just off -- but not in a consistent way. The only solution is to send camera and lens to Sigma and have them adjust them, which can work, but is kind of a downer to have to do.
12-21-2016, 06:58 PM   #40
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I own the Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 as well- on my Pentax k-5iis it works fine and is a good walk around lens and a good backup to my Pentax k-1. I also own the Sigma USB DOCK. The Sigma 18-35 does occasionally mis-focus but it is much rarer than the 35mm 1.4 on my K-1. I am keeping the Sigma 18-35.
12-21-2016, 07:15 PM   #41
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
Some people have complained of inconsistency with the Sigma 35 f1.4 as well. I wish Sigma would license their gear, rather than reverse engineering its compatibility. For the most part their lenses work fine, but sometimes they are just off -- but not in a consistent way. The only solution is to send camera and lens to Sigma and have them adjust them, which can work, but is kind of a downer to have to do.
It may well be that Sigma would like to, but the licensing fees are designed to price the result too high with respect to the OEM product.

12-21-2016, 07:18 PM   #42
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QuoteOriginally posted by dfp771 Quote
I own the Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 as well- on my Pentax k-5iis it works fine and is a good walk around lens and a good backup to my Pentax k-1. I also own the Sigma USB DOCK. The Sigma 18-35 does occasionally mis-focus but it is much rarer than the 35mm 1.4 on my K-1. I am keeping the Sigma 18-35.
Well, if I hadn't got the K-1 I was thinking of buying either the DA20-40 Ltd or the Siggy 18-35.

I'm unlikely to purchase anything in future that doesn't also cover FF.

12-22-2016, 03:33 AM   #43
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QuoteOriginally posted by clackers Quote
It may well be that Sigma would like to, but the licensing fees are designed to price the result too high with respect to the OEM product.
Maybe so. I was under the impression that Tamron did license their products and they don't seem to be priced any higher than Sigma glass, but it is possible they are just turning less profit as a result.
12-22-2016, 02:34 PM   #44
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
Maybe so. I was under the impression that Tamron did license their products and they don't seem to be priced any higher than Sigma glass, but it is possible they are just turning less profit as a result.
I know the source is only DPR, but:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/1627557

04-07-2017, 08:22 AM   #45
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My Sigma 35mm 1.40 Art works always in crop, even when i activate "Full Frame" in the K-1.
Any ideas?
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