[morfic]

Yes, i'd love to own a 16-50/2.8 and 50-135/2.8, but can't justify $1400 at this point.

Any K10D or K20D owners who own other 2.8 lenses and are utterly happy with them?

I am looking at the Sigma and Tamron 17|18-50/2.8 offerings (Tokina 16-50/2.8?)
But also the Sigma 24-60/2.8 which seems to get about the same comments as it's 24-70/2.8 brother/sister (which i owned and liked on a 30D).
I wouldn't mind a non macro zoom since i have a Tamron 90/2.5 if i really want some closer up shots and only pay on a 2.8 zoom for the optical quality w/o a MFD that allows a manufacturer to add "Macro" to the description and $$ to the price.
Why i then ask you all? Since it seems most reviews i can find are from Canon/Nikon owners, not Pentax/Samsung owners.
To have the 24 is pretty useful at times (Over 28-70|75 lenses), while the 18-24 i mostly would use when shooting land/cityscape stuff, where the Kit lens will cover me stopped down for a while to come (or until i have a 21/3.2)

I wish i could just try all my choices, but locally not even real camera stores carry any Pentax bodies or lenses, and especially no third party lenses in K mount.

If i can not find a "definitely good" 2.8 zoom, i may just add the 70/2.4 or 21/3.2 (their uses are so different i have a hard time deciding which of the two i want first ) and keep the kit zoom, the idea behind a 2.8 zoom instead is to be able to ue it for more than snap shootery.

Thanks for reading through all of this,

Daniel

[nakey]

happy with Tammy 17-50 f2.8 here

[Jewelltrail]

I have the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 on my K20d--it works nicely, very sharp. It underexposes a lot on this camera, but what else is new.


Thumbs up for sure!

Ernest


"Humanity subdues inhumanity like water over fire." Mencius 6A:18

[morfic]

Jewelltrail: is it consistent? If i can use a certain EC with a lens, that something i could deal with, but if it's not consistent, i'm not about to keep an "aperture comp table" memorized

[photomad_2007]

Hello,
I have a SIGMA 10-20, f4-5.6, Sigma 20-70 f2.8, and Sigma 70-200 f2.8, every one of them lovely.
I also have a SIGMA 50mm Macro f2.8, about 7 years old still producing good results, it is Manual Focus.
Thanks,
Kris

[Buddha Jones]

The only other one I owned was the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and it is a gem, great everyday lens andtack sharp. I recommend it often, $300 is a steal for it. Tamron is also coming out with a 70-200mm f/2.8 and it will be $700, together they would make a great kit.

[Lowell Goudge]

I have the sigma APO 70-200 F2.8 EX and the Tamron 28-75 F2.8 Di

Both are fine lenses. I would not hesitate again to buy a non pentax fast lens.

[Jewelltrail]

morfic: It is pretty consistent, but easy to deal with too. You can preview the exposure with the histogram and compensate accordingly. I would not let this discourage you from buying the lens--it is a wonderful lens. It has convinced me that third party lenses are for real. Tamron deserves tremendous credit for producing lenses of this quality for reasonable prices.

Best,

Ernest



"Humanity sudues inhumanity like water over fire." Mencius 6A:18

[Mechan1k]

I have a Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 lens and Tamron f/2.8 Macro lens ... and it works a charm on my K10D ... mind you ... so do all my other lenses of varying F-stops as well.

[morfic]

I admit, if Sigma came out with a HSM version of either 18-50 or 24-70 i'd be all over it, which is why the DA * 16-50 is even still in the race for consideration, i like my old Takumars and the 40/2.8 is wicked, the non Pentax lenses are just more budget friendly, still wondering if $420 over a $670 lens is really a bargain.

Thanks everyone for replying, i now know that the sigmas and tamrons are also great contenders in the Pentax world. i just need to find out now what i want most, a quality 2.8 zoom, or more pancakes or a DA * 50-135 since evil people post shots taken with it.... (keeping kit lens + primes below 50)

Now i just need someone to make up my mind for me.....wait, not gonna happen. (It's hard to decide when the answer is clear but unattainable (DA * 16-50, DA * 50-135, Pancake trio)

[kalpaha]

You can find Sigma 24-60/2.8 for $219 at Amazon. You can do landscapes with it in a pinch (kit lens might be better, though, esp. as you can stop down with a tripod or other support) and the rendering is quite nice.

[morfic]

none of you sigma or tamron users used the other brand before and ended up loving or regretting the switch? that would be interesting to know

[Arpe]

I have a Sigma 70-200/2.8 EX, non-DG, non-macro. I'm very happy with it, happier now than when I was using it with my *istDs.

Last I heard the version II HSM is due start of August.

[tarsus]

I may have received a bad copy, but the Sigma 18-50 2.8 is useless on my K10D. Not sharp wide open. Most shots are even focused.

[photomad_2007]

Hi,

Just went ahead and purchased the SIGMA 70mm f2.8 DG MACRO after reading the review on ephotozine.com. Many of the lens discussed in this thread have been reviewed.
Thanks,
Kris