[TanGU]

Hi there,

I want a fast zoom, but with the best IQ . I currently own a Tamron 70-300 that i want to change to a better.

Sigma 70-200 f2.8 PRO: fast focus, f2.8
Sigma 70-200 f2.8 CONS: zoom only at 200mm, no water/dust seal

Pentax 60-250 f4 PRO: Water sealed, SDM, a little bit wider and more zoom
Pentax 60-250 f4 CONS: only f4, maybe it will be slower to focus than the Sigma. Read some problem with the SDM and the seal itself may cause some problem...

I have hard time deciding witch one is the best for me. I am planing to buy a 300mm in the next 2 years, and maybe a 1.4x teleconverter.

It seem that i cannot use any teleconverter with the Sigma? Maybe the newest version of the 70-200 (with VR) will allow that?

So is the seal is a big plus in my case ? Did i forgot something in my pro/cons summary?

thanks

[Ari]

I, for one, am probably going to sell my da 60-250 and pick up the sigma 70-200. The speed is pretty important to me. I cannot for the life of me figure out why Pentax is not making this lens in this focal length and speed, when Canon and Nikon both have this lens for their systems. It is a lens every pro I know has in their bag. I would spend upwards of $1500 if I could find a great FA80-200 2.8. While weather sealing is nice, it doesn't outweigh the need for speed at this length.

[Arpe]

If you need 2.8 get the Sigma. If you don't, get the pentax and keep your fingers crossed the SDM doesn't die.

[TanGU]

Well.. if it is possible to put the 1.4 converter on the Sigma, that will be nice

[fahrus]

I'm deciding to buy SDM 60-250/4 or HSM 70-200/2.8. I'd like to ask you, if you there is soooo big difference in the AF speed ? New zoom will be used on my K10D to take an action pictures of my dog... Can you advice?

[Reportage]

I'm deciding to buy SDM 60-250/4 or HSM 70-200/2.8. I'd like to ask you, if you there is soooo big difference in the AF speed ? New zoom will be used on my K10D to take an action pictures of my dog... Can you advice?

autofocusing speed depends a lot on the focusing mechanism and the focusing algorithm of the camera body.

maybe you want to do a f/4 vs f/2.8 research to see the advantages and disadvantages.

[MariusCTM]

I buyed Sigma 100-300 f4 over the Pentax 60-250 f4 because of SDM, price and +50mm.
Sigma 70-200 f2.8 was too short for me!
It's heavy, a little noisy but I like it a lot. This is the lens no. 1 for me.

LE. I don't care about weather seal.

[fahrus]

This was my first post on this forum and I found out, that I have set my language to my mothertongue so it has made a terrible english as a result (more terrible, than my real knowledges are)

Reportage - yeah, I know, that K7/K5 should solve my AF problem, but I have to prefer some glass at first. Bodies are produced and replaced more often... I know the difference between f4 and f2.8 very well.
I hoped (I have red some opinions), that real ring-motor in this HSM lens can provide higher speed or accordance than the others. SDM in 60-250 is some hybrid mechanism because of the screw drive implementations.

[kent]

here is my short vid of 70-200

You Tube

You Tube

. Love this lens however body is outdated.

[m8o]

I am asking myself the same question and haven't reconciled all the variables to advantage/dis-advantages yet. I'm really interested in what everyone has to say too. I wanted to post in this thread for two reasons...

1) I don't have time during the week to "read around" in the forum, and only check in on the threads I've posted in; so I need a post here to catch/read any posts.
2) I wanted to ask TanGU why you're not including the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 in your options?

I see a K-5 in my future. So I'm (now, more) comfortable with a slower f/4 of the 60-250. And it would be my first, if not only DA* / Weather Sealed lens. If the Sigma or Tamron had weather sealing, it would certainly work in their favor; it works in Pentax's favor that only they offer WR.

edit: p.s. I was sure when I read reviews of the new HSM Sigma lens on this board that a few said it worked with a TC. (?) Hoping those weren't the older non-HSM lenses posted in the HSM review thread.

[photogerald]

Well.. if it is possible to put the 1.4 converter on the Sigma, that will be nice

The Sigma 1.4x and 2.0x EX (DG) TC's will only AF with the older non-HSM version of the 70-200/2.8 APO EX, as these converters lack the PZ contacts required for HSM/SDM.

[photogerald]

I want a fast zoom, but with the best IQ . I currently own a Tamron 70-300 that i want to change to a better.

Sigma 70-200 f2.8 PRO: fast focus, f2.8
Sigma 70-200 f2.8 CONS: zoom only at 200mm, no water/dust seal

Pentax 60-250 f4 PRO: Water sealed, SDM, a little bit wider and more zoom
Pentax 60-250 f4 CONS: only f4, maybe it will be slower to focus than the Sigma. Read some problem with the SDM and the seal itself may cause some problem...

I was having this same debate not too long ago. The review of the DA*60-250 on photozone.de (the revised review) is very impressive - there is barely any drop-off in performance at the long end.

I ended up getting a second-hand Sigma 70-200/2.8 APO EX (non-Macro, non-HSM). For me it really came down to cost - the Sigma was less than half the cost of a new DA*60-250.

I have hard time deciding witch one is the best for me. I am planing to buy a 300mm in the next 2 years, and maybe a 1.4x teleconverter.

It seem that i cannot use any teleconverter with the Sigma? Maybe the newest version of the 70-200 (with VR) will allow that?

See my previous reply - Sigma would need to release new versions of their TC's with the PZ contacts.

So is the seal is a big plus in my case ? Did i forgot something in my pro/cons summary?

I believe that the DA*60-250 is a bit smaller and ligher than the Sigma f2.8 zoom.

If you can live without HSM, I would suggest you consider the older Sigma 70-200/2.8 APO EX (this lens will AF with the Sigma 1.4x and 2.0x TCs).

If you prefer to buy new, the Tamron 70-200/2.8 is said to have very good IQ as well.

[m8o]

The Sigma 1.4x and 2.0x EX (DG) TC's will only AF with the older non-HSM version of the 70-200/2.8 APO EX, as these converters lack the PZ contacts required for HSM/SDM.

Ah, wonderful to know. I was even thinking of starting a thread to ask, but I was sure it had been written as I seemed to remember reading it and knew I just needed to realize the right search terms to use to find the answer. But thanx very much for answering here and saving me that.

So then one needs the likes of the Tamron Pz-AF 1.4x MC4 TC to AF w/the newest Sigmas too...? hmmm, assuming so, isn't it convenient that I just bought one of those from Hinman two days ago, Friday.

[photogerald]

Ah, wonderful to know. I was even thinking of starting a thread to ask, but I was sure it had been written as I seemed to remember reading it and knew I just needed to realize the right search terms to use to find the answer. But thanx very much for answering here and saving me that.

Yes, it definitely is confusing as these Sigma TC's in the other mounts don't have this limitation. And people will look up some spec sheets from Sigma and see that the TC's are supposed to work with the HSM lenses, and not realize that it's not the case for PK mount.

So then one needs the likes of the Tamron Pz-AF 1.4x MC4 TC to AF w/the newest Sigmas too...? hmmm, assuming so, isn't it convenient that I just bought one of those from Hinman two days ago, Friday.

In theory the Pz-AF TC should work with this lens, but I've also read that certain lens/TC/body combinations have a hard time focusing even with the TC having the proper PZ contacts. Though apparently there are less issues when the body used is the K-7.

[akanarya]

2) I wanted to ask TanGU why you're not including the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 in your options?

me too