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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-06-2014, 11:24 AM
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
01-04-2014, 09:51 AM
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The Pentax 17-70 offers good image quality but a ticking time bomb with its SDM motor. Lots of people have reported failures just after the light 1 year warranty expired. It costs $200 to get it fixed, reportedly.
I have the Sigma 17-70 Contemporary. Superb lens. Its HSM motor has no reported problems. Compared to the Pentax, it has these upsides:
1) 3 year warranty
2) Reaches 2.8 at 17mm, 3.5 below 35mm, and whatever else I can't quite remember. The Pentax is a fixed 4 throughout its zoom range, so you only gain with the Sigma.
3) Looks nicer, will impress more people
Not sure how much you care about #3, though. :)
The downside is that it is not weather sealed. While unexpected rain can get you, unless you plan to shoot in bad conditions, you probably won't notice the lack of WR too much. Sharpness is better across the board, since 5.6 represents 1-2 full stops from the widest setting, where as it is always only 1 with the Pentax. I've found that sharpness at 6.3 (1.5 stops at <40mm or so) is fantastic.
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