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Review of: Samsung D-Xenon 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED by offertonhatter on Thu July 11, 2019 | Rating: 9

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Reviews: 5

I have to give this a 9 in spite of the minor foibles. Why? Well, it was very cheap second hand, far superior to the Sigma 55-200 version (itself not bad at all optically, just has issues talking to cameras), to which I replaced it is the compact tele-zoom in my collection. So over the Sigma it is dead reliable on the camera, which is good. Now we all know that this lens is just a re-badged DA50-200mm, which is no bad thing. But considering its age, how does does it cope with 24MP of the K-3/K-70/KP etc etc. Answer - Very well indeed. Nice and sharp and great contrast. Downside is the CA, but shoot RAW and process accordingly and it is gone. Sure the DA*50-135mm knocks it out of the park with its image quality and everything else, but consider this. You want lightweight at times, like travelling, this lens is a very good substitute, and 24MP does not overwhelm it. Recommend

Review of: Prakticar Pentacon MC 50mm F1.8 by offertonhatter on Fri February 22, 2019 | Rating: 9

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Views: 48264
Reviews: 4

Be careful which version of this lens you get. I have two and they are very different. The easiest way to find out, is one has a push button on the side to close the aperture, and the other has the newer M/A slider on the side to control it. The former is a beauty wide open with great contrast sharpness. But the downside is you have to keep the button pressed when taking the photo, otherwise the aperture will be wide open. The latter you can set the aperture when switched to M, and it will stop down meter. Downside, is that is very dreamy wide open. You need to get it to F5.6 and beyond to get the contrast you would expect. Having said that, these are very very cheap lenses, so if you find both, get both. One for wide open, yet fiddly, the other more controlled and dreamy wide open, but easier to use stopped down. The choice is yours.

Review of: Tamron Di LD Macro 70-200mm F2.8 by offertonhatter on Fri February 1, 2019 | Rating: 9

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Reviews: 87

When it comes to "bang for your buck" this lens positively proves it. It is very sharp, possibly too sharp in the studio with the K-1. Oh boy do you have to work PP to reduce the sharpness as opposed to making an image sharper. This though, is a good thing, I prefer an image to pull back than trying to sharpen. It is quite big, but lighter than other 70-200mm F2.8 lenses, which is great. But of course that is due to the lack of silent AF and sealing. But unless you are going to shoot outside in the rain, not a problem. There is one minor issue that the lens has (well my copy). shooting in the studio, and the light is less then normal, it starts off fine, but then struggles to shoot when locked on with the K-1. Put another lens on the body, it is fine. Seems that the lens gets to a point of "had enough for a bit" when it comes to focusing in lower light before the flash triggers. Very odd. Give it a rest, and all is fine. Like I say odd. But overall, this is an excellent lens.

Review of: Tokina RMC 28mm F2.8 by offertonhatter on Thu October 18, 2018 | Rating: 8

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Reviews: 23

I found one of these in a second hand "flea market" in Manchester. It was one of those rare discoveries where they have lots of things and this was behind the counter, covered in dust (with no lens cap I might add!) After a little negotiation, I bought it for a mere £10 (couple of pints of beer in Manchester), cleaned it up and found that it was immaculate! Now was it worth losing out on a couple of pints for the lens? Well Yes! The focus ring is smooth as silk, just like Takumars of old, and the optics were very clean. The lens is very well built indeed. But of course we are more interested in the performance of a lens, over its build, and to be honest it does not disappoint. The colours, contrast and sharpness are right up there with the wonderful SMC-F 28. There is some minor CA wide open, not that you would notice. micro detail (that stupid thing for pixel peepers) is pretty good. Not the latest and greatest, but actually it is not far off. The K-1 is no fool for rubbish lenses, but this lens produces very nice and detailed shot with it. Downsides? Of course there are a small number The colours are a little cooler than a Pentax lens, but not by much No A ring aperture, so off to the Manual focus mode. Metering is the same. I have found to adjust by a third works well Corner sharpness - Strange one really. Depends on distance to subject (same as the DA40 on the K-1). If the subject is far away, the corner sharpness wide open is a bit blurred, within 5 metres, it is sharp. Stopped down all is well for any distance. Now I don't know how common these lenses are, but worth snapping up if you come across one. Recommend.

Review of: Sigma APO DG Macro 70-300mm F4-5.6 by offertonhatter on Wed August 1, 2018 | Rating: 10

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Reviews: 43

This was a fairly recent replacement to the non-APO version I had for many years. Mainly to do with a theft, and the nearest like for like in stock (thank you WEX) I was not expecting much from it, as I used the older one mainly with my Film Cameras, due to the A ring and FF capable. My 55-300 was the better replacement for the K-5/K-3 etc etc. But, of course I bought the K-1, and the earlier version came back into being due to the sensor. But then got nicked! Now this APO version on the K-1. Well................................... You would think that a cheap third party lens would struggle to cope with the demands with 36MP? In this instance it is the opposite, the lens more than copes with a high resolution K-1. Contrast is good, as is colour rendition,sharpness and resolution. Maybe a tad soft wide open, but it is more than useable. Downsides? It is a little noisy AF, but it is very fast to focus on the K-1, very snappy indeed. The Macro is useful, but can be fiddly to switch it to that mode. The lens rotates on focusing, meaning PL filters can be a pain. But, overall, this is a bargain of a lens, especially for the K-1! Surprised? I am!

Review of: Samyang 85mm F1.4 Aspherical IF by offertonhatter on Sun March 25, 2018 | Rating: 10

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Reviews: 46

It is a ten, but only due to price to ability ratio. Let me clarify, it it was the same price as the Sigma DG, then it would drop due to the lack of AF. But it is half the price! But on the other hand, MF from F2.8 is fine, wider you really need to be steady. Ability though is stunning! this is one superb lens. Yes the hood is a lower grade plastic, but it is the hood. Optics are more important Contrast, colours and sharpness are amongst the best. You could almost say it is too sharp. Downside, it only focuses to 1 metre. I was too close a little earlier today with a studio shoot. If it was down to 1.4 feet like most Pentax lenses, it would be fine. Overall though, it is more than bang for the buck. It is not perfect, but price to ability ratio you cannot get better. Optically it is right up there with the best. Recommend.

Review of: Samyang 24mm F1.4 ED AS UMC by offertonhatter on Mon October 2, 2017 | Rating: 9

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Reviews: 11

If there was a 9.5 I would give it. The only letdowns are Manual Focus and sealing. Apart from that, there is almost nothing to let this lens down, it is so addictive. Focusing is very close indeed, almost macro like. Bokeh is very creamy and smooth. Contrast is right up there with the best, as is colour rendition and sharpness. Downsides? Apart from Manual focus and the sealing, the rubber on the ring could be a bit better, and CA wide open is a little excessive, but not show stopping. Overall, though it is a fantastic lens to use and be very creative. Come on Pentax, bring us the DFA* version please.

Review of: Pentacon Auto 50mm F1.8 by offertonhatter on Mon September 18, 2017 | Rating: 8

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Reviews: 2

This was my fathers lens on his Praktica body, and he has given all of his gear to me as he only uses a digital compact these days. So the Lens. It is East German made, M42 mount, and a metal build. The focus ring is surprisingly smooth for an "iron Curtain" optic, smoother than soviet made glass and a lot smoother than the CZJ Tessar that I have. Not quite as smooth as the pinnacle of smoothness, which of course are the Takumars. Optically it is fine, A bit dreamy wide open, with CA, but considering it has no mention of any coating, is not bad at all. (I am presuming that is it single coated rather than multi) Contrast and sharpness stopped are very good, colours are a little cool. Now that aperture control. Well, it does not have the a/m switch, only a push button on the side of the lens. However, it is near the battery grip, and you develop a technique where you use a finger to push it and hold, while you turn the aperture ring and then press the shutter, slows you down a lot, but you do get used to it. Is it worth it? Well mine was free, so for me, yes! if you want convenience, get a Tak 55 or K mount 50mm F1.7 instead. But, if you enjoy playing with different lenses to create different rendition, why not give it a punt? Worth it for the fun of it, and the IQ is really rather good.

Review of: Tamron AF Aspherical LD IF Macro [371D, 471D] 28-200mm F3.8-5.6 by offertonhatter on Sat September 17, 2016 | Rating: 9

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Reviews: 3

I have only just bought this lens (a 471D chrome version) for just over £30, and I have given it a run on my K-1. Now that is no mean feat, giving it a run on Pentax's most powerful and demanding DSLR. Did it come out smelling of roses? Not quite. The contrast and bokeh are very good but there are one or two issues. Sharpness - It is acceptable, not blow your mind nor bad, but okay. Colour balance - Typical Tamron, the images come out rather cool as opposed to Pentax glass, my superb Tamron 90mm macro suffers the same problem. I don't know what it is, but I do prefer Pentax colours over the cooler Tamron glass. CA and fringing. Oh dear, even stopped down there are huge elements in high contrast areas of purple fringing. However CameraRaw does have a lens profile built in for this very lens, and it helps a lot. Overall though, If this was bought new (but they don't make them new anymore) then I would but it as an average lens. However. as this was found in a camera shop second-hand and I bought it with a SFXn body as well for £50, I would say it does have a lot a bang for the buck. Worth having for its useful focal range, and complements the K-1 well for this, just ensure you shoot RAW, or shoot with film. Great single lens for travel. Edit - I know it has been a couple of weeks since posted, but I am beginning to love this lens, Sharpness is better than initial thoughts, CA is still average, but then again CameraRAW sorts it very well. In extremis it is still a problem. Then again this lens cost me thirty quid, so I consider it a bargain! Find one for a lot less than a night out, and really enjoy this lens. Bang for the buck, this is a great lens! :-)

Review of: Tamron SP AF XR LD Aspherical IF Di II 17-50mm F2.8 by offertonhatter on Sat December 20, 2014 | Rating: 9

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This for me is an odd lens. I bought it new back in 2012 at Focus, so a good price. It was in effect a replacement for my 16-45mm F4 which has been damaged. For half the price of the DA*16-50 it was a no brainer really, or so I thought. Lets start with the positives. In good natural light, this lens is excellent. Good detail - not in Limited leagues - but good nevertheless. AF speed is good as well, faster than the SDM lenses, and on par with the fastest screw drive AF lenses that Pentax make. The F2.8 makes it good for separating the subject from the background, with nice bokeh, but strangely it does not feel that the background is quite as separated as my FA50mm at F2.8 when the tamron is the same focal length. Now the bad It hates low light. You think it is in focus, but it is not, two or three attempts at the shot, or refocusing is needed. Even then the shot is not as sharp as you would expect. Colour rendition. I shoot raw most of the time, and even then it produces a colour cast that I personally am not keen on, even working on the image. Having said that, in good light it is producing images you would expect. Distortion is okay but not outstanding, having said that, it is about the same as any other APS-C zoom out there. Image - They can look flat, they just don't have that wow factor that a prime, or indeed the 16-45 had. It works better on the K-01. This is odd, as you would expect the CDAF of the K-01 would be a worse combination, but actually in anything but good light, it is a better combination. At the end of the day, it is difficult not to like this lens, for its speed and overall ability at a good price. The alternatives make it more so. IF Sigma, for me, did not have a reliability issue overall with their lenses not talking to the body after a couple of years, or Pentax's own DA* had that still in the back of the mind SDM issue or too many general QC problem of earlier versions, then for the time being, this is the best of the three, albeit with issues of its own. Until Sigma bring out the 17-50mm F2.8 ART lens and Pentax Bring out the HD-DA*16-50mm, this is my primary standard zoom lens. To sum up, it is good, but it could be better. Hence a 7. Edit (June 2015) I thought I would never type this, but due to a recent burglary at home, this lens and my beloved K-5IIs went. So here goes. Replacement 17-50 with the K-3:- A big improvement. Colours are far better as is sharpness. AF speed with the K-3 is superior as well. IQ, I cannot fault it now. Maybe the original was not as good as this copy. so now, I have amended the scoring and proud to say it is a 9. :D

Review of: Mamiya / Sekor 55mm F 1.4 by offertonhatter on Mon February 24, 2014 | Rating: 10

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Reviews: 17

I have to rate it a 10 for bangs for bucks, but the reality it is probably a 9.5. Why? Well the Tak/SMC-K 55mm is a tad better overall but is slower, and that extra half stop of this lens is addictive. Build is stunning. Metal and superbly tactile. The focus ring is just as wonderfully smooth as the Taks (which is praise indeed) The grip is all metal so feels a little harder than the smoother metal of the Taks, but not to be inconvenient. IQ? Well excellent overall, the bokeh is buttery most of the time, but I have found it can be fussy in certain circumstances. CA and Fringing? Yep, there is some, but not to affect the image. However the Pentax 55mm F1.8 is better in this regard. Contrast? No issue at all, even wide open in the right conditions. Sharpness? Great. Nice and sharp. Finally, is it worth it? But of course. On the K-01 it is great and if you have the silver/black body and the silver/black version of the lens, they just look the part. Because Mamiya are more noted for MF and not 35mm, people forget the fact and as a consequence, the 35mm lenses can and do sell for peanuts. A worthy alternative to the mighty Takumars that are cheaper now than getting the originals. Recommend.:)

Review of: Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F2.8 by offertonhatter on Wed November 14, 2012 | Rating: 9

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Reviews: 18

I have had this lens since I was 16 when I got a Praktica SLR with this lens. Recently I have had a play with it on a K-5 for fun! Well, what can I say, this lens is excellent! It is sharp, the colour rendition is superb and so contrasty too. CA? None that I noticed, probably being based on the legend that is the Tessar, and coatings to counter accordingly. Downsides, well It is East German, so build is not the best, the focus ring is not smooth and the lens does seem to to move a bit when you focus, but if you understand this, then not a problem. Also, it is a 50mm, so F2.8 is not fast, but again, use it for applications where speed is not required, or you already have a fast fifty, then it is worth having. Plus you can get these for the price of a beer! Would I recommend? YES! It is a tessar after all and a sharp one at that. Edit - March 2022. I thought I would give an update on this lens, especially since I have had the K-1 for many years. Is it still good on a 36MP camera? Well yes! Lovely colours and contrast. Nice bokeh as well. Just shows that a good design is that. The down side is the very sticky grease that is normal for East German optics. Do not expect a smooth focus that the Takumars are renowned for. But having said that, these are very cheap and worth having.

Review of: Osawa MC 200mm F4 by offertonhatter on Mon April 9, 2012 | Rating: 4

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I got this lens on a well known auction site a few years ago. What arrived was an "as new" lens in its own leather case. Very similar to cases you used to get in the 70's and 80's. It was very cheap though. So, performance. Well, here is the crux of the matter. On a DSLR, especially a DSLR that is so demanding for good optics (my K-5) it fails to deliver. Sure the Sharpness is okay, but not great. But the CA! If you thought some lenses produced bad CA, then you have not tried this lens. It is awful! I took a contrasty shot of a Goose with its wings fully out, and no jesting here, the CA on the edge of the wing was between 8-10% of the actual wing itself! All over the shot was Red, Cyan, blue, magenta and green CA. The only thing I could do was convert to monochrome, and boost the contrast. Oh yes, the second point. This lens has poor contrast! Shots are as flat as a vinyl record. You need to boost contrast, curves and blacks to get any sort of definition. So would I recommend this lens? Err, no. Even a lens this cheap should have no excuses, but I suppose you get what you pay for. Having said that, I have not tried it on a film body, so possibly, using it on my MZ-5n, and some contrasty monochrome film, like the Ilford Delta (or is it the FP4 - I keep forgetting) then It might come into its own. As the one thing, the sharpness is okay. Not great, but not poor either. However on DSLR's, especially demanding bodies like the K20D, K-7 and K-5, forget it, and don't bother.

Review of: Sigma DC 55-200mm F4-5.6 by offertonhatter on Sat April 2, 2011 | Rating: 8

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This is one of those odd lenses for Digital. Designed and introduced when the mega pixals were only 6mp on all cameras, yet never updated. However it is cheap, and used well it can produce wonderful results. But, and this is a but, most of the time it struggles to cope with cameras with a resolution greater than 14mp. Another thing, it really cannot cope with the AF speed of the K-5. You focus, press the shutter and the lens then thinks "Oh you want me to focus again?" Hmmmmm But like I said, when the criteria is right (focus, light etc) it pretty much nails it. I does lack a little contrast, but put the image through post processing and that image comes to life. Would I recommend? Well yes, when the circumstances are right, it is good, and a great travel zoom. but just don't expect it to keep up in AF-C mode on the K-5 as it can't. Also, it won't match the Sigma 70-200 or DA* 60-250 in IQ 90% of the time, but 10% it might just equal it. and for around £100 it is a great budget zoom. Edit (June 2016) I am going to have to up this to an 8 from a 7. Why? Well bang for your buck and the fact I have an award winning shot from this lens. Oh, and yes for £90 you get a rather good budget lens. Not quite DA* in finite detail but as a walkaround lens that can nail detail when asked, it cannot be that bad. It still has that occasional Sigma issue of not talking properly to the body, but then again it is not all the time. Find A good secondhand one and you will have fun with it.

Review of: Sigma DL 100-300mm F4.5-6.7 by offertonhatter on Sun November 29, 2009 | Rating: 8

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Reviews: 19

I had this lens until my mother needed a long zoom, and I had the 70-300mm However, there are times when I had this rather than the 70-300 (mine is having connection issues on the bodies...) I bought this when I had film and it was fine. With Digital there are issues with CA and speed, yet, it is still okay. Very light, so great to have in the bag, and on the whole a quite a good lens IQ wise. Might be old, and does not Asph glass, and yet, still not a bad performer. Reliability is far better than most Sigma budget lenses recently. Would I recommend this lens? Well yes, It might be slow, it might have CA (you can sort this in PS) and its not the sharpest, but it is light, reliable, and will be cheap second hand, As a stop gap until you can afford the 100-300 EX or 60-250 DA* then it is worth a punt. Just remember it is not fast, but it is a good lens to learn with. Edit - Jan 2020. This lens just confounds me! Decided to shoot some wildlife in lowish light (ISO1600) and put this on the K-3II "just for fun". What happens? excellent images wide open. Bokeh is great, and images are pretty sharp. I say pretty sharp as the lens is still not a patch on the DA*300mm etc. But really it was not bad at all. Certainly superior to the Tamron 70-300mm F4-5.6 lens. I guess if you find one, they will be for peanuts, as they are not highly regarded. But to be honest it is a lens that is a lot better than you think. So if you find one, buy it and give it a run, you will be surprised. Next stop for me, put this thing on the K-1 and give it a serious workout.

Review of: Tamron Adaptall 2x teleconverter 01F by offertonhatter on Thu September 3, 2009 | Rating: 10

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Reviews: 9

Dedicated 2x converter for the 90mm SP macro F2.5, making the lens a 180mm F5 but with 1:1 abilities. With the 90mm it is Sharp! and I mean sharp. Just make sure that the converter is fully seated on the lens, otherwise you cannot control the aperture. (a mistake I have done) Downsides, it is NOT a K mount 2x convertor. It is a converter for Tamron lenses and you add the mount adapter on to it. On the whole. the perfect 2x for the Tamron macro.

Review of: Sigma EX DG Macro 105mm F2.8 by offertonhatter on Sun August 16, 2009 | Rating: 9

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Reviews: 43

An excellent Macro Lens, Only had it a matter of days, but done almost 200 shots with it. Its IQ is stunning, even with AF on. ON the whole the AF is accurate. When I bought this, is was looking at various options for a mid range Macro lens (the 90-100mm range). I already had the already excellent Tamron 90mm F2.5 SP Macro, but as it was an early model, it was only a 1:2 Macro, not the modern 1:1 macro, unless you put on the 2x converter, which made it a 180mm F5 1:1 macro. Not only was it slow, but heavy (but still good). Upon investigation and price check, the New Sigma was £390, and the Pentax DFA at a eye watering £525.......:( So I went to a local classic camera dealer. Fortunately they had an immaculate Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro EX (not DG) model for a mere £248. so I bought it. One positve over the Pentax is the limit AF button, which means the AF will only focus in a limited range, which helps on the hunting. Bad news is the Hood. Why oh why did Sigma fit the hood on the screw mount, where either the filter or cap goes? So, you either have the hood on or the cap, but not both. Not good. But don't let that put you off, these lens is mighty, and worth having in your camera bag. Recommend.

Review of: Sigma DG Macro 70-300mm F4-5.6 by offertonhatter on Wed June 24, 2009 | Rating: 5

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Hmmm what do I say about this lens? Well I bought it at a cheap price, to replace my 100-300mm DL F4.5-6.7 sigma, mainly for the improved optics, light weight and "macro" capability (although not "true" macro) Initially the images were very good, even on my K20D, which we all know is very demending on good optics. However, recently it is now causing problems. firstly the cameras will not register the lens for the SR function. and now, if you use the Fn button the display keeps going off so you cannot change the WB, ISO etc etc. Other lenses are not a problem. So, Finally, how can I summerise this lens. Well, intially the IQ is good, and the small size is great, but this is a big but, the sigma quality control issues come to the fore. If you get a good one, then great, the performance is great, but there may be a time when suddenly the lens will stop working properly. (I said may). But the price is very tempting. So I would say yes, a good lens, but, no, if you get a bad one like I have. hence the 5 rating.

Review of: Sigma APO 170-500mm F5-6.3 by offertonhatter on Mon June 2, 2008 | Rating: 8

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I have had this lens now for 9 months so I thought I better put a review on. I have used it many times, mainly for Nature. Initially with photographing Seals, I thought it was okay, A little soft, but with PS you can sharpen accordingly. However with further use, I have found this lens wanting. On the whole, the sharpness is not there, no matter how wide or how zoomed in you are. Occasionally you might hit the jackpot, but that is a rare occasion. On the up side the CA is minimal, and it can be fun to use, if only after many shots you get a good one. (not good if you fill your card up with rubbish. but hey, if you have 4gb to go, you might be lucky) Another interesting thing is that it states the wide F-stops as F5-F6.3, but with mine I get F4.5-F6.7 on the K10D! Very strange..... On the whole It can be fun, if your expectations are not high, but, and this is a but, Don't buy this lens new, as it is not worth it, save up for the Bigma, but like me buy second hand and play, then sell it and buy the Bigma. I now have a second hand Lens to sell, in excellent condition, so I can fund a Bigma. Edit (Jan 2011) I still have this lens and I have used it more, so I thought I would update the review. Firstly you really need to work with this lens to get the best out of it. However, once you have worked out how to get the best out of it, then it is a bit of a bargain. You do need a good tripod to ensure sharp images, although you can use it hand held, images without a tripod will be hit an miss, sometimes it will nail it, sometimes not. Also, best to use it at at least F8 for have a great chance of sharpness and still decent blurred background. Also, I find that using the TAv mode on my K10D or K20D works wonders with this lens - Set it at F8-F11, 1/100sec and you are away. Bokeh is okay, not the best, but not the worst. It is reasonably smooth. Even at 500mm it okay, a tad soft, but a little bit of unsharp mask in PS brings the images to life. Was it worth the £300 I paid for it second hand? Yes no doubt about it, now I know how to get the best from the lens. However, as you can no longer get this lens new, I believe the 150-500 is far better, but if you can find the 170-500 for around the price that I paid and can't stretch to the 150, or the mk2 Bigma, then it is worth getting one. I have changed the rating from a 5 to an 8, because of the price I paid. If I had bought new, it would have been a 7.

Review of: Tamron Adaptall-2 SP (52B/52BB) 90mm F2.5 by offertonhatter on Thu March 27, 2008 | Rating: 10

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If you want a quality macro at a reasonable price, in fact, any price, then go for one of these. I have got some stunning images from this lens mainly with the 2x converter. There is a total lack of CA with this lens, not bad for a pre Digital lens. IQ is excellent, as is the Bokeh at wide. Can't fault it. Just get hold of one. An example is here:- http://www.flickr.com/photos/offertonhatter/517720859/in/set-72157600276849540/

Review of: Tokina AT-X Pro 20-35mm F2.8 by offertonhatter on Sun March 16, 2008 | Rating: 9

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Reviews: 12

I bought this lens before I went to DSLR. I wanted a wide angle lens to use with my MZ-5n camera and I saw this second hand in a local shop. The cost was £250, although the new price was £500 ($1000). With this price it had to be good. Now to the lens. The body is metal and a bit weighty, but don't let that put you off. great control of DOF and IQ is excellent. there is a lack of CA with Digital as is barrel distortion. Only down side is that don't consider this as a walkaround lens as the zoom range is small. But having said that I have done and on the whole it has been up to the task without problems. I am sure that this lens is quite rare with a Pentax mount, so if you can find one, get hold of it, it is worth having in the kit bag. Edit (December 2016) I have been using this a lot with my K-1 and as a result it is my go to lens for wide angle. Image quality is still excellent, it does not "pop" like a Pentax lens, looking a little more smoother and more muted colours. But having photoshop, you can easily make them leap out at you. I have dropped it to a 9 in view that the edges on a full frame sensor are a little soft. But overall a great lens.

Review of: Sigma EX DC J 10-20mm F4-5.6 by offertonhatter on Sun March 16, 2008 | Rating: 10

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This is a lens which is getting a cult following. Everyone knows about it, no matter what make you have. And the people who have them love them, and the people who don't have one, want one. The image quality is suberb. as is the CA control as well (It is there wide open, but stop it down a few F stops and the control is better - who uses this lens wide open anyway?) The barrel distotion is also well controlled, especially as it goes to 10mm. I have read on a number of forums that there have been quality control issues with this lens, but strangly only to Canon users........ If you want an ultra wide but don't want to go down the fisheye route, or canoot stretch to the Pentax 12-24, then go for this, you wont be disappointed.

Review of: Sigma EX DG Macro 24-70mm F2.8 by offertonhatter on Sun March 16, 2008 | Rating: 8

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Reviews: 19

I have had this lens for about 12 months now, as a replacment for my 18-55 Kit lens The sharpness is excellent (a rare thing for Sigma), this is probably due to being an EX model, so has superior optics. Although at only 24mm, it is not the widest on a DSLR (okay on film), but don't let that put you off. If you need wider get a Sigma 10-20mm as well (I have). The lens is flexible as it goes to 70mm at the long (where it is sharper). The optimum f stop is F11, although wider is still good. Now the Size and Weight. For me it is perfect as it balances well with the K10D+Grip. However, on anything smaller or lighter (K100D *istD series, or the MZ series film cameras) you might find it a little overwhelming. The other niggle is the low light focusing. Pentax are notorious for low light, and Sigma makes it worse, it is constantly hunting, only eventually it picks up a point. I use mine as my walk around lens, only taking it off if I want wider or longer (not often) Finally as it is F2.8 thoughout the range, it makes a cracking Portrait lens to use. Recommend. Edit (Sept 2012) Having had this lens for many years (roughly 8 as I write) I thought it would be time to re-review this lens again, especially in view of upgrades of bodies. It is still a big brute of a lens, and really you need a battery grip to balance it out. Sharpness is still excellent, but not in Pentax prime league. Contrast, well, good, but the Pentax primes are better. Now the interesting bit. On the K-5, there is now CA. This is more than likely due to the demands of the K-5 sensor. However, on an overall image it is okay. But you really need to put the image through PS and the like to clean it up. Call it pixel peeping really. Portraits though are fine (unless you really really zoom in and you can see some PF) Mind you this is not restricted to this Sigma lens, my Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro AND my SMC-DA 16-45mm F4 suffer the same problem on the K-5. Less demanding bodies - anything up to and including the K20D, are fine. So, as a result, I have dropped it to an 8. BUT. If you have anything other than the K-5 (and K30, K-01 for that matter, which use the same sensor), you can consider this lens a 9.

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