| Author: | | Senior Member Registered: March, 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 112
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 6, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $669.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | fast auto focus, quiet auto focus, image stabilization, good center sharpness | | Cons: | big, heavy, slight front focus, pricey | |
A good performer at all focal lengths and apertures in conjunction with the K-5. The Sigma was very sharp in the center from 17 to 50 and from F2.8 to 8. My sample had a slight front focus though, which can be adjusted in the K-5.
The auto focus motor is very fast and quiet. Tested it head to head with the Tamron 17-50, and the Tamron sounded like a dentist's drill. The Tamron missed the focus a bit more than the Sigma too. The Sigma also performed admirably in live view auto focus.
The in-lens image stabilization works quite well. IMO, it is better than Pentax's in-body stabilization.
Biggest drawbacks of the Sigma are the size and weight. Lowering the price by at least a $100 make it more worthwhile too.
 | | | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: December, 2017 Posts: 469
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 9, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $220.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Fast and reliable silent AF, well constructed. | | Cons: | absolutey non | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K5ii
Autofocus: 9
New Or Used: Used
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Happy with this Sigma lens, excellent value for money.
I got the non OS version so stabilisation is generated by the camera.
First impressions are very positif. I prefer the Sigma lens over the 16-50 from Pentax.
IQ at 2.8 is clearly better than with the 16-50 lens from Pentax.
Overexposure as reported by another user has nothing to do with the lens.
Choose the correct light measuring option an you have no problems at all.
No flimsy constructed hood either. The shade is fully functional and well attached to the lens.
A pity this lens received these negative remarks from users who may lack experience to judge gear.
| | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2013 Posts: 23
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 18, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $650.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | hsm, silent and fast focus, accurate focus, sharpness wide open | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: k-5, k-7
Autofocus: 10
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After trying out different lenses 17-50 and 28-75 type of pentax, tamron, tokina lenses, I eventually had a chance to have this lens. I think I ve found my standart zoom lens with constant aperture. Now they've been a pair with my sigma 70-200 HSM II which I already had before getting this lens.
It has a very silent af and rarerly hunt. I did not have any ff or bf problem which I think is a body problem not lens actually. Sharpness is very satisfactory, I am saying this after trying and testing many lenses. Bokeh is nice especially at 50mm, I get very nice blurry backgrounds. Yes it is big and heavy with 77mm filter diameter, but it makes a great match with a gripped body. It becomes nice and stable. Image stabilisation comes as a bonus of which any other k mount lenses do not have, and it works perfectly.
This lens is a pro quality lens, yes it may be a little expensive, but quallity can never be cheap right? Highly recommended, cheers
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: September, 2010 Posts: 29
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 17, 2012 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, contrast, no BF/FF | | Cons: | Problems with overexposure | |
Overall, I do love this lens. It's tack sharp, fast and silent.It rests on my K-5 most of the time. One may say that it is too big, but actually it fits nicely gripped K-5 and they make a great combination, which is easy to handle.
I haven't experienced any FF/BF, although it seems to be quite frequent with this Sigma (at least I read so).
However... There is a major problem with overexposure, both with and without flash. It permanently tends to overexpose pictures, which are taken inside (I have to turn EV about -1 or sometimes more). Apparently it isn't the case outside... I don't know, mabe I do smth wrong, but it's the first lens, that has made me such a problem ever.  I've tested all of my lenses in the same conditions, and only Sigma had the problem.
To sum up - despite the problem with overexposure, I'd recommend it to anyone. It may be a little pricey, but it's a perfect alternative for DA* 16-50. | | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: April, 2011 Location: Melbourne Posts: 109
3 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: October 9, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $750.00
| Rating: 5 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, contrast | | Cons: | Autofocus | |
Optically this lens is fantastic! Sharpness is phenomenal for a zoom and is there (at least in the centre) right from f2.8. Flair resistance was excellent as was contrast.
I'm not sure if I got a bad copy of this lens but the autofocus performance on my K7 was appalling. In good light it would regularly take 2 or 3 tries to get it to focus and in poor light it would refuse to focus at all, often just stopping completely out of focus. Unfortunatly after 3 trips to CR Kennedy here in Melbourne to have the problem seen to they told me that it was just how the lens was and that there was nothing wrong with the lens.
I eventually ended up selling the Sigma and buying a FA* 28-70mm f2.8
I would say that in most respects Sigma is a better lens than the FA*. Its sharper, has better contrast, less CA, is a bit wider at the short end of the zoom range, costs less, the front element does not rotate and the HSM is nice and quiet but the auto focus performance was a real let down and the ridiculously short throw of the focus ring made accurate manual focusing irritating at best.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: June, 2017 Location: 3City agglomeration Posts: 2,056
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 19, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $783.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, fast and quiet focus | | Cons: | lack of weathersealing | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-3 Mk III
Autofocus: 9
New Or Used: New
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I got it to photograph a first holy communion and this lens stayed with me. It is very good, unless you are a pixel-peeper. Aberations are visible when wide open and under certain light conditions, but if you know the limitations, there is no issue with getting around them.
Image quality is good from f2.8 up to f11, still the best is around f4-f5.6 for me, but it may be personal preference of this aperture. Color rendition, sharpness, bokeh - no issues with any of those.
Build quality is superb, it is certainly better then similar priced Pentax lenses and better then some Limiteds. Cannot compare to star lenses as I never had any.
Drawback - lack of weather sealing which in Poland means that this is mostly a summer lens as there is a lot of rain or snow most of the year. I would not mind it being smaller and lighter but well.
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: May, 2011 Posts: 127
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 20, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, good construction, ultrasonic autofocus, stabilized | | Cons: | autofocus, price | |
Very good lens, sharp even at f2.8. Good construction, stabilization on the lens is slightly better than the one on the camera, autofocus is usually fast (but often with some "hesitation" in keeping the point).
The out-of.camera jpegs are not "perfect" (there is a little yellowish dominant), but raw files well processed are astonishing.
The only cons I noticed with my k7 is related to autofocus.
I don't know why, but there is a front focus increasing with charge level in the battery decreasing.
Furthermore, recently the front focus at 100% charged battery passed from +1 to +7, and after few days to +3/+4 (it's just in the middle). All measurements made under the sun light.
At the end, check every time F/B focus on a k7 is not long/frustrating, but this is a cons.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: January, 2007 Location: Warsaw Posts: 338
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: February 21, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $700.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | solid construction, good sharpness and contrast | | Cons: | large filter size | |
My previous primay AF zoom was Tamron 28-75/2.8. Great lens but in many cases I was forced to take Pentax 12-24 with me. For situation with just one lens or two lenses I decided to buy Sigma 17-50. When I want to have minimalistic setup I take this lens with Sigma 70-200/2.8. Both have 72mm filter.
Lens is EX type so it means very good construction. I do not see big advantage of OS in this lens. It is rather dissadvantage because I need to remember to switch on/off body SR. I do not see any difference between pentax SR and Sigma OS.
Lens is sharp enough wide open. Coating is good too.
Overall my score is 8,5.
Good for landscapes
and for action
some samples are in my pbase gallery.
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: April, 2009 Location: New York Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 11, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $669.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Fast and Sharp | | Cons: | Small zoom range | |
Best mid range zoom lens. Very sharp with good color rendering. Super sharp from 20mm to 40mm range. Very nice bokeh from 35mm @2.8. Looks faster AF than any SWD lens. OS works great (3-4 stops). Must disable stabilization on camera first.
| | | | | Loyal Site Supporter Registered: February, 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 2,710 | | Review Date: January 5, 2024 | Recommended | Price: $180.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Image quality, Price | | Cons: | AF, Handling | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 4
Value: 8
Camera Used: KP, K70
Autofocus: 5
New Or Used: Used
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I purchased my copy, series version without OS, to replace my Pentax HD16-85 WR when it's aperture spring detached. I also have the Pentax DA*16-50/2.8 SDM. The Sigma is better optically than the Pentax 16-50SDM, but the Pentax16-85, bests the Sigma in the corners and at 50mm. The Sigma can deliver sharp, contrasty, slightly cool (compared to Pentax) images, when the AF actually hits its mark. I got so tired of the spotty AF, especially at 17-20mm, that I would pre-focus using Live View and the magnifier, then switch off the AF on the camera. Manually focusing the Sigma requires switching AF off on the lens, because there is no quick focus like Pentax, a feature which is really missed once you have used it for years! The lens hood attachment is easily dislodged, resulting in vignetting or the hood falling off, constantly.
Price and optical performance made the Sigma a decent value, aggravating operation made it a lens I was glad to sell to a new owner.
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2011 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: November 21, 2011 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, contrast,color | | Cons: | Poor hood statement | |
Very good center sharpness.
I really like it,
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