| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: February, 2017 Posts: 65 | | Review Date: October 30, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $360.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Compact, sharp, light, F2.8, | | Cons: | AF, quality of serial production | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K1
Autofocus: 3
New Or Used: Used
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For my point of view this is the best standard zoom lens for the K1; I have the DFA24-70 (too heavy, low sharpness in the corners), had two Tamrons 28-75 (less sharpness, only 28mm) and one Sigma 24-70 EX DG HSM (too heavy, lower sharpness at the edges and in corners) and end up with this lens.
I have to admit that I had three further lenses and kept this one. The AF position was far far to short and the AF fine correction -10 was not enough to cover the range. As this lens is so good, I decided to move the AF point of my K1 -85µm with the debug mode to have with -10 the AF in the correct range. In conclusion I had to move most of my other lenses to +8 .. +10, but this lens is so good that I accepted this effort.
The sharpness of my kept lens is very good, up to 45mm usable wide open (F2.8). At 60mm I prefer F4 for good sharpness. For perfect sharpness in the corners I go down one stop.
The contrast is very good, only for 60mm you should go to F4.
Aberrations are in the normal range and well correctable with software ( I use the lens profile of the Simga 24-70 in ACR and CAs and Bokeh Fringing are well corrected, also distortion and vignetting).
The bokeh can be a problem; the blur in the front of the focal plane is quite smoot, but behind it could be rather nervous in some conditions - but sometimes it could please you.
 | | | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2008 Location: New York, NY Posts: 17 | | Review Date: December 14, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, compact, good colors, usually easy to find cheaper than most 2.8 zooms | | Cons: | off-focuses @ wide, difficult to manual focus like most zooms | |
After using a Pentax DA* 16-50/2.8 for so long, I eventually found that the lens needed to be sent in for repairs. Looking for something even remotely equivalent in my budget, I had the chance to find KEH selling this model for what I would consider a song. Considering its zoom ratio to be much more respectable compared to most fast standard zooms, I figured it would be difficult to believe it would be bad.
The 24-60mm/2.8 lives up to its EX name by being fast and sharp at all ranges. With an equivalence of 36-90mm on an APS-C sensor, it’s not a perfect range, but is usable for most of the press work I have been involved in and some concerts. While not entirely capable of the borderline closeness of some zooms, the lens has a comfortable range that makes it usable for many different things. There is no real notable distortion with the lens and the colors that are rendered from it are brilliant, if a tiny bit cold at times (which works perfectly with the already slightly-warm cast of the K20D’s sensors).
One notable issue I find in using the lens comes in the autofocus, which is snappy, but I think slightly inaccurate when used wide. The viewfinder is not bright enough to make manual correction easy, but using it stopped down at any point beyond wide dramatically improves results regardless. People may also remark on the weight, but I find it to be slightly lighter than the 16-50mm and despite this, it still feels balanced on any of Pentax’s midgrade bodies.
I don’t normally use the lens at this moment, mostly because the wideness of the 16-50mm has much more utility for my normal work, but if I can find a proper adapter for it, I would gladly use it with a NEX-5 as a backup for shooting under available light. I am still keeping the lens as a handy backup regardless.
| | | | | Forum Member Registered: April, 2008 Location: Vancouver Posts: 87 | | Review Date: July 31, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $500.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Superb image quality, Big constant aperture, Great build quality | | Cons: | Not the fastest focusing | |
I love my Sigma 24-60mm f/2.8 lens and use it as my main go-to lens. I shoot a lot indoors and I dislike using the flash, the constant aperture f/2.8 and the zoom lets me have the flexibilty in low-light that i want.
The image quality is also superb. Photos are tack sharp, around the city, I leave it at f/8 or f/11 and corner to corner sharpness is really good. For portraits, the f/2.8 really helps to throw the background out of focus. I didn't find it that soft when shot wide-open, but all the better for portrait photography (hides the winkles  )
All in all, I love this versatile big constant aperture lens. It is a bit on the heavy side, at 550g, but that's due to the impressive 16 elements in 15 groups, including 4 aspherical and 2 SLD elements, as well as the 9 blade aperture.
| | | | | Site Supporter Registered: July, 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA USA Posts: 1,027
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 24, 2021 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpest standard zoom, center & corners, low CA, fast AF, relatively light, nice OOF, | | Cons: | Too much front focus. Required debug addition of -20um to AF fine tuning | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: K1 II
Autofocus: 7
New Or Used: New
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Great lens. It tested much better than my Pentax 28-105 and Sigma 24-135 in every optical aspect. I would rate it a 10/10 in resolution in the center and corners on the B&H test chart at all FLs. That is a feat unmatched by any other of my 18 zooms that I own or have owned (Canon red circle, Pentax brand, all very nice). My Vivitar S1 90-180 flat Field also did this, but it is different.
The OOFis nicer. It is hard to provoke purple fringing. The sun directly in the image does not wash much out. I did not find any veiling flare, no decrease in contrast from lights in the image or slightly outside.
Distortion was half of the other lenses as checked with a protector and square on photos of graph paper.
It has internal focusing. The front lens does not turn during focusing. That makes using a polarizer, two field filter, or a graduated neutral density filter much easier.
The focussing is quick. Very quick.
The downsides known going into the purchase are: the lack of WR; the focus ring turns in the non-Pentax direction; no aperture ring.
The unknown downside was that this lens front focuses. I read many of this species do. I had to go into the K1 II debug and move the "zero point" of AF fine tuning back u20m to put the camera and zoom in range of each other (AF-10 tuning).
Given the results of this lens, I don't understand why this isn't the most popular standard zoom.
This is my first review. This lens is so outstanding, I had to tell the world!
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: August, 2013 Location: Prague Posts: 272
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 9, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $250.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sturdy, accurate, good quickness, good rendering, dependable | | Cons: | A bit heavy | |
I have used this lens now since April 2014 and it has not let me down. No whether inside or outside in varying temperatures and light conditions. It is responsive and dependable. Love the images I get from this tank like lens! You should be aware there is a lot of glass in this lens so it makes it heavy to carry in hand, however it is well balanced when come shooting time.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: March, 2014 Posts: 38
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 22, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $450.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | very sharp, excellent bokeh, sturdy | | Cons: | none from my perspective | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 8
Camera Used: Pentax
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This excellent lens is my "standard", and is on my K10 almost all of the time.
In the Jurassic Era when I was a budding virtuoso, I shot Nikon, and used basically two lenses - a 35mm and 85mm f1.4. I've basically only used wides and teles when I needed them, and mostly stayed within the "normal" focal lengths. When I switched to Pentax (size, weight . . . I was using mostly medium format by then and my 35mm priorities changed), I used a 35mm, 50mm and 100mm, and little else, although I had just about everything under the sun. I never really liked zooms. I always felt that I got pictures that were better by walking around to get the best angle, rather than "framing" with a varifocal. So I never grew fond of zooms, though as I said, I had buckets of them.
95% of my shooting is landscapes and people, and thus, I don't need anything extreme very often - I'm a "normal" lens guy. When I went digital, I went Pentax because it was backwards compatible, and I could use my old lenses.
This Sigma was a revelation. It fits on my film Pentaxes, and is sharp as blazes because on the CMOS sensor, it is used in the sharpest central area. It covered the "normal" ranges I prefer, and its solidity and heft makes it easy to handhold. It is an f2.8, so it's going to be larger than your kit lens. It's an f2.8, so it's also going to be more useful in low light and indoors than your kit lens. It's sensible focal range means you don't have to deal with distortion or the perspective problems associated with wider lenses.
It is really (on the CMOS sensor) a 35-90mm constant f2.8. For me, perfect. It is exactly what I use AND IS THE ONLY ZOOM LENS I'VE EVER OWNED THAT I TRULY LIKE. If you are a "normal" lens person and want a great lens, this is about as close to an all round performer you'll ever get.
When I'm travelling, this lens is on the camera, and I carry a 17mm Tamron adaptall and a 100mm f2.8 Pentax macro in a small belt pouch. I don't need anything else. I highly recommend this lens.
Addenda: I thought I'd add a few shots taken with this lens to my review
The first one is in the Icefield Parkway in Alberta, at 40mm, 1/250th at f16 ISO 400, Pentax K10
The second shot is also i the Icefield Parkway in Alberta, same exposure at 24mm, Pentax K10
In Vanderhoof, British Columbia, 1/180th at f11, 55mm, ISO 400, Pentax K10
Some trout for the smoker, 1/125th at f8, 29mm, ISO 400, Pentax K10
 | | | | | Site Supporter Registered: December, 2009 Posts: 45 | | Review Date: April 21, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp everywhere | | Cons: | Range is limited a little | |
Better all around sharpness than my Sigma 24-70/2.8 and lighter also. Got it to eventually pair it with the Pentax 60-250/4. AF is decent but not great. one of my prime walk-around lenses, as I don't do too much WA work. Smaller filter size than the 24-70 a bonus.
Kent Gittings
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: April, 2008 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 915 | | Review Date: September 21, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $190.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | build quality, sharpness, colors, contrast | | Cons: | big and heavy | |
I really wanted to give it a 10, but I think 9 is more appropriate.
The lens feels substantial when attached to the camera, which can be both a positive and a negative. It feels like quality, but it's pretty heavy. From my test shots I saw nice crisp contrast and great color, and very good sharpness even wide open.
I now am using this as my go to lens for everything off the tripod. I don't use it on the tripod since mine isn't very good and the weight of this lens causes some issues.
Overall image quality from this lens has been fantastic, and at $190, it has been a fantastic value and I feel it's worth much more than that. If you see one in the marketplace...do not hesitate...it's worth every penny.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: May, 2007 Location: steel city / rust belt Posts: 2,043 | | Review Date: May 13, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
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not a review - some pictures of the lens, just in case
gallery w/ some "brick walls" (shoot wide open)
http://foto.ixbt.com/?id=album:19697
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: June, 2008 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 206 | | Review Date: January 31, 2009 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | fast, sharp, contrasty, decent bokeh, IF | | Cons: | focus ring rotates during AF, and short throw | |
This is a great zoom lens. It has pretty fast AF, and I think it's pretty sharp even wide open. Considering its f2.8, it's not too heavy either.
I only have a few gripes. Compared to my 28mm f1.8, the focus ring and distance scales are a big step down; it rotates during AF, and the distance scale isn't in a window (this is just nitpicking).
| | | | | Senior Member Registered: September, 2008 Location: Quezon City, Philippines Posts: 168 | | Review Date: January 5, 2009 | Recommended | Price: $239.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | warm colors, sharp, large constant aperture. well balanced with my K100D | | Cons: | none i can think of yet | |
very happy with it. would recommend it to anyone. i'm glad i chose it instead of getting a kit lens. it is much more vivid than my other lens which is a tokina 20-35/3.5-4.5
| | | | | Inactive Account Registered: December, 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 1 | | Review Date: December 9, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $320.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Image quality, Big constant aperture, good build quality | | Cons: | heavy | |
Great lens for low light use, and also with studio light. 24mm may not be too wide on a dslr but it is good enough for me | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: January, 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 2,703 | | Review Date: December 7, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Price, price price; wide-open performance; price! | | Cons: | None that I can think of | |
I've been touting this lens since the day I got it. This is my most used lens and probably my favorite, even though I have a few highly regarded lenses in my kit.
It very sharp wide-open and extremely sharp when stopped down a bit. It compares favorably to the DA*50-135 which I use as the companion lens to the Sigma. The transition between the two lenses is seamless. Although not a macro, it focuses closely enough to shoot flowers as well as any lens I own. This is a very good lens which yields images that hold up very well to heavy cropping.
Here's a link to a thread with some early images from this lens:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/35721-sigma-ex...-60mm-wow.html | | | | | Veteran Member Registered: May, 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,725 | | Review Date: November 13, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp and well made | | Cons: | Soft at f2.8 | |
I wanted the Pentax 16-50 F2.8 but I couldn't afford it. This lens is a really good alternative. It took me sometime to get used to it for some reason but now it rocks. Get this lens!!
Amazon.com has it for $200.
Update: still works well but I've only had some success using it for concerts and other dark locations. Just not as sharp (or well focusing) as it should be in low light.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2008 Location: Central Ohio (formerly SF Bay Area) Posts: 1,519 | | Review Date: October 15, 2008 | Recommended | Price: $200.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp, contrasty, good color, nice bokeh | | Cons: | a little heavy for its size | |
Really an outstanding lens all around, especially for the money. This is the one I keep on my camera most of the time. Constant f/2.8 is really nice to have, and it's very usable wide open, though most of the shots I take are at f/4 to 8 where it is razor sharp.
I need to ding it one point for a couple of really minor issues:
Zoom range isn't great -- I'd love a little more on both the wide end and the long end. But again, for the price I shouldn't complain. Lenses that meet that need are out there but they cost a bundle.
and
My copy has a front-focusing tendency that is correctable using the K20D focus adjustment menu item, but I need to dial in -9 out of possible -10, which doesn't inspire confidence.
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