Senior Member Registered: July, 2010 Location: Pacific Northwest USA Posts: 261
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 26, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp, well-built, great color, compact, cheap and sexy! | | Cons: | Sticky barrel, distortion at wide end | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
Autofocus: 8
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I own two of these beautiful lenses. I like the cooler colors it gives me. I still love the warmer Pentax lenses I own, but this gives me a different option. I think it's way better than the kit lens and, as someone else has stated, it looks really fantastic on any black Pentax camera body.My copies focus reasonably well and perfectly compliments my DA12-24mm.
There are two things important things not mentioned in other reviews: First, I have owned several Sigma lenses from this time period and I have never had any problems with sticky rubber focus or zoom rings.The stickiness on my lenses has been confined to the lens barrel and aperture rings. I suspect that it is some kind of paint/lacquer deterioration. It's not always there, but when it is it's really nasty and hard to remove. Alcohol wipes don't work. I used nail polish remover very carefully applied and it took off all the lettering and f stop numbers in the process. When using any solvent there's always a danger of it leaking into the lens or under the plastic window. I used Q-tips and toothpicks. It took time to remove the sticky lacquer and the black paint underneath it completely. Don't be impatient. It IS worth the effort to rehab this classy little work horse.
Second, this lens has the Epsilon on it so perhaps it is the same lens as the previous metal version. Some claim this version is better, but the earlier one is less likely to have the problem I've described.
KEH thankfully labels some old Sigma lenses "sticky lens", but if you buy from Ebay ask the seller!
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Veteran Member Registered: July, 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,520
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 11, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $60.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Small, solid, quick, good for portraits | | Cons: | Significant CA, soft to f/5.6, middling saturation | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 6
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 9
Camera Used: K-30
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Other than the general need to correct the slightly odd CA (mostly aqua and some reddish-magenta), the lens is at least average in all respects when shot at least a stop down from open. While not adequate for architecture, it is easily sharp enough for portraiture. Saturation and contrast is somewhat low. I'm a very critical rater who grades against pro quality optics, so others might have a significantly more-favorable view.
In Pentax, I didn't have an AF lens that covered between 55 and 70mm (and I'm not happy with the kit WR lens for general use, so in reality my AF gap extended down to 45mm). I use a lot of MF for critical work, but recognize that AF is important to have in a full range. In deciding to buy a lens that covered the gap, I wanted something small, optically adequate, with decent build, and at a reasonably low price. In all these expectations, the lens has met my standards. It will never replace my A-35-105 for serious portrait work. However, it will get more use simply due to its small size and overall convenience.
Compared to the current kit Pentax lens, I would rate the Sigma better for corner sharpness and bokeh. The Pentax probably is sharper in the center, has better contrast, and fuller, warmer saturation. In all other respects, they seem close to equal.
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Inactive Account Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 9 | | Review Date: January 29, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Stunning image quality. Sharp. Good colours. Build quality | | Cons: | Sticky rubber coating. As usual with old sigmas | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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What a find !
The build quality on this old lens is superb. Solid. Heavy glass. Oozing workmanship. Smooth action. Superb lens coating . Much better than the 35-80mm version . Image quality is fantastic. If not better than my new sigma 17-70mm f2.8 that I paid over £300.
It looks so balanced on my K5
Great for indoor flash portraits and white balance rendering.
So good I purchased another one and also one for my Canon camera.
Don't be put off by the sticky decay of the outer rubber. Easy to remove completely with simple alcohol wipes and brings these old beauties up to scratch .
Love this lens
If you see one , buy it
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Junior Member Registered: March, 2010 Location: Pitt Meadows, BC Posts: 35 | | Review Date: December 5, 2010 | Recommended | Price: $85.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Very reasonably priced, good in all lighting conditions | | Cons: | Lens hood rotates with focus | |
I needed a lens with a little more versatility that the kit 18-55 that came with my K-x. This seems to fit the bill quite nicely so far, and a bonus that it takes the same 52mm filters .
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