Skip wrote: > Maybe. But I would like to know about Sigma, for Pentax k-mounts. I found > this weird site on the web that is all about Sigma lenses. The first three > quarters of all the postings there are horror stories from people completely > knocking Sigma(s); ie; "they're trash held together by metallic tape, they > fall apart quickly, the company doesn't know how to repair them, they don't > meter or focus correctly with AF cameras, it's all false advertising..." > etc, etc... > > The last fourth of the postings are in defense of Sigma, although these > sometimes seem somewhat lame. -"Lenses are great for us non-pros because > they're cheap and do the job, pros are harder on glass, more demanding, they > don't know what they're talking about as Sigmas are actually quite good for > the $$..." etc, etc... > > So, in a general PDML consensus, what is the story with Sigma? (I have a > personal reason for asking in that I want a fast WA, and they have a 28mm > f1.8 that is amazingly low priced...?!?) Oh, and I forgot to mention in my earlier post about why "All lens tests are wrong..." Another feature of lenses is their durability--i.e., their ability to stay in spec over long periods of time. The Leica 50mm Summicron is specifically designed to be exceptionally tough--you can try to scratch its front element with barbed wire, you can drop it on the floor or take it in and out of subzero temperatures...it will most likely still measure the same after years of abuse as it did when it was new. Lens tests almost NEVER take this into account at all. They all measure the performance of new lenses out of the box. To address your question, in my opinion some Sigma lenses age badly. They are not durable and they go out of spec easily. Even if a Sigma lens performs well enough for you when it's new, it's may be unlikely to yield the same performance after a few years' use. That judgement is based on years of fielding reports from working photographers, although it's doubtless not true of every single Sigma product. So the answer to the question in the thread title is "maybe not at first." --Mike - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
