Thanks for taking your time to answer me, Mark. However we must be talking about different Sigma lenses, because the one I reffered to has 67 mm filer threads and it's a DC lens (designed for digital SLR's). The same goes for the mentioned Tamron (Di).
BTW: I am currently testing the Pentax-F 4-5.6/35-80mm (for which I paid 36 USD - 57 incl. shipping - at ebay) against my Tokina Pro II 2.8/28-70mm. The Pentax lens, that cost me less than 10% of the Tokina lens is keeping up pretty well - except it's only F 4-5.6 and doesn't offer the 28-35mm range. I am photographing money bills (200 Dkr), which have a lots of detail, whith the *ist D. All the best. Jens Bladt mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://hjem.get2net.dk/bladt -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: Mark Roberts [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 30. oktober 2004 13:16 Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Emne: Re: Which wide angle zoom for the *ist D? "Jens Bladt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >If I want a wide angle FOV equal to at least 28mm for 35mm film (FF sensor), >I should have no longer min. focal length than 18mm. It seems I have three >choises of which the Pentax is the msot expensive, even thoug it's only F4: > >Sigma EX 18-50mm DC F2.8 = 424 Euro (543 USD) >Tamron SP AF 17-35mm F/2.8-4 Di Asph. = 439 Euro (562 USD) >Pentax SMC-DA 4,0/16-45mm ED AL = 456 Euro (584 USD) > > >In regard to focal length and max. aperture it seems Sigma is the better >choise. >Do anybody of you *ist D users know this lens? >Which one of the three would you buy? I'm considering the same question. I haven't heard anything about the Sigma or the Tamron lenses; they're too new. The old Sigma 17-35 had a very poor reputation. I believe the new one is an entirely new design and one would hope they've improved its optics as well. (The only way I know of telling the two apart is that the old one took 82mm filters - reason enough to rule it out, IMHO - and the new one takes 77mm filters.) The Tamron is also a mystery but it's probably the one I'm going to end up with because I'm working part-time at a camera shop that sells Tamron so I can get employee accommodation pricing (below standard dealer cost). The Pentax is a non-starter for me because I want to be able to use the lens on my MZ-S as well as my ist-D. -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
