Re: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences
Well, I bit the bullet and ordered one. Pick it up next Wednesday. Will check focus ASAP. Hopefully I can get something for the PUG with it... Happy holidays all! Regards, Pete Mac in post-morning-storms Melbourne Sent from my iPad2 On 22/12/2011, at 9:05, Pete McIntosh peter...@gmail.com wrote: On 22/12/2011 01:15, Dario Bonazza wrote: Jan van Wijk wrote: Hmm, some room for interpretation here, do you mean this one: Sigma 70-200 mm f/2.8 II EX APO DG Macro HSM If so, no I have no experience with that one :-) However, I do have a slightly older version, which did not have HSM, and is not optimized for digital. Same here. It was one of my favorite lenses on film (MZ-S), together with the matching EX converters. If so, what say you? IQ was quite good, and so was build quality. I tend to use it less now, prefer the DA 50-135 for the shorter end, and the Bigma (with OS and HSM) for the long end. Except for the Bigma (which I don't own), I agree with Jan and I'd go a little further. That Sigma is an excellent lens. Some years ago I compared it to the Pentax FA* 2.8/80-200 and it was not so far from it. About resolution and sharpness, the Pentax was a little better at center ad a little softer at edges. All in all, quite a tie. The real pluses of the Pentax were an overall better brilliance of the image (color balance and such) and, most visible , a much better control of flare and ghost. The problem with some Sigma lenses (at least those I had the occasion to own) is you cannot really get accurate AF: Should you tune for say 70mm, you have a visible error at 200, and vice-versa. The same happens (even more critically) with the latest Sigma DC 17-70mm OS, which I sold quickly for that reason. Back to the Sigma 70-200mm AF issue, I then decided to set perfect focus around 150mm, so that I get fine results 100 to 200mm, while forgetting to use that lens around 70-80mm. After all, I own other lenses covering such focal lengths. So now I choose which one to take with me between DA* 50-135mm and the Sigma 70-200mm. Nine out of ten, the Pentax suits me better for the combination of focal length, size and noiseless operation (needed at performances I shot). At outdoor concerts, I take the Sigma with me. I'd love a DA/FA* 2.8/70-200mm! No, the DA* 4/60-250mm is not such a lens, as I miss that extra stop. Good information - many thanks. I've also looked at the 50-135, but it's more than double the price of the 70-200 down here and, while the 50-135 is a wonderful lens and I'd love one, I don't know if it's 2+ times as good as the Sigma. And I don't think I could stretch my relationship with the finance manager that far... :-) Regards, Pete Mac in Melbourne -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences
Dario Bonazza wrote on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:23:37 -0800 Dario Bonazza wrote: I'd love a DA/FA* 2.8/70-200mm! Actually, my true dream lenses would be a 18-90mm f/2 and a 100-200mm f/2, in order to shoot the K-5 at 3200-4000 ISO instead of 6400-8000. While I'd appreciate the speed too, a 100-200mm f2 would be huge - it would take two men and a boy to carry it around! Regards, Jim * Jim King jamesk8...@mac.com -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
RE: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences
Jim wrote: a 100-200mm f2 would be huge - it would take two men and a boy to carry it around! two and a half men huh? -- J.C. O'Connell (mailto:hifis...@gate.net) Join the CD PLAYER DISC Discussions : http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cdplayers/ http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/cdsound/ -Original Message- From: pdml-boun...@pdml.net [mailto:pdml-boun...@pdml.net] On Behalf Of Jim King Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 10:22 PM To: pdml@pdml.net Subject: Re: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences Dario Bonazza wrote on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:23:37 -0800 Dario Bonazza wrote: I'd love a DA/FA* 2.8/70-200mm! Actually, my true dream lenses would be a 18-90mm f/2 and a 100-200mm f/2, in order to shoot the K-5 at 3200-4000 ISO instead of 6400-8000. While I'd appreciate the speed too, a 100-200mm f2 would be huge - it would take two men and a boy to carry it around! Regards, Jim * Jim King jamesk8...@mac.com -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences
Hi Pete, On Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:49:42 +1100 Pete McIntosh wrote: Is there anyone on the list with experience using this lens? Hmm, some room for interpretation here, do you mean this one: Sigma 70-200 mm f/2.8 II EX APO DG Macro HSM If so, no I have no experience with that one :-) However, I do have a slightly older version, which did not have HSM, and is not optimized for digital. It was one of my favorite lenses on film (MZ-S), together with the matching EX converters. If so, what say you? IQ was quite good, and so was build quality. I tend to use it less now, prefer the DA 50-135 for the shorter end, and the Bigma (with OS and HSM) for the long end. That said, I think the DG version of the lens should be at least as good as mine was, I think the only disadvantage is that it will not take the EX tele converters (AFAIK). I'm on the prowl for something in this range, and from what I've seen so far this comes across as reasonable value. But real-life feedback would be most appreciated. Well, my experience is probably too dated, but positive :-) Regards, JvW -- Jan van Wijk; http://www.dfsee.com/gallery -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences
Jan van Wijk wrote: Hmm, some room for interpretation here, do you mean this one: Sigma 70-200 mm f/2.8 II EX APO DG Macro HSM If so, no I have no experience with that one :-) However, I do have a slightly older version, which did not have HSM, and is not optimized for digital. Same here. It was one of my favorite lenses on film (MZ-S), together with the matching EX converters. If so, what say you? IQ was quite good, and so was build quality. I tend to use it less now, prefer the DA 50-135 for the shorter end, and the Bigma (with OS and HSM) for the long end. Except for the Bigma (which I don't own), I agree with Jan and I'd go a little further. That Sigma is an excellent lens. Some years ago I compared it to the Pentax FA* 2.8/80-200 and it was not so far from it. About resolution and sharpness, the Pentax was a little better at center ad a little softer at edges. All in all, quite a tie. The real pluses of the Pentax were an overall better brilliance of the image (color balance and such) and, most visible , a much better control of flare and ghost. The problem with some Sigma lenses (at least those I had the occasion to own) is you cannot really get accurate AF: Should you tune for say 70mm, you have a visible error at 200, and vice-versa. The same happens (even more critically) with the latest Sigma DC 17-70mm OS, which I sold quickly for that reason. Back to the Sigma 70-200mm AF issue, I then decided to set perfect focus around 150mm, so that I get fine results 100 to 200mm, while forgetting to use that lens around 70-80mm. After all, I own other lenses covering such focal lengths. So now I choose which one to take with me between DA* 50-135mm and the Sigma 70-200mm. Nine out of ten, the Pentax suits me better for the combination of focal length, size and noiseless operation (needed at performances I shot). At outdoor concerts, I take the Sigma with me. I'd love a DA/FA* 2.8/70-200mm! No, the DA* 4/60-250mm is not such a lens, as I miss that extra stop. Dario -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences
Dario Bonazza wrote: I'd love a DA/FA* 2.8/70-200mm! Actually, my true dream lenses would be a 18-90mm f/2 and a 100-200mm f/2, in order to shoot the K-5 at 3200-4000 ISO instead of 6400-8000. Dario -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences
On 22/12/2011 01:15, Dario Bonazza wrote: Jan van Wijk wrote: Hmm, some room for interpretation here, do you mean this one: Sigma 70-200 mm f/2.8 II EX APO DG Macro HSM If so, no I have no experience with that one :-) However, I do have a slightly older version, which did not have HSM, and is not optimized for digital. Same here. It was one of my favorite lenses on film (MZ-S), together with the matching EX converters. If so, what say you? IQ was quite good, and so was build quality. I tend to use it less now, prefer the DA 50-135 for the shorter end, and the Bigma (with OS and HSM) for the long end. Except for the Bigma (which I don't own), I agree with Jan and I'd go a little further. That Sigma is an excellent lens. Some years ago I compared it to the Pentax FA* 2.8/80-200 and it was not so far from it. About resolution and sharpness, the Pentax was a little better at center ad a little softer at edges. All in all, quite a tie. The real pluses of the Pentax were an overall better brilliance of the image (color balance and such) and, most visible , a much better control of flare and ghost. The problem with some Sigma lenses (at least those I had the occasion to own) is you cannot really get accurate AF: Should you tune for say 70mm, you have a visible error at 200, and vice-versa. The same happens (even more critically) with the latest Sigma DC 17-70mm OS, which I sold quickly for that reason. Back to the Sigma 70-200mm AF issue, I then decided to set perfect focus around 150mm, so that I get fine results 100 to 200mm, while forgetting to use that lens around 70-80mm. After all, I own other lenses covering such focal lengths. So now I choose which one to take with me between DA* 50-135mm and the Sigma 70-200mm. Nine out of ten, the Pentax suits me better for the combination of focal length, size and noiseless operation (needed at performances I shot). At outdoor concerts, I take the Sigma with me. I'd love a DA/FA* 2.8/70-200mm! No, the DA* 4/60-250mm is not such a lens, as I miss that extra stop. Good information - many thanks. I've also looked at the 50-135, but it's more than double the price of the 70-200 down here and, while the 50-135 is a wonderful lens and I'd love one, I don't know if it's 2+ times as good as the Sigma. And I don't think I could stretch my relationship with the finance manager that far... :-) Regards, Pete Mac in Melbourne -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8II APO Lens Experiences
Hi guys, Is there anyone on the list with experience using this lens? If so, what say you? I'm on the prowl for something in this range, and from what I've seen so far this comes across as reasonable value. But real-life feedback would be most appreciated. Regards, Pete Mac in Melbourne -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
