Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
I'd bet the Pentax 100/3.5 macro is the best of the Cosina rebadges for Kmount because: a) it focuses the right way b) it has SMC. We have three Phoenix 100mm/f3.5 macros in the household They're sharp, but they focus the wrong way, and flare is noticable in the viewfinder. Their only advantage over the Pentax is an included 2-element diopter that makes the lens go to life-size. My M 100mm f4 Macro beats the pants off the Phoenix, btw, and costs about the same. So I switched the diopter; I carry it with the M. Ain't I a dandy? -Lon T Rittenhouse wrote: Which brings up a point. Is a 28-200 Tamaron with a Pentax name on it better than a one with a Nikon badge, or a Canon badge? Is a 100/3.5 macro Pentax better than the Vivitar, or the Phoenix? Except for the top of the line pro lenses which I would assume are at least designed in-house, can you be certain your high-priced camera brand lens is any better than the low priced off brand, or even any different. I find it amusing that folks will swear up and down that the brand they own is lots better than some other brand when they are actually the same lens. Out sourcing is a reality of our time whether it is cars, or cameras, or TVs, or what-not. Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto - Original Message - From: Sylwester Pietrzyk [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2002 6:19 AM Subject: Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax? on 07.12.02 17:38, Joseph Tainter at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I was away all of November, so I am just now reading the December issue of Shutterbug, including the report on Photokina. It appears that both Tamron and Sigma are introducing several new and interesting lenses, which are specifically not available in Pentax mount. All current lenses made by Sigma are available in KAF mount. I think these new products will be available sooner or later too. And if you look more carefully on the new Tamron lenses (17-35/2.8-4, macro 180/3.5 , 70-200/2.8) it is obvious that these are OEM's made by Sigma! All of them are of course available in KAF-mount! -- Best Regards Sylwek
Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
Hi, Alek wrote: How do you assess SP 500/8 Tamron? Sharp optics, easy to use hand-held (with resultant degradation of performance) small and light for the optical reach, cheap secondhand. IIRC, focuses oppositely to Pentax lenses. Very easy to dismantle and clean when filled with river water 8-) (I think I just lowered my chances of selling mine) Drawbacks? Not with the lens per se. but quite a few people have had problems with mounts. Make sure the one you get is secure and functions as required. mike
Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
on 07.12.02 17:38, Joseph Tainter at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I was away all of November, so I am just now reading the December issue of Shutterbug, including the report on Photokina. It appears that both Tamron and Sigma are introducing several new and interesting lenses, which are specifically not available in Pentax mount. All current lenses made by Sigma are available in KAF mount. I think these new products will be available sooner or later too. And if you look more carefully on the new Tamron lenses (17-35/2.8-4, macro 180/3.5 , 70-200/2.8) it is obvious that these are OEM's made by Sigma! All of them are of course available in KAF-mount! -- Best Regards Sylwek
RE: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
You know, I had not even noticed these new products. I just looked on photozone and you are right - they do look very similar to Sigma versions. And the 200-500 looks very much like a sigma, although they don't make one in this range I think. This would be fascinating if Sigma and Tamron have tied up! Will Tamron start making lenses in Sigma mount too? This would push Tokina and others to support the mount too, and that is what Sigma needs to give credibility to their body OEM status IMO. -Original Message- From: Sylwester Pietrzyk [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] And if you look more carefully on the new Tamron lenses (17-35/2.8-4, macro 180/3.5 , 70-200/2.8) it is obvious that these are OEM's made by Sigma! All of them are of course available in KAF-mount!
Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
on 10.12.02 12:32, Rob Brigham at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: You know, I had not even noticed these new products. I just looked on photozone and you are right - they do look very similar to Sigma versions. And the 200-500 looks very much like a sigma, although they don't make one in this range I think. Tamron SP lenses (except for 90 macro) were never popular. That probably pushed them to buy ready designs from Sigma. This would be fascinating if Sigma and Tamron have tied up! Will Tamron start making lenses in Sigma mount too? This would push Tokina and others to support the mount too, and that is what Sigma needs to give credibility to their body OEM status IMO. Who knows? We have seen so many strange turning points in history of photography, that it could be easily possible! -- Best Regards Sylwek
Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
Which brings up a point. Is a 28-200 Tamaron with a Pentax name on it better than a one with a Nikon badge, or a Canon badge? Is a 100/3.5 macro Pentax better than the Vivitar, or the Phoenix? Except for the top of the line pro lenses which I would assume are at least designed in-house, can you be certain your high-priced camera brand lens is any better than the low priced off brand, or even any different. I find it amusing that folks will swear up and down that the brand they own is lots better than some other brand when they are actually the same lens. Out sourcing is a reality of our time whether it is cars, or cameras, or TVs, or what-not. Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto - Original Message - From: Sylwester Pietrzyk [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 10, 2002 6:19 AM Subject: Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax? on 07.12.02 17:38, Joseph Tainter at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I was away all of November, so I am just now reading the December issue of Shutterbug, including the report on Photokina. It appears that both Tamron and Sigma are introducing several new and interesting lenses, which are specifically not available in Pentax mount. All current lenses made by Sigma are available in KAF mount. I think these new products will be available sooner or later too. And if you look more carefully on the new Tamron lenses (17-35/2.8-4, macro 180/3.5 , 70-200/2.8) it is obvious that these are OEM's made by Sigma! All of them are of course available in KAF-mount! -- Best Regards Sylwek
Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
on 10.12.02 13:42, T Rittenhouse at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Is a 28-200 Tamaron with a Pentax name on it better than a one with a Nikon badge, or a Canon badge? Is a 100/3.5 macro Pentax better than the Vivitar, or the Phoenix? Except for the top of the line pro lenses which I would assume are at least designed in-house, can you be certain your high-priced camera brand lens is any better than the low priced off brand, or even any different. I find it amusing that folks will swear up and down that the brand they own is lots better than some other brand when they are actually the same lens. Exactly - many low-cost lenses for are made outside main compqany. Only better models in the range are house-made. Pentax is no exception here - Nikon 70-300/4-5.6 ED is nothing less or more but just Tamron LD... -- Best Regards Sylwek
Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
Tamron SP lenses (except for 90 macro) were never popular. I think that the SP 500/8 mirror has sold fairly well (they show up on eBay fairly often, anyway), and ~it~ (as the same lens design, I believe, although I am not certain of that) has been in the Tamron lineup for a long time. It has gotten good reviews, and its 1:2.5 almost-macro focusing is a real plus (1:1.25 with the SP 2X TC, too). I have four mirrors right now, the Tamron SP 500/8, the VS1 600/8 Solid Cat, the VS1 450/4.5 Aspheric, and the SMC K 1000/11, and they're all quite good (for mirror lenses), but they are all quite different from each other, too. Fred
Re: Sigma/Tamron vote no confidence in Pentax?
Joseph wrote: I was away all of November, so I am just now reading the December issue of Shutterbug, including the report on Photokina. It appears that both Tamron and Sigma are introducing several new and interesting lenses, which are specifically not available in Pentax mount. Well, personally it's not a great loss as I have never had even the slightest wish to use a Sigma or a Tamron lens. With Pentax current market share it hardly surprising that not all lenses are available in Pentax mount. Pål
