Customer Reviews

Sigma 24-135mm f/2.8-4.5 Aspherical IF Lens for Pentax SLR Cameras

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Bought for use on a K10D. I love to work in available light, and most Pentax zoom lenses are pretty s-l-o-w, long-end f-stops in the 5.6+ range. Yes, I know they are coming out with DA 16-50 and 50-135 / 2.8-s, but it's a safe bet they will cost a young fortune. So this is a good interim choice while I save up my pennies.

On a DSLR this lens offers angle-of-view equivalent to 36-200mm on a 35mm film camera. This lens is heavy and solid feeling, works as advertised, and seems right at home on the K10D. Focuses smartly, the entire frame is sharp, with no apparent light falloff or chromic aberration in the corners (Note that digital cameras don't use the entire image circle provided by the lens - film cameras do). Holds focus pretty well across the zoom range, it will refocus ever so slightly if you go from max wide to max tele. The lens has an apeture ring, almost inaccessible while mounted, but it belongs on 'A' all the time anyway on the K10D. It also takes the same size filters (77mm) as my Pentax 12-24mm, so I got that going for me.

My only complaint, and it's minor, is that, since the zoom ring covers a large zoom range in a short distance -- the ring turns about 1.6 inches while the lens gets 70% longer -- it can be pretty hard to turn, especially when the lens gets cold. This will probably get 'broken in' pretty soon, I hope.

This is a good general-purpose lens, wider and faster than anything Pentax makes, and must have presented major challenges to the designers. It's perfectly adequate for my intended use (general urban carry). I would give it 4 stars, but the low (sub-$200) price tips it up to 5.

I was so excited when I unwrapped my Christmas present...but when I saw the result I was rather disappointed! ;o( I use it with my *ist DS and I put it on my wish list since I already had the Sigma DG 70-300 (which I LOVE). For some reason it is super slow, 80% of the time I have to put it on MF since it's so slow at focusing and sometimes it won't even let me shoot at all in AF (still haven't figured out quite why). A lot of pictures seem to be vignetted/even blurry at times. The DOF definitely is a marvelous thing, but it seems to cost me much more time and frustration with the shoots than anticipated. I'm wondering wether I should've went with another make?! I'll keep testing it and maybe I'll change my mind - I sure hope so! SInce it was a bargain for the price. (My husband ordered it through amazon with Cameta as well.)

Edit (may 2008): sent in the lens to Sigma because the focusing problem was a communication error between the lens and my *ist DS. It's been working very nicely, great sharpness, clarity and terrific DoF. Still not as fast as I hoped though, and not as quiet. But overall I'd definitely recommend it.

I really like this lens. While the image quality is not as good as a prime it is good for a zoom. I know some people have reported problems with Pentax I have not had any problems with my DL. The lens is heavy compared to some of the newer zooms, but I don't find that to be a problem. The zoom range works well for many situations where a prime might be limiting.

product ordered on 11-10-06. It is now January 19, 2007. UPS claims they delivered it and left it on the front porch. I was home that day. They never delivered it and still having difficulty getting the product or my money back.