istD & Sigma Lenses

[hendrik]

Hi all,

 

Anyone using a istD with Sigma EX lenses?

 

What is your experience with the combination?

 

Thanks

[Jochen_S]

My German magazine Colorfoto says the 24mm f1.8 is very good on the *istD, but you should buy the Pentax 20mm. My own Sigmas are neither "EX" nor great, but nice to have for a bit of small change on the used market.

[hendrik]

Hi,

 

I use a MZ-S with 17-35, 28-70, and 70-200. All f2.8 EX. Exelent lenses.

 

But will they work 100% on the istD?<div></div>

[Jochen_S]

Sorry, Hendrik, my own gear seems a bit older or cheaper than yours. My cheap 28-70 works on *istD and SFXn but I prefer the PentaxF 35-80 because the Sigma has lots of dead way in the AF mechanism and the SFX flash doesn't fire on 28mm. The 70-300 APO works on the *istD but for unknown reason the SFX is unable to focus it. The macro function is painful to use and macro pictures are of poor quality. The old manual focus 14mm does its job but is no killer lens. I suppose any Sigma should work on the *istD. I can't tell much about picture quality, digital makes it easy to see the weaknesses of older zooms and harder to shoot primes only on a bunch of bodys. Surely it is unfair to compare a cheap used 3rd party consumer zoom in macro mode to the most expensive Pentax lens I ever had. I have no proof of other lens brands being worse or better than Sigma. I wouldn't go and replace zooms with others in a hurry, as long as it is possible to get around with a few old primes, if every piece of sharpness is realy needed for some special job. The new few-100$ DSLR should be much cheaper than your lenses so get it, have as much fun as possible and wait til you can afford some 24MP body till you start looking for perfect glass.

[william_au]

Hi Hendrik,

 

I have the istD and the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 EX zoom lens. They have worked fine together.