Pentax AF with Sigma's 30F1.4?

[fast_primes]

<p>Will Sigma's 30F1.4 fast prime autofocus with Pentax dslrs? Pentax seems the only one (recent exception--Nikon) releasing APS primes, but the absence of a fast normal (30-35mm at less than $400) ultimately stopped me from going Pentax. I went Nikon because of their new 35F1.8 DX, but I still like Pentax overall--70F2.4, etc.</p>

[mcmanamey]

<p>Well - I don't understand your question, and the bad grammar isn't helping.... so this is what I'm translating.....<br>

Is it made in a Pentax mount? Is it an autofocus lens? Then YES, it will AF on a Pentax - which would be a given.</p>

<p>To go into available primes, the 35mm f2.0, which is technically discontinued, we bought WELL after the "discontinued" date for $300. This 35mm is one of the sharpest lenses ever made by Pentax. And that was bought new. There's a gagillion lenses out on ebay, autofocus or not, available - and many of them well under $400.</p>

[wpoupore]

<p>I believe the opportunity to get a new FA 35 is past. If I'm wrong, I'd love to know where one can be found. Non-buyers remorse may be setting in.</p>

[jptreen]

<p>Get a D-Xenon 35mm f/2. It's the same lens rebadged by samsung. You can certainly still find these!</p>

[jeff_miller9]

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I have the Sigma 30 f/1.4 and it auto-focuses just fine with Pentax gear. It worked on my K10 and now works on my K20D.</p>

<p>Best,<br />Jeff</p>

 

[wpoupore]

<p>A little online browsing shows you're right, but with a price of $600 it's not surprising!</p>

[fast_primes]

<p>I need to refine my Sigma query a little more--does Sigma offer an updated 30F1.4 Pentax mount lens that couples to Pentax dslrs with the SDM feature? In short, I'd want to use "silent drive" with the 30F1.4.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>As far as I know, the Sigma 30/1.4 uses the in-body motor for AF, and this is what it <a href="http://sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3300&navigator=6">currently says on their website</a> , but Sigma has tended to be rather erratic about how well they explain the differences between mounts on their site so it's possible that this has changed. Given the <$400 criterion, I'd have to recommend Pentax FA35/2 (or its samsung-badged cousin) which is a great performer, even wide open.</p>

[jptreen]

<p>Bill, that's odd - really odd - in the UK it's only about £250 in the few places that stock it. I guess Samsung are even less together than Pentax!</p>

<p>I've seen one used NOT SELL for £100 - I really kicked myself for forgetting to bid on that one! If you find it on fleabay, not a lot of people know what it really is and they can come in real bargins.</p>

[s_brown2]

<p>The 30mm Sigma f1.4 is screw-drive AF, not SDM. Funnily enough though I've noticed on a number of forums Nikon users asking for the availability of non-SDM versions of Sigma lenses because they found the SDM motor too slow. Anyway, I've got a Siggy 30mm f1.4 and it is excellent quality. I've compared side by side with a 31mm pentax f1.8 and decided I liked the Sigma better. Less purple fringing (hardly any wide open), faster, and actually a bit sharper wide open too (even at f1.4 compared to 1.8).</p>

[kastaniotis_dimitris]

<p>Yes there are cheap 35mm Pentax lenses... and they are sharp as hell...<br>

About the sigma 30mm/f1,4 it s a bad bad lens. Really soft edges even when stopped down. The middle is sharp, but this is a wide lens, meaning you want it for landscape photography and such, so you want sharpness on its entire frame.<br>

The comparison to the 31 limited and the verdict that the first one is better is just a joke...</p>