Sigma 50-150 and 1.4x converter

Hi All,

When SRS reduced their Sigma 50-150 2.8 EX I prevaricated too long and have been kicking my self ever since, so when I noticed that FFordes had reduced theirs from £612 to £399 at the weekend I took the opportunity and bought one.

While I was looking at the specs one last time before buying I noticed that Sigma’s’ web site says that the lens is compatible with the Sigma 1.4x EX APO converter for all mounts apart from Pentax. (not “compatible but using manual focus” – incompatible). I’ve seen a number of posts on other sites showing the results of using the lens and converter together, and it seems to work well for them so it’s not an HSM issue.

Does anyone have any experience of using this, or any other converter (I’ve also got a Kenco 2x) with this lens?

Best

Nick

I've tried it with a Tamron 1.4 (which works with Pentax SDM - in fact with all my other lenses) and the Pentax 1.7. Neither worked with the 50-150 - not just focusing but aperture info too. And if I'm not mistaken the Sigma TCs don't either.

Nice lens, though - a snip at £399.

That's a tremendous price - I've sent them an email. If I can get the VAT refund for taking it out of Europe then that's £320 ! Brilliant deal.

I'm afraid SRS will not do VAT refund as I asked via email before

It's not SRS it's Ffordes.

Good luck, Ffordes seem to have postage rates world wide on their web site so I assume they are used to export. I also noticed that they are on the Sigma UK site as a registered dealer, so I think I can register the lens for the Sigma 3 year warrantee.

Bit of a shame about the tele-converter. My lens is due to arrive tomorrow, so I’ll give them a try. I was really more worried if it was something mechanical which would damage the lens; I seem to remember reading somewhere that some lenses were incompatible because the rear element would hit the Sigma converters.

Boeforce - SRS definitely do give VAT refunds if you're exporting the goods out of the EU. You get your VAT form stamped at the airport and send this to them and they process the refund.

Frogfish - don't bank on getting all your VAT back. Most retailers use some third party administrator to process the refunds which results in your receiving only around 10% of the VAT. Used to be much more than this on bigger purchases, but the amount now is immaterial and you always end up with around 10%.

Happily (though not for you as the Sigma is at Ffordes) SRS do not use the third party admin, but do it themselves and do refund the full amount. Yet another reason to shop at SRS.

This is correct! We can only do the VAT reclaim scheme if the goods are bought in the shop as we have to see the purchasers passport and tickets. I don't think there is any way a retailer can do this for a mail order transaction....

Result!

While Dr Mhuni was right, my Sigma 1.4 APO teleconverter wouldn’t focus or transmit the aperture information to the camera, my Kenco 1.7x works perfectly with the lens, both focus and exposure information.

Possibly not quite the same IQ but OK in extremis.

Happily Ffordes do the VAT deductions themselves. I've been in conversation with them and have bought a 50-150 for 400 less the VAT though I do have to pay the DHL cost (to HK). Great deal as it's well under 400 in total !