Upgrade from Sigma 17-70 or just have it serviced?

Hi

For the last 6 or so years my most used lense is a Sigma 17-70. It still works fine, but the zoom is starting to feel a little 'gritty' ...

I'm considering having it serviced to bring it back to it's former glory. I was wondering if the Pentax 16-85 was an upgrade over my Sigma, mostly in picture quality rather than length. I am tempted by this lense as my usual walk around though it does seem to be rather expensive for what it is.

edit - is it worth the cost considering I've already have a Sigma 17-70?

Anyone traded the Sigma for the Pentax? If it makes any difference my body is a K5ii.

Thanks for reading

I have not used my Sigma 17-70 since I got the Pentax 16-85. Not because I am unhappy with the Sigma, it is a great lens. But the Pentax has equally good picture quality, plus weather resistance, greater range and near silent focusing.

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Regards, Philip

I haven't used either but my thoughts for what they are worth are that the 16-85 looks a fabulous buy at the £349 it was recently sold for (albeit very briefly) but there's no way I would pay over £400 for it...in fact given that Pentax have twice sold it for £349 now over the past year I wouldn't pay more than this for it.

As smudge says though it does have some great attributes, particularly when compared to 17-50s and 17-70s and most of the user reviews i've read have been very positive.

Thanks for the thoughts, I think I agree with you 1stEverPentax in that it's over priced for me at the moment considering I already have the Sigma, which I have been very pleased with.

Still leaves you with the dilemma of whether or not to have your 17-70 serviced. I'm guessing that it would probably cost close to about £90-£100 to have it serviced...seem to be fixed price charges for these sort of things where you tend to lose out financially for minor repairs but gain if its something more major.

Given that you've already had six years out of it and the used value as it is is probably less than £100 if it were me i'd be tempted to just carry on with it until it no longer worked and then try and get a bit back selling it for 'spares or repair'. You're not going to get your money back if you were to sell it after its been serviced given that a new Sigma 17-70 (latest model) is just £299. It would only be financially worth keeping if you could pretty much guarantee you'd get several more years out of it after the service..or if you wanted to keep it for sentimental reasons!

The 16-85 is likely to drop again in price for a few days sometime round Easter time although whether it dips to £349 again...who knows..you might need to wait until June/July for that to happen again.

Then again the internet is awash with blogs from the financial sector warning of another imminent crash 2008 style...RBS apparently have advised all their wealthy 'managed account' customers to offload all their stocks and shares immediately...talk is of Wall Street and London markets losing between 15-20% with the FTSE 100 being even harder hit due to its dependence on mining and energy companies which are currently tanking...if all this comes about then ALL photo gear will be on very deep discount for the rest of the year and the new FF will be selling for £999 !

My Sigma is still useable, it's just I notice the grinding as I zoom and thought a service / clean would probably benefit. Having said that I'm off to Australia in April and this will probably be my most used lense (it always is).

i have the 17/70 pentax and love it not shore of the size of the sig but the pentax takes a 67mm filter lot of glass area fo a lens that small

Well I still haven't made my mind up, though the Sigma, K5ii and myself all took an accidental dunk in a stream over the weekend, much to the wife's amusement. Everything still works but it's fair to say the front of the Sigma requires a cleaning more than ever ....

I managed to get my 16-85 for 389 from Microglobe but prices are higher ATM.
I would wait for an offer then snap it up.
Quality and usability hard to beat.
I haven't used my 18-135 since November.
Go for it.

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Cheers,

Bruce

have you tried Alan Marlow, he cleared a load of grit out of a lens for me . cost £48. worth an email or phone call i would think

link:- http://www.cam-rep.co.uk/

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odd lens or 2

Flickr

My Sigma 17-70mm died at Christmas with a broken zoom. It is still under 3 year warranty but Sigma UK have refused to repair it. They want £86 to repair it and they have claimed that it was broken by dropping the lens - the lens has never been dropped on banged and I maintain that it is a manufacturing fault.

Anyhow I have just ordered a new unboxed Pentax 16-85mm from SRS on Ebay for £349 link The reviews of the 16-85mm look better than the Sigma 17-70mm

I might get the Sigma repaired and sell on or I might try an independent repairer for a lower price.

Martin

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Hi

Yes I've just ordered one of those as well - I saw your other post!

Thanks

Don't think you'll regret buying this.
Nearly every time I change back to this lens even when trying out differant ideas always give up and move back because of range and ease of use.
Fantastic lens.

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Cheers,

Bruce