I'll put the kettle on

Sorry, didn't mean too gloat

I'll take the M size T shirt if it's available.

Your too kind hefty I'll tell you what, you come and pick them up and there all yours for as long as you need them.

The K7 goes +5 or -5 EV compensation.

Hmmm I knew I would cock it up somewhere I went over both cameras to make sure they were the same and missed the metering and the flash on the flowers, I took a few shots with and without flash and must have mixed them up. Oh well back to the drawing board. Thanks Dan.

Thanks for that Hefty, I don't think I could be as extensive and detailed as you, but some very good info I could use,

Sorry mate, the Voigtlander is staying put, maybe I should do a 3 lens test

LBA, whats that, never heard of it

I worked out that I have owned or own every DA lens, except the DA*200 and the DA*55 1.4 and that includes all the Ltds and a large portion of Takumars, K,M,A,F and FA lenses. Is that what LBA means :

Thanks guys, I wouldn't say the Pentax walks it either, I like the Pentax wide open, bokeh is better IMO, and the bee shots are amazing handheld, I don't think I would have got them as good with the Sigma.

I agree with John, that the different exposures with the two differnt cameras doesn't help with the comparisons, in reality I should switch the lenses over and re-shoot the test. any ideas on how or what I should shoot to get a definitive result, as I said running these tests is not really my go, so I will take on board any tips you may have.

Cheers.

PS when Mike gets that FA 200mm we can do some more comparisons Mike just make sure you keep enough cash for bus fare home

As I now have both of these lenses I have done a few comparison shots with the Pentax A*200mm f4 macro and the Sigma DG 180mm f3.5

Basic specs are, the Sigma weighs in at 1200grms with a 72mm filter and the Pentax at 950grms with a 58mm filter,

I was a bit lazy and had the Pentax mounted on the K20 and the Sigma was on the K7, Not sure if this will make a huge difference with the comparisons, but both cameras were setup the same and mounted on tripods side by side.

These are the 2 beasties in question.
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Lenses180mm200mmmacros.jpg[/IMG]

The Pentax at f6.7, The seed pods were about 4metres away from the camera, uncropped and no PP just resized for the web.
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Pentax200mmf63.jpg[/IMG]
The Sigma at f6.7
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Sigma180mmf67.jpg[/IMG]
The Pentax wide open at f4
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Pentax200mmf4.jpg[/IMG]
The Sigma wide open at f3.5
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Sigma180mmf4.jpg[/IMG]
A flower with the Pentax about 500mm away
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Flower200mm-1.jpg[/IMG]
Same flower with the Sigma about 500mm away
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Flower180mm.jpg[/IMG]
A couple of random shots handheld with the Pentax
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Bee200mm.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x261/ClarkyinAus/Bee200mm2.jpg[/IMG]

Overall not a great difference between the 2, I like the colours from the Pentax, I am probably not the best judge for these kind of tests, so what do you all think. :

Oh really, I am planning on selling mine.