Thanks Mike, the lens arrived today, well packed! (but the pringles were missing - must be postie). It feels a nice little lens.

Refering to the comments above from what I've seen its the same as the Cosina 24mm.

Best

Nick

PM Sent

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.

Hi Mark,

From my post on the other thread you can see I’ve just bought the Sigma. I went though the same process, initially looking at the 50-135. I already have the Sigma 100-300 F4 EX which is brilliant but also I wanted something smaller and lighter.

I looked at the direct comparison on the other forum and on photozone.de under the Nikon APS section they have reviews for both the Sigma and the Tokina 50-135 (my rationale being that while not on a Pentax body the comparison on a common body was a valid lens comparison) and concluded that there wasn’t that much between them.

Add to that even if I bought second hand, the Pentax lens comes out at about £650 vs £400 new for the Sigma and second hand the Pentax would have 6 months warrantee vs 3 years for the Sigma and I really had a problem to fight with my sensible side!

Nick

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.

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

Hi Hylas,
I have exactly the same issue. The Pentax part should still be available and the part number is PH-RB49, however I’ve had one on order from SRS for a couple of months yet and Pentax have yet to deliver it to them. (They are listed at about £21) I did have a plan B in the B&H in the US have them on their web site for $24, but I notice they they are currently our of stock as well.

I guess its just a wait for Pentax to deliver!

Best

Nick

Thanks all for the help, I thought it was something I must have done.

What fooled me was that I put in a card which had been used in a Samsung camera, with a totally different file number structure and it seems to have picked that up. I then formatted the card and the camera continued with the numbering from the card.

Best

Nick

Just picked up my new K5 and fired off a few test pictures. I was bit surprised because the first picture came out with an image number of IMPG3479. All of the previous cameras I’ve had have started at 0001 or thereabouts, so my obvious reaction was I’ve been sold a refurbed camera!

I’ve downloaded PhotoMe and looked at the meta data f an image and teh shutter count is showing 12 and the in the meta data and its showing 12.

Has anyone else had this or have a plausible explanation to put my mind at rest?

Thanks
Nick

I noticed that the full K5 review is now up on DPreview and...it betters the D7000 with an 83% score!
Recognition at last?!