Does Sigma 30/1.4 for Pentax come with HSM?

[evolutioner]

I've read online that this lens in Pentax mount do not come with HSM, but some people said it does in the newer production.

Any users of this lens here? I'm looking at it as an alternative to the legendary FA31, due to limited budget.

TIA.

 

[sunnycamera]

To my understanding and reading about this interesting fast normal lens,

Pentax and Sony user do not enjoy the HSM that Nikon and Canon user enjoy, but we pay the same amount money for it, around 500 SGD,

so either you go for it for 500 SGD or

go for the speed
* 150 SGD for M 50mm f1.4
* 400 SGD for FA 50mm f1.4

go for focal length
* 200 SGD for DA 35mm f2.4
* 100 SGD for manual 28mm f2.8
* 150 SGD for manual 28mm f2

just my thoughts, I was planning to buy it, and in the end get a M 50 f1.4

 

[evolutioner]

My priority is speed and focal length. I found 50mm too tight for my style of shooting. Would love to have the FA31, but oh well....

That aside, this Sigma's price is SGD700+, not 500+

 

[Gengh]

Mine is an old copy, but the Sigma website doesn't say anything about this lens having HSM for Pentax, so I doubt that there's any change there.

 

[evolutioner]

Mine is an old copy, but the Sigma website doesn't say anything about this lens having HSM for Pentax, so I doubt that there's any change there.

Care to share some of your experience with this lens?

 

[pinholecam]

$700 is too much, HK and US selling for ~$500.
Difference in no. of years warranty of course.

Don't forget that the FA31ltdl; FA35/2; 35/2.4 are all lenses that are sharp throughout, the Sigma 30/1.4 if that is important to you.
I've gone through and through the pictures taken with the Sigma. Really nice shallow at f1.4 and nice bokeh too. The less sharp edges actually helps to give images a 'pop' , which is an advantage when seen in this light.

Why not get a FA35/2 or DA35/2.4?

 

[Gengh]

Care to share some of your experience with this lens?

I'm probably not a good person to ask, 'cos I think 30mm is not a focal length I work well with, something I learnt after holding on to this lens for so long. But technically, I'd say that the lens is not bad, it's sharp even when wide open and AF speed is good. But I still have some problems with the AF at f1.4 or f2, not quite sure if I'm just expecting too much of the AF system. It's not consistently back or front focusing, so the AF adjustment doesn't help. And the lens seems to have a very curved field (this is just my guess), it's very difficult to get the whole frame sharp, something also mentioned in the Photozone review. It's not a problem for the shallow DOF kind of pic where you only need the subject in focus in one area of the frame, but bad for landscapes where you need sharpness from border to border. I feel like I need to stop down to f11 or more, which is more restrictive than what I'm used to with the DA*16-50 at similar focal lengths.

So I'd say how good this lens is depends on what you shoot and how you're thinking of using it. It's kinda quirky.

 

[evolutioner]

Thanks for the info, it's always better to heard from users' experience rather than reading technical reviews.
That aside, how long is the warranty provided locally?

I actually considered a DA35/2.4, but the price just doesn't justify itself to me. Double the price i can get a tamron 17-50/2.8, a whole lot more versatile, only half a stop slower, plus i don't have my kit 18-55 replaced yet.

Decision, decision, decision....

 

[Cenvin]

I actually considered a DA35/2.4, but the price just doesn't justify itself to me. Double the price i can get a tamron 17-50/2.8, a whole lot more versatile, only half a stop slower, plus i don't have my kit 18-55 replaced yet

At similar focal length, DA35/2.4 produce sharper image when compare to Tamron 17-50/2.8 at wide F-stop like f2.8 / f3.2 ... At least for my copy of 17-50 it is.. Better contrast and color too !
DA35/2.4 is a prime anyway, price being so competitive due material used in barrel and lens mount... they do not compromised its optic performance!

 

[creampuff]

short answer to the original question is no.

 

[evolutioner]

At similar focal length, DA35/2.4 produce sharper image when compare to Tamron 17-50/2.8 at wide F-stop like f2.8 / f3.2 ... At least for my copy of 17-50 it is.. Better contrast and color too !
DA35/2.4 is a prime anyway, price being so competitive due material used in barrel and lens mount... they do not compromised its optic performance!

It'll be a no brainer for me if the da35 is F1.8 or F2. And of course, i know that the color from pentax lenses are unbeatable.

 

[pinholecam]

It'll be a no brainer for me if the da35 is F1.8 or F2. And of course, i know that the color from pentax lenses are unbeatable.

FA35/2 solves that problem

I do think the Sigma will be a nice lens (if not better than FA35/2) w/o considering the edge sharpness.
At f1.4 the difference is significant and the effects it can do, is certainly nice and what the FA35/2 can't.

The FA35/2 is more like an 'old reliable'; the Sigma a 'hot shot'

 

[evolutioner]

I've actually tried a second hand Sigma 30/1.4 in a shop in moscow, gotta say i love the sharpness when it actually focused on what i want it to at f1.4

Other than that, slow focusing, miss-focusing(should be able to fix with recalibration), noisy with the screw drive, etc.. oh well.. i might still get it for the f1.4.. lol