In all the tests I have seen the Sigma 70-300 APO Macro Super has beaten the Pentax - I find it hard to believe that the II is worse. In Foto Magazin (GER) they get the same 8.4 (out of ten) optically - but the Pentax is not tested. BTW the Sigma EX APO IF gets 9.4 both mechanically and optically but it is in another price class. In Practical Photography (GB) the Pentax 80-320 (actually 82-308) gets 6 stars (out of 10) and the Sigma 70-300 APO Macro - no Super - gets 7. But the non-APO gets 8 stars - and the MTF readings support this, Pentax shows only 60 in the middle at the long end while the Sigma APO has 70, non-APO has 65. I have the earlier Sigma 70-300 APO Macro - no Super, that - and it is immensely better at the long end than the 100-300 Pentax had before. Yes, I would like to see any test results you might have. All the best! Raimo K Personal photography homepage at: http://www.uusikaupunki.fi/~raikorho
----- Original Message ----- From: "John Whittingham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 10:40 AM Subject: Re: Long zoom recommendations > > Hah, this is simply not true. > > Would you like to see some scientific proof? I'll scan you the tests. BTW I'm > talking about the Sigma 70-300 APO Macro Super II, I've tried them both the > Pentax takes some beating for a consumer zoom. Now if you were talking about > the 70-200 f/2.8 APO Sigma it would be another story. I really like Sigma > lenses (I own enough of them!) and the 70-300 is very good but it won't match > the Pentax 80-320 IMO. > > John > > > ---------- Original Message ----------- > From: "Raimo K" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 09:39:29 +0300 > Subject: Re: Long zoom recommendations > > > Hah, this is simply not true. Sigma is a lot better in the long end > > than the 80-320 Pentax - which is not near 320 in reality. All the best! > > Raimo K > > Personal photography homepage at: > > http://www.uusikaupunki.fi/~raikorho > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "John Whittingham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 1:38 AM > > Subject: Re: Long zoom recommendations > > > > > In tests the Sigma 70-300 APO comes a poor second to the Pentax FA 80-320! > > > > > > John > > > > > > > > > ---------- Original Message ----------- > > > From: "Raimo K" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 20:42:25 +0300 > > > Subject: Re: Long zoom recommendations > > > > > > > I�d wager that Sigma 70-300 APO is better than the Tokina. > > > > All the best! > > > > Raimo K > > > > Personal photography homepage at: > > > > http://www.uusikaupunki.fi/~raikorho > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: "Paul Stregevsky" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > To: "Pentax Discussion Group" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2004 8:33 PM > > > > Subject: Re: Long zoom recommendations > > > > > > > > > Peter asked: > > > > > "I was thinking about A 70-210/4... Is it really that good?" > > > > > > > > > > Yes, Peter, it is that good. Pentax made three or four manual-focus > > zooms > > > > > whose results are, in every respect, indistinguishable from a great > > prime. > > > > > The 70-210/4 is one of them. The others that come to mind are the > > > > 35-105/3.5 > > > > > PKA and 75-150/4 (M? K?). > > > > > > > > > > Another PDMLer writes that the Tokina ATX 100-300/4 is available now > > at > > > > KEH > > > > > for less than $200. If you don't mind manual focus--or, indeed, if you > > > > > prefer it--grab it. This is one of those third-party lenses that > > you'll > > > > find > > > > > every week on eBay--in the wrong mount. If you don't like it, you > > won't > > > > lose > > > > > much in the resale. > > > > > > > > > > Paul Franklin Stregevsky > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------- End of Original Message ------- > > > > ------- End of Original Message ------- >
