Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
David Volkert wrote on 13.03.05 9:49: I'm looking into buying either the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 or the Tokina 80-200mm 2.8 lens (the Pentax version is way out of my price range). Do any of you have thoughts on either of them? I shoot alot of action so auto focus speed is really important to me. Thanks for your help, I tried both on Nikon D70. Tokina has worse sharpness than Sigma at open apertures and has much higher chromatic aberrations (probably because Tokina uses just 1 ED element while Sigma 4). And Sigma has much faster AF thanks to true IF, is lighter despite having very good build quality (not as tough as Tokina, but much better than any amateur FA zoom, it is more like FA* zooms) and has more usable petal bayonette type hood (Tokina has screw-in type AFAIR). -- Balance is the ultimate good... Best Regards Sylwek
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
SP I tried both on Nikon D70. Tokina has worse sharpness than Sigma at open SP apertures and has much higher chromatic aberrations (probably because Tokina SP uses just 1 ED element while Sigma 4). And Sigma has much faster AF thanks SP to true IF, is lighter despite having very good build quality (not as tough I too found out a lot of purple fringes - I attributed it to flare though. God knows what it was. But remember that the Sigma in Nikon mount uses HSM - their equivalent of ultrasonic motors. These do make the focusing a lot faster, especially on a body with weak AF motor like the D70. I think on Pentax the difference wouldn't be big? Good light! fra
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
Frantisek wrote on 14.03.05 13:24: I too found out a lot of purple fringes - I attributed it to flare though. God knows what it was. But remember that the Sigma in Nikon mount uses HSM - their equivalent of ultrasonic motors. These do make the focusing a lot faster, especially on a body with weak AF motor like the D70. I think on Pentax the difference wouldn't be big? Well, when I was in Italy last year, we have an opportunity with Dario to test this Sigma head to head on both - D70 and *istD. And to my surprise AF on Pentax was about as fast as on D70 at least in good light conditions. Of course Pentax was much noisier and there was no FTM. So I suspect AF with Tokina would be slower than with Sigma on Pentax. One more thing. Sigma produces two perfectly matched for 70-200/2.8 APO teleconverters - 1.4x and 2x. I didn't try them myself, but from what I've read so far, even 2x TC gives good results, especially on DSLR. -- Balance is the ultimate good... Best Regards Sylwek
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
Monday, March 14, 2005, 1:39:46 PM, Sylwester wrote: SP Frantisek wrote on 14.03.05 13:24: I too found out a lot of purple fringes - I attributed it to flare though. God knows what it was. But remember that the Sigma in Nikon mount uses HSM - their equivalent of ultrasonic motors. These do make the focusing a lot faster, especially on a body with weak AF motor like the D70. I think on Pentax the difference wouldn't be big? SP Well, when I was in Italy last year, we have an opportunity with Dario to SP test this Sigma head to head on both - D70 and *istD. And to my surprise AF SP on Pentax was about as fast as on D70 at least in good light conditions. Of Interesting :-) So much about the hype of ultrasonic motors. They can do just as well with normal ones. Good light! fra
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
Frantisek wrote on 14.03.05 16:10: Interesting :-) So much about the hype of ultrasonic motors. They can do just as well with normal ones. Yes, it seems so. Maybe the difference could be seen more clearly when we'd compare bigger lenses with heavier mass to move? For me the only good side of using ultrasonic lens is its quietness and possibility of FTM (althought it is possible in Pentax DA lenses now too). Of course quietness of the lens means nothing if you have loud camera like EOS 20D - I really don't know why Canon has downgraded perfectly damped mirror from 10D :-( Costs cutting??? -- Balance is the ultimate good... Best Regards Sylwek
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
- Original Message - From: Sylwester Pietrzyk Subject: Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts - I really don't know why Canon has downgraded perfectly damped mirror from 10D :-( Costs cutting??? Their customers want their manly cameras to sound like manly cameras. Really. William Robb
RE: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
Hi! I have tested both Tokina and Sigma sometime ago. In the optical quality (contrast, sharpness, and fine details transferring) I have found that Sigma is much better. But it has a larger distortion and if you want to use Sigma for city landscapes or architectural shooting may be it will not good passed for you. Sorry I did not compare the AF speed. But Sigma has IF and its AF is enough fast. Sincerely yours, Arthur Grokhovsky -Original Message- From: David Volkert [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 11:49 AM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts I'm looking into buying either the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 or the Tokina 80-200mm 2.8 lens (the Pentax version is way out of my price range). Do any of you have thoughts on either of them? I shoot alot of action so auto focus speed is really important to me. Thanks for your help, -David
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
At 07:55 2005.03.13 -0500, you wrote: From: David Volkert [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm looking into buying either the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 or the Tokina 80-200mm 2.8 lens (the Pentax version is way out of my price range). Do any of you have thoughts on either of them? I shoot alot of action so auto focus speed is really important to me. Thanks for your help, -David You can't go wrong with the Tokina. Solid construction and fine optics. Collin
RE: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
I have the manual focus version of the Tokina (ATX). I like it a lot. Don -Original Message- From: David Volkert [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 2:49 AM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts I'm looking into buying either the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 or the Tokina 80-200mm 2.8 lens (the Pentax version is way out of my price range). Do any of you have thoughts on either of them? I shoot alot of action so auto focus speed is really important to me. Thanks for your help, -David
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
CRB You can't go wrong with the Tokina. CRB Solid construction and fine optics. I have had bad luck with several 20-35/2.8 ATX tokina I tried - really soft up to 5.6 (due to spherical aberation and coma) Which was a pity - I would like that fast while compact lens. It might be that all were bad samples, but I doubt it. Perhaps the lens really worked differently on digital - I did not try it on film. Anybody with the lens here? OTOH, the other Tokina lenses were very good. Good light! fra
RE: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
I also have the manual focus Tokina 80-200 AT-X as well as the 100-300 AT-X and like both of them. They produce good results for me and are built like tanks (which means they are a bit heavy). I shoot my son's soccer with mine with good results (www.cook-imaging.com). I have wondered if AF would help but haven't pulled that trigger yet (I have pulled too many others). As for the Sigma, I have been told that it is excellent. There is currently a thread on www.dpreview.com in the Pentax SLR forum about the lens (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036message=12633723 http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036message=12633723) you might want to check out and I would suggest searching because there have been numerous posts about the Sigma and some about the Tokina as well. Good luck, Larry I have the manual focus version of the Tokina (ATX). I like it a lot. Don -Original Message- From: David Volkert [mailto:[EMAIL mailto:%5BEMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 2:49 AM To: pentax-discuss@pdml.net Subject: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts I'm looking into buying either the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 or the Tokina 80-200mm 2.8 lens (the Pentax version is way out of my price range). Do any of you have thoughts on either of them? I shoot alot of action so auto focus speed is really important to me. Thanks for your help, -David
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
This one time, at band camp, David Volkert [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'm looking into buying either the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 or the Tokina 80-200mm 2.8 lens (the Pentax version is way out of my price range). Do any of you have thoughts on either of them? I shoot alot of action so auto focus speed is really important to me. Thanks for your help, -David I purchased a Tokina 80-200mm 2.8 from a fellow list member and I have been impressed. a little fuzzy at 200 but the results have been better than I expexted. I am told the Pentax is much better and I win this next contract I will purchase one. Kind regards Kevin -- Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
Both are reputed to be good. I have the Sigma and would say that it is superb, even wide open. The Sigma rates better on Photodo. You might query Photozone also. According to Photodo, the Sigma is actually sharpest at the long end, while the Tokina is sharper at 80 and 135 than at 200 -- but not by much. You will probably be pleased whichever you buy. The Sigma, though, has developed a reputation as one of the legendary lenses. Incidentally, Sigma has announced that they will bring out a digital version of this. When?? Will it be available in Pentax mount?? We don't know, so I don't know whether it is worth your while to wait. Joe
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
I have to second that - I've been quite satisfied with my Sigma 70-200 f2.8. - MCC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mark Cassino Photography Kalamazoo, MI www.markcassino.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Original Message - From: Joseph Tainter [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: pdml pentax-discuss@pdml.net Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 12:37 PM Subject: Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts Both are reputed to be good. I have the Sigma and would say that it is superb, even wide open. The Sigma rates better on Photodo. You might query Photozone also. According to Photodo, the Sigma is actually sharpest at the long end, while the Tokina is sharper at 80 and 135 than at 200 -- but not by much. You will probably be pleased whichever you buy. The Sigma, though, has developed a reputation as one of the legendary lenses. Incidentally, Sigma has announced that they will bring out a digital version of this. When?? Will it be available in Pentax mount?? We don't know, so I don't know whether it is worth your while to wait. Joe
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 Lenses Thoughts
Hello David, You didn't mention the body you are going to use. I think that may have some impact on autofocus speed, along with the lens. I have the Tokina ATX AF version, but have not seen or used the Sigma so can't compare. The Tokina is internal focus and zoom so I would suspect that it wouldn't be slow as far as the lens is concerned. Optical quality is quite good - except at 200mm @ f/2.8. At f/4.0 or a little less than 200mm it is fine. So if you absolutely need to shoot at 200mm wide open, I wouldn't get the Tokina - every other focal length I have tested wide open are fine. Overall it is better at f/4 than f/2.8 at any f stop. HTH, Bruce Sunday, March 13, 2005, 12:49:19 AM, you wrote: DV I'm looking into buying either the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 or the Tokina DV 80-200mm 2.8 lens (the Pentax version is way out of my price range). Do DV any of you have thoughts on either of them? I shoot alot of action so DV auto focus speed is really important to me. Thanks for your help, DV -David
