Would you mind telling why you like it so much and how you are using it? I got one a while back thinking it would be on the camera most of the time but it rarely comes out of the bag.
OK. I have many lenses, like most other Pentax users- several limiteds, which are awesome, old Russian lenses, Cosinas, Rokinons, other Pentax primes and zooms (LBA ). But I see a niche for a walk-around lens that I don't need to take off the camera at whatever event or location I happen to be (e.g. what if it's dusty or wet?). Sure, I could choose a prime to walk around with, and I do that sometimes too, or for that mater multiple cameras, but luckily I'm not a pro who has to load up on gear, lol. I have for years been using a Tamron 17-50 2.8 as my fav walk-around lens, and it is a great lens for that. This lens, although slower, is superior to the Tamron in many ways. Way better close focus capabilities (0.26x), it's sharp wide open and overall better edge-to-edge than the Tamron. It is quiet and it's weather sealed, and resists CA better. And it has more reach at both ends. The build quality is very high. Hence, a highly useful lens for me, and I'll be selling the Tamron. Plus, it is on sale right now... Do you do astro or birding with your Bigma and 1.4x?
That is very helpful insight thank you. I think you are spot on when it comes to garden and car season it will be my go to walk around lens. Part of my problem is I got the lens in the fall when most of the quality camera time was out chasing migrating birds with the bigma. _IMG2673 by Jim Stainer, on Flickr BTW that ^ is at full reach with the 1.4 on that dog makes it a light hog that has to be manually focused to have a prayer of getting the shot. It has so much reach with it you pick up humidity in the air unless it's a crisp day. The lens is much more manageable without it if you can get close enough to the subject matter but 700mm is a heck of a lot of fun to play with! Anyway I did use the 16-85 for all our family shots and Christmas and what not the last month or so with mixed results mostly due to me not knowing what I am doing and bad light. _IMG0291 by Jim Stainer, on Flickr But overall it's encouraging to hear your thoughts and be validated that the extra $$ will be worth it in the long run for the better glass. I do wish it would stop down to f2.8 but I haven't walked a car show with it yet so maybe it's no big deal. I'm going to try my first ever shoot with a person in it tomorrow and wasn't planning on using it but maybe I'll try it on a few. Light won't be an issue with 10 inches of snow on the ground and a sunny day...
Arrg, 10 inches of snow. I'd be hiding inside and peeking through the blinds, haha. The bigma looks like fun! One day, I'll have a DA*300mm. I think that with the 1.4x would make some great images.
This morning, a frosty Rhodo bud. This was only cropped a little, at closest focus, 85mm, f7.1, with a K-3. I'm impressed with the close focusing and the bokeh from this zoom!
A distraction! The unchopped to fit a small screen version shows the water tower. And a look from said water tower at the angles that made it happen. I was just beyond the red car in the corner where the 3 angles of glass come together. It's really hard to do an interesting selfie when you have bad material to work with!
BTW I also tried the lens last night at a gymnastics meet but the light was so bad I went to the 50 1.8. I really wish this lens stopped down farther!
