Sigma abandons 120-400 and 150-500 for Pentax? Update: Apparently not
Sigma 50-500/5-6.3
Update: a UK pentax distributor has stated the following release schedule for the 120-400 and 150-500:
120-400 & 150-500 - Due late November. These are SDM lenses but don’t have an image stabiliser built in.
At the beginning of this year, Sigma announced two new tele zooms, the Sigma APO 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM and the Sigma APO 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM, both of which were to be available for the Pentax mount.
Pentax users are used to having to wait longer than users of other mounts for third party lens support, a good case in point being the Sigma 70-200/2.8 and Tamron 70-200/2.8, both of which were a long time coming for the K-mount. Now an omission of any mention for Pentax support for these lenses in the Sigma lenses page of Sigma Corporation of America is having some Pentax users guessing, wether the lenses will be available for Pentax at all.
Sigma Japan still lists Pentax as supported, but there is at least one report of a contact with a Sigma representative, where the company has indicated that it is not anticipating a release of the lenses for the Pentax K-mount. If this is true, then it is indeed a sad turn of events for the Pentax users wanting longer tele-zoom lenses. Especially because the lenses represented the best hope for many of finally having SDM motor (Pentax lingo for HSM, USM, SWM or whatever you wish to call the ultrasonic motor) telezooms available for Pentax.
The upcoming Pentax DA* 60-250/4 should be a solid offering, but still leaves a gaping hole in Pentax lens lineup above the 300mm mark, and the mysterious DA Super Telephoto entry in the lens roadmap is small comfort, because it takes ages for a new lens to go from an unspecific marking in the roadmap to available-in-stores lens.
