The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR and the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR is the longer of the two lenses at 110mm. The Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM with a length of 92mm, is 18mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR also has a larger diameter of 89mm compared to the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM's 84mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM weighs 565g, 28% (222g) lighter than the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR's weight of 787g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Zoom Lenses in Pentax KAF3 Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Pentax KAF3 Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR and the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM has the same Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Pentax KAF3 lenses are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III.
Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM is also available in Canon EF , Sony Alpha, Sigma SA and Nikon F (DX) mounts.
Focal Range
Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR has a focal range of 24-70mm and
2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
36 - 105mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM has a focal range of 17-50mm and 2.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 25.5-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.