Sorry to hear about that mike, this is the first time I've heard about a Tammy getting gear stripped (actually this is the 1st time I've heard of any lens apart from the 18-70mm kit getting gear stripped).

Does this mean any lens which uses the body's AF motor to focus will have a tendency to get gear stripped? Can't imagine this happening to a 85mm & 135mm ZA! OMG!

Hi, I'll replying to your question

1) I'm not sure about the cheapest price for the Sigma 17-70mm because I'm not from KL but you can search for the sigma official distributor (can't remember the name of the company sry)

2) It is compatible with A33. The incompatibility issues are with old lenses which does not recognize the A33. Make sure you check when you buy it. If you have no choice then just send it back to Sigma for rechipping (should be free of charge). The new lenses from Sigma should have no problems whatsoever.

3) There is an older version of the lens (Its cheaper too) which has no OS but it does not have the HSM so there is no silent focus. If no HSM then you're better off getting something else such as the Tammy 17-50mm as the sound generated during focusing will annoy the hell out of you during video taking.

Hope this helps to clarify a bit, correct me if I'm wrong =)

Pros and cons of the Sigma 17-70mm OS HSM

Pros:

1.HSM - silent focus, really useful in capturing video as AF noise will not be recorded as it is not present.

2.Very short MFD (Minimum focus distance) - 22cm. So you could practically take close-ups of pics and be creative. (p.s. Its a really good camwhore lens LOL!) Tamron 17-50mm has a MFD of 27mm and the Carl Zeiss 1680z has MFD of 35cm.
Albnok also refered to it as Sigma 17-70mm OS HSM "Macro" due to the short MFD and the long zoom which enables amazing close ups!

3.Built in OS - According to some reviews by people, the built in OS in the lens offers 1-2 stop extra image stabilization compared to the SSS in the Alpha bodies. It also offers stabilization in the view finder

Cons:

1.No constant aperature

2.Price (if compared to the Tamron 17-50mm)

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Added on December 30, 2010, 10:32 amThe CZ 1680z is a great lens which offers a 5x zoom factor. But its pricey

This post has been edited by yuhi: Dec 30 2010, 10:32 AM

My pick would be between A55, a580 and nex-5. Pick the Nex if you want your camera to be compact. A55 offers one of the best features per value on the market but it is small and people with big hands might feel uncomfortable holding it. a580 is bigger than A55 but lacks some of the features of the A55 DSLT such as the 10fps burst and the phase shift AF detection during video (not sure about this 1). In the end its up to your own preference. Just go to a camera shop and try all 4 cameras and just pick the 1 which suits you best.

Just got back from my vacation!

got to try my friend's CANON 0.0001D MARK XIIIVVIII DSLR with 100000000mm f0.00000001 L lens!




and also my own Sony Alpha dinosaur which I bought 100 million years ago.!

Gratz on your new lens Codyx, its a good lens =)