Sigma Announced 14-24mm f/2.8 DG HSM Art Lens

February 9, 2018 – Sigma Corporation today announced the brand new 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art wide aperture zoom lens. In addition to the new Global Vision full-frame lens model, Sigma also announced a new front conversion service for the 14-24mm F2.8. See official Sigma sample photos taken with lens here.

Outstanding Art Lens Performance

Designed for 50-megapixel plus cameras, the 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art achieves the legendary Art lens sharpness with three FLD glass elements, three SLD glass elements, and three aspherical lens elements, including one 80mm high precision molded glass aspherical element. With near zero distortion (less than 1%) and minimal transverse chromatic aberration, flare and ghosting, the new Sigma 14-24mm offers constant F2.8 brightness throughout the zoom range and delivers optimal image quality at every focal length and shooting distance. The high-speed, high-accuracy autofocus allows photographers to capture incredible, in-the-moment images.

Rugged Design

In addition to outstanding optical performance, the 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art features the Sports line level dust- and splash-proof design with special sealing at the mount connection, manual focus ring, zoom ring and cover connection, allowing for the lens to be used during varying weather conditions.

Versatile Camera System Mount Support

The new Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art lens supports Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts and works with Sigma’s MC-11 Sony E-mount converter. The Nikon mount features brand new electromagnetic diaphragm, whereas the Canon mount is compatible with the Canon Lens Aberration Correction function.

Front Mount Conversion Service for Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art

Addressing the rising popularity of multi-camera productions, especially using ultra wide-angle lenses in shooting virtual reality (VR) content, Sigma has introduced its Front Conversion Service. Converting the petal-type hood of the 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art to an exclusive round component allows for the lens to be used in various VR scenarios without the risk of interfering with other lenses in the VR rig or undesired shadows in the content.

Pricing and availability for the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 Art lens will be announced later. The availability of this fee-based service for Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 Art will be announced at a later date.

Sigma To Announce 14mm f/1.8 & 135mm f/1.8 Art Lens

Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG APO zoom lens

Sigma has been putting out rather good lenses for the last few years. In particular, their Art line of prime and short zoom glass are very good value for the money. Later this year, Sigma may be ready to announce two more Art prime lens - 14mm f/1.8 and 135mm f/1.8

They have also gotten into Cine High Speed zoom lens and Super Zoom lens as well. As my readers know, Sigma and Tamron are third party lens manufacturers. They 'reverse engineer' Canon and Nikon cameras and manufacture after market lens that fit these models. However, sometimes there can be minor hiccups as Canon and Nikon keep trying to outsmart the 'imitators'.

For those who want to save some money and perhaps get a lens that has different focal length from what Canon and Nikon offer, Sigma and Tamron may be a good alternative. For those into wildlife photography, there was a good deal on eBay for the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens.

Many Sigma lenses sold in Europe have gone up in price rather substantially at the beginning of 2017. This list shows the old and new dealer prices for some lenses. below is a recent interview with Mr. Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma.

An Interview With Sigma CEO, Mr Kazuto Yamaki

Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG zoom lens

Sigma has been putting out rather good lenses for the last few years. In particular, their Art line of prime and short zoom glass are very good value for the money.

They have also gotten into Cine High Speed zoom lens and Super Zoom lens as well. As my readers know, Sigma and Tamron are third party lens manufacturers. They 'reverse engineer' Canon and Nikon cameras and manufacture after market lens that fit these models. However, sometimes there can be minor hiccups as Canon and Nikon keep trying to outsmart the 'imitators'.

For those who want to save some money and perhaps get a lens that has different focal length from what Canon and Nikon offer, Sigma and Tamron may be a good alternative. For those into wildlife photography, there is a good deal on eBay for the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens.

Many Sigma lenses sold in Europe will go up in price rather substantially at the beginning of 2017. This list shows the old and new dealer prices for some lenses. Check the latest EU prices on Amazon.de or Amazon.fr. Price increase for Tamron lenses will not be far behind either. If you are planning to buy one, better hurry up.

Below is a video of a recent interview with Sigma's CEO, Mr. Kazuto Yamaki.

Sigma Lens Price Increase Coming For Europe

Sigma has been putting out rather good lenses for the last few years. In particular, their Art line of prime and short zoom glass are very good value for the money.

They have also gotten into Cine High Speed zoom lens and Super Zoom lens as well. As my readers know, Sigma and Tamron are third party lens manufacturers. They 'reverse engineer' Canon and Nikon cameras and manufacture after market lens that fit these models. However, sometimes there can be minor hiccups and Canon and Nikon keep trying to outsmart the 'imitators'.

For those who want to save some money and perhaps get a lens that has different focal length from what Canon and Nikon offer, Sigma and Tamron may be a good alternative. For those into wildlife photography, there is a good deal on eBay for the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 lens.

Many Sigma lenses sold in Europe will go up in price rather substantially at the beginning of 2017. The list above shows the old and new dealer prices for some lenses. Check the latest EU prices on Amazon.de or Amazon.fr. Price increase for Tamron lenses will not be far behind either. If you are planning to buy one, better hurry up.

Sigma Announces CINE High Speed Zoom Lens

New York, NY – October 20, 2016 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading DSLR lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, announced today that the Cine High Speed Zoom 18-35mm T2 and 50-100mm T2 lenses will begin shipping on December 9, 2016 for a retail price of $3999.00 USD. Born from the new Sigma Cine family of products, the High Speed Zoom lenses leverage the outstanding optical design of the company’s world-renowned Global Vision still photography lenses. Combined with the 100% new mechanical lens body design, the Cine lenses meet needs of advanced 6k and 8k cinema production with the core optical quality DNA that has defined the Sigma benchmark of imaging excellence.

See the Sigma Cine Family of Products at PDN/PPE 2016 Expo

Demonstrated for the first time to the public in the United States, attendees to the 2016 PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo (PPE), held at the Javits Convention Center in New York City from October 20-22, 2016, can see first-hand the new Sigma Cine family of lenses:

Cine High Speed Zoom Line – 18-35mm T2 and 50-100mm T2

The high speed zoom line, which is compatible with the Super35 image size standard, offers the constant aperture of T2 throughout the zoom range with superior optical performance that is capable of high-resolution 6K-8K shooting. Delivering the highest image quality in its class, the High Speed Zoom is ergonomically compact and designed for E, EF and PL camera system mounts.

Cine FF Zoom Line – 24-35mm T2.2 FF

Compatible with a full-frame image sensor, the FF Zoom’s outstanding optical performance also supports 6K-8K shooting. Because so few lenses cater to the requirements of the latest digital cinema cameras’ image sensors, this line provides a rare option for cinematographers. The FF Zoom is designed for E and EF camera system mounts.

Cine FF High Speed Prime Line – 20mm T1.5 FF, 24mm T1.5 FF, 35mm T1.5 FF, 50mm T1.5 FF and 85mm T1.5 FF

The Cine High Speed Prime lineup features lenses ranging from 20mm to 85mm, with all five touting an aperture of T1.5. Highly compact and compatible with full-frame sensors, these lenses offer superior resolution. They bring a consistent level of light to the production, offering greater consistency to any film’s color, contrast and overall look before it enters post-production. The FF High Speed Prime line is designed for E, EF and PL camera system mounts.

For more information on the Sigma Cine Lenses, please visit https://www.sigmaphoto.com/cinema-lenses/?link=Sept-M-cine.

Sigma Announces 12-14mm f/4, 85mm f/1.4 Art and 500mm f/4 OS Sport Lens

Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS Sport, 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM, 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM Art lenses

Cologne, Germany – September 19, 2016 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading camera, DSLR lens, flash and accessories manufacturer, unveiled its new 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art and 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport Global Vision lenses at the Photokina 2016 event (hall 4.2, stands B020, B028 and C029).

“We are thrilled to announce three state-of-the-art additions to the Global Vision line. The Sigma 85mm 1.4 Art has been a highly requested lens and we are very confident those customers who have been waiting for us to deliver this lens will be more than pleased with the superior optical performance and zero compromise,” states Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “In addition, the re-engineered 12-24mm F4 and highly competitive 500mm F4 Sport lens both embody the world-class performance our Global Vision lenses are known for. We look forward to seeing the incredible images our customers will create using these new Sigma lenses.”

Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art – The Ultimate Portrait Lens

Delivering the ultimate in creative expression, the new Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art lens is engineered to support the highest resolution sensors on the market with an exceptional degree of sharpness. The high-performance optical system is purpose-built by Sigma R&D to produce the attractive bokeh effect sought after by discerning photographers. The lens’ advanced architecture features two SLD (special low dispersion) glass elements and one glass element with a high rate of anomalous partial dispersion and refraction. A re-engineered AF system brings 1.3X the torque of its predecessor, while other features such as a full-time manual focus override have been added, which can be controlled when the focus ring is rotated, even during continuous AF.

The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens supports Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. The Nikon mounts feature a brand new electromagnetic diaphragm.

The Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art lens will be available in late October and retails for a recommended street price of $1199.00 USD.

Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art Ultra-Wide Angle Zoom

Boasting the renowned Global Vision image quality from center to edge, the new Sigma 12-24mm F4 features the largest aspherical glass mold in the industry, offering photographers an ultra-wide angle zoom with virtually no distortion, flare or ghosting. Encompassing the long history of Sigma wide angle lens development expertise, the new 12-24mm F4 performance highlights include constant F4 brightness and the brand new Sigma AF system with 1.3X torque boost. The 12-24mm F4 features lens elements made with FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass, which is equivalent to calcium fluorite in performance. Combined with an optimized power distribution, the result is outstanding image quality from center to edges. With a minimum focus distance of 9.4 inches at 24mm, photographers can compose incredible close-up shots with expansive backgrounds.

The all new Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art lens supports Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. The Nikon mounts feature the brand new electromagnetic diaphragm.

The Sigma 12-24mm F4 Art lens will be available in late October and retails for a recommended street price of $1599.00 USD.

Sigma 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Sport Lens – Pro Fast-Aperture Prime Super Telephoto

The flagship Sigma super telephoto 500mm F4 Sport lens incorporates the very latest in Sigma optical technology and innovation. Designed for the professional sports and wildlife shooter, the ultra-durable lens features magnesium alloy components, a carbon fiber hood, a water and oil resistant front element, and is dust and splash proof. The 500mm F4 features a drop-in rear filter slot for polarizers, UV and other critical filters. To help prevent damage during shooting and maintenance, the lens is also compatible with the exclusive SIGMA Protector LPT-11 (sold separately).

The lens incorporates two FLD and one SLD glass elements, while the optimized power distribution helps minimize spherical aberration and axial chromatic aberration. The optical system also effectively minimizes transverse chromatic aberration, which can affect the edges of the shots taken in the telephoto range. In addition, image quality remains exceptional when the lens is used with a Sigma Telephoto Converter (sold separately).

Other key performance features include Sigma’s two-mode Optical Stabilizer for enhanced performance when shooting handheld for still subjects or panning and tracking for moving subjects. There is also a customizable AF “return” function for setting the focus position of one’s choice and returning to that preset distance.

The all new Sigma 500mm F4 supports Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. The Nikon mounts feature the brand new electromagnetic diaphragm.

The Sigma 500mm F4 Sport lens, in Canon and Sigma mounts, will be available in late October. The Nikon mount will be available in late November. The 500mm F4 will retail for a recommended street price of $5999.00 USD.

All Sigma Global Vision lenses, including the new 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art, and 500mm F4 DG OS HSM Global Vision lenses, can be updated with the latest lens firmware from a workstation or laptop using the Sigma Optimization Pro software and Sigma USB Dock (sold separately).

Tested for Optimum Performance

Sigma lenses are born of well thought-out design concepts, exceptional Japanese craftsmanship and manufacturing, and advanced lens performance testing and evaluation. To this end, Sigma has developed its own A1 proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Even the most elusive high-frequency details are within the scope of Sigma’s quality control inspections. Every Global Vision lens is A1 tested, analyzed and approved before leaving the factory, ensuring maximum performance out of the box.

For more information on Sigma’s industry leading testing, please visit http://blog.sigmaphoto.com/2012/a1-mtf-testing-for-new-sigma-lenses/

About Sigma Corporation

Craftsmanship. Precision. Dedication. Since 1961, Sigma has been devoted the pursuit of advancing photographic technology. Unique to the industry, the family-owned business produces its high-quality, award-winning camera lenses, DSLR cameras, flashes, filters and accessories from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Aizu, Japan.

In 2012, the company introduced the Sigma Global Vision with three distinct lens lines: Art, Contemporary and Sport. Designed for industry camera mount systems including Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony and Sigma, each lens is handcrafted and tested in Japan to ensure a high-performance, premium product that is purpose-built to last.

Sigma continues its tradition of imaging excellence with the mirrorless sd Quattro, sd Quattro H and the compact dp Quattro camera line. Leveraging the ultra-high resolution Foveon sensor, the Sigma Quattro cameras are designed to produce the highest quality image with every shot.

For information about Sigma, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com or follow the company on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Sigma To Announce Three New Lenses Today

* * *  As reported, here's Sigma's official announcement  * * *

Sigma is expected to announce three new lenses today in Cologne, Germany. They are :

• Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM Art

• Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

• Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sport 

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art Lens Coming Soon

I have just returned from my Upper Amazon/Peruvian Highlands Photo Tour testing the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II camera in hot, steamy jungles and cold, two miles plus high, Andean mountains. Overall, I am quite impressed by the new body but now I have to take some time to get back to the daily routine, process the photos and get ready for my next trip to again test the camera in a whole new part of the world and environment.

Sigma is expected to wow photographers again during Photokina in Cologne, Germany this September. My sources informed me they are ready to announce the 85mm f/1.4 Art lens, plus other glass, just before the big show.

My readers know Sigma has been one of the more innovative lens manufacturers in the last few years. Their 'standout' lens include the 50mm f/1.8 Art, 200-500mm f/2.8 APO EX DG, 50-100mm f/1.8 DC Art, etc. The 85mm f/1.4 Art is now out for field tests and should be ready in a couple of months.

Canon is also ready to announce more lens and cameras for the remainder of the year. This will be a bumper year for photographers. Keep checking back for the latest news and development. More to come. 

An Interview With Kazuto Yamaki of Sigma Corporation

Mr. Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma Corporation

Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki was recently interviewed by Dave Etchells at the CP+ 2016 show in Yokohama, Japan. My readers know I am rather impressed by the lens offering from this company, especially the Art line and the recently announced 50-100mm f/1.8 lens. I have been a user of Sigma's lens for many years now but not a big buyer of their glass because I am waiting for Canon to release new models before deciding on new, niche purchase for my equipment bag.

Below is an excerpt form the interview : 


Dave Etchells : We’re really surprised and excited by your new mirrorless cameras. That was a big surprise. We had no idea you were working on them, and they’ve generated a lot of interest and debate with our readers. Can you give us some background on why you decided to get into the mirrorless market?

Kazuto Yamaki : I was also surprised at the response from the customers. Actually, it was quite a natural decision for us, because when we started the project we discussed what the camera for the next generation should be. And we discussed what is the advantage of [our cameras]. And of course, it’s the Foveon X3 sensor. It’s a very sharp image, and very crisp per-pixel. A small focus error in the image would be very visible, though, because the sharpness per pixel is quite high for our camera. So there are many advantages [for a mirrorless camera over a DSLR]. The [lower] focus accuracy and mirror shock [of a DSLR], does not exist in the mirrorless system. So we decided to go to mirrorless.

DE: And with the sd Quattro H, we haven't seen a camera with an APS-H sensor for a long while, since the Canon 1D Mark IV. Why was it that you went that route, rather than a full-frame sensor? Is it still difficult to scale Foveon all the way to full-frame, or...?

KY: We thought that if we go to full-frame, the file size would be huge and the processing speed would be very slow. So we thought that APS-H is a good size for the customers.

DE: A good compromise, yeah. You make APS-C and full-frame lenses. Will your APS-C lenses actually have enough image circle to also cover APS-H?

KY: Basically, you cannot use the same lens for APS-C to APS-H. There might be some exceptions, but our official statement is that we cannot.

The Sigma sd Quattro H is the first camera we've seen in years to feature an APS-H sized sensor.
DE: So it’s really full-frame lenses only. Can we discuss the tradeoffs in going with the existing SA lens mount, versus one with a flange-back distance that's been optimized for mirrorless cameras? I mean, we realize that a new Sigma camera needs to be natively compatible with Sigma's SA lenses, but would an adapter approach have allowed you to develop smaller lenses for the system in the future, that would still be compatible? Or is it more that the oblique angle required by the short flange-back distance isn't compatible with a stacked sensor design like the Foveon technology? If you have a three-dimensional structure on the chip and you have a very short flange-back distance, unless the lens has been designed to be telecentric, you can end up with shading or color problems, or whatever. What can you say generally about the decision to go with the SA-mount?

KY: We simply wanted to support our existing customers. They use SA lenses, so we needed to develop a camera that an existing customer can use as-is.

DE: Ah. How does the flange distance on the SA-mount compare to other mounts like Canon or Nikon?

KY: Very similar.

DE: So maybe there's not room to put in an adapter to run, say, a Nikon lens on it? I'm thinking in terms of the adapters, like Canon's EF-mount has a fairly shallow flange distance, so you can put an adapter on it and then use a Nikon lens. I was wondering if the SA-mount is shallow enough that there's room for an adapter?

KY: Yes. Physically, it's possible.

The Sigma SA-mount has a flange distance of 44 millimeters, identical to that of Canon's EF-mount.
DE: Ah, OK, good to know. High ISO sensitivity has always been a challenge for Foveon sensors in the past. Is that an area that these new sd Quattro cameras address, with the bigger sensor being better for you? Does the larger sensor do better on low-light and high ISO shooting? Or you did you give it more pixels, so it has the same pixel size?

KY: It has the same pixel size, so it is the same. But for the sd Quattro we changed some algorithms in the image processing, so we could improve the high ISO performance, by maybe about one stop.

DE: Ah, about one stop - and that's as a result of processing, as opposed to sensor design.

KY: Yeah.

DE: Turning to lenses, one comment about your f/1.8 zooms: The 18-35mm was amazing, and now the new 50-100mm is a very exciting lens for us as well. We're eager to see that, and I was briefed on its design yesterday by some of your lens designers. [Ed. Note: We'll hopefully have an overview of the presentation Sigma's lens designers shared with me, if I can just find enough time between business trips and running the company :-/] It was very fascinating. Can we share any information on a potential roadmap for more f/1.8 Art lenses? Are we going to be seeing some longer focal lengths, or some other types of zooms in there? I know you can't talk about specifics...

The Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM | Art lens aims to pair the image quality of a prime-lens with the versatility of a zoom-lens.
KY: Yes. But I know some customers like our f/1.8 zoom series, including some videographers. Because most of the videos use the small crop sensor, a format they call "Super 35", which is similar to APS-C.

DE: Yes, "Super 35" is very close to APS-C.

KY: So we'd like to expand this series, but it's quite challenging, so we are not sure if we can develop another lens.

DE: They're difficult designs to execute.

KY: Yes, yes.

DE: Very complex.

KY: Actually, it's a matter of the mechanical construction. If there was more flexibility in terms of mechanical construction, we could probably make any kind of lens, but if we make a lens for a system camera, there's a mechanical limitation for the diameter of the mount, and many other limitations. So this makes it difficult to develop f/1.8 zoom lenses.

DE: Ah; it's a lot about your restrictions for the mount and that sort of thing. I know in the case of the 50-100mm, talking to the engineer who designed it, that with the floating focus elements, the requirements for the actuating cam were very, very constrained. It has to be extremely precise in its motion, so that was a challenge for him.

KY: Right, yes.

In the quest for image quality, Sigma's 20mm F1.4 DG HSM | A lens relies on two FLD, five SLD and two aspheric elements, including a huge 59mm double aspheric.
DE: And also, those lenses use a lot of very sophisticated glass. For instance, the 20mm uses lots of aspherics and lots of FLD and SLD glass, and then in the teles, there are no aspherics, but even more SLD and FLD. So do you see with the f/1.8's going to longer focal lengths, isn't that where the demand is?

KY: It's quite challenging, because the lens gets so big.

DE: Yes, I can see that. Actually, I'm surprised that the 50-100mm isn't bigger than it is. I mean, you said it was about the same size as a 70-200mm f/2.8, give or take. It's actually a little bit smaller, I think.

KY: Yes, because we wanted to achieve very high image quality. We applied the same concept as for the 18-35mm f/1.8.

DE: Yes.

KY: The zoom range is very short, only about two times. The concept is that each focal length has optical performance equivalent to prime lenses. That's the concept.

DE: Right.

KY: So that's the first priority of the concept of the product, so that makes it bulkier and heavier.

The Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM is the world's first f/1.8 constant aperture zoom lens.
DE: Yeah, that came out in the presentations. Some people might look at a zoom lens with such a short ratio and say, "Well, why bother?" But really it's giving you a 50mm f/1.8, a 75mm f/1.8, an 85mm f/1.8, and a 100mm f/1.8, so all of the standard medium focal-length primes are covered by just one lens.

KY: Right.

DE: Also, they showed me an MTF chart that compared it to an 85mm f/1.4, I think it was, and it was just amazing. I mean, OK, it's a little bit smaller aperture, but it was so much sharper up to the edges.

KY: Yeah.

DE: I'm really eager to get that into our lab to test! For what it is, it seems like it's pretty affordable, too. It's something like $1,100 in the US? Although I said to the gentleman who was translating in the discussion with the lens designer that I thought it was a pretty good price and he said "Oh, good!" because you were wondering how to set the price on it when it came out. :-)

KY: Actually, I wanted to price a bit higher because the manufacturing cost is so high.

DE: Ah.

KY: But those whom still use the APS-C sized camera, they have a limited budget, because the price of the camera body is low compared to full-frame, so the lens should be close to that.

Sigma's sd Quattro-series cameras debut a new hybrid autofocus system pairing both phase and contrast detection. Both nine-point and free-move focus modes are available.
DE: Yes. So you really would've been happier if it'd been $1,300 instead of $1,100 or something, but... Yeah. I'm sure it'll make a lot of photographers happy at that price point. (You've just got to make sure you stay in business to keep making more lenses!)

Let's see, so the new sd Quattros have a hybrid AF system, which we presume was developed with attention to performance with lenses that weren't optimized for contrast-detect AF. Do you have any sense of what kind of AF performance we can expect? Will it be comparable to existing mirrorless cameras from companies like Sony, Olympus or Panasonic? And will older HSM lenses still autofocus well, or do you recommend newer models with current focusing-motor technology?

That's a very long question there; I guess the short version is, you have a hybrid autofocus system now. Is that primarily to assist with older-design lenses that aren't suited for contrast-detect?

KY: The camera has to support the lenses which were developed for the DSLR, so if we only have a contrast AF, the focus speed will be very slow. So we needed to have phase-detection, yes.

DE: Yes. And does the phase-detect go all the way to final focus, or is it that it gets close, and then contrast-detect adjusts...

KY: Yes.

DE: It's the latter, it uses both all the time?

KY: Yes, yes.

DE: We're curious about the hybrid AF system and a bit more detail on it. For example, there are nine selectable AF points, but then there's also a free-movement AF point. Does that mean that there are many more phase-detect pixels on the sensor than just nine sites?

KY: I think we have more.

DE: You have more, so, yeah. Because it seems like -- and I haven't had a chance to look at it myself yet -- but it seems like you can move this other focus point around. So you probably have a wide array of them that you can just pick some.

KY: Sorry, I don't know.

DE: Maybe a question for the engineers...

KY: Yeah, yeah. Sorry.

DE: Another related question for the engineers: If there are additional phase-detect pixels that aren't part of the normal points, do some of those get used during continuous autofocus, if it's tracking a subject or not? Or is it just always those fixed points?

KY: Yeah, we don't have many phase-detection pixels, because they cannot capture the image. [Ed. Note: As we've learned in other recent technical interviews, the difference in "phase" means you can't use the phase-detect focus pixels on an image sensor to help form the final image. It's only when the subject for that particular pixel is in focus that you can just make a simple brightness adjustment to compensate for the shading that makes them phase-detect pixels.] So we have a very limited number of phase-detection pixels. But in order to improve that kind of functionality, we need to develop an algorithm to support it. But this is the first camera for us with that...

DE: Yes, the first camera for you that has on-chip phase-detect. Were there any specific factors that you needed to take into consideration, to do phase-detect on a Foveon sensor, as opposed to conventional CMOS? Was there anything different about how you had to implement it?

KY: It's basically the same.

DE: And so this is really a completely new sensor for you. The APS-C sensor in the dp Quattro series did not have any phase-detect at all.

KY: No.

DE: So it's not that they were they there before but just weren't used. Overall, though, it sounds like that the basic sensor architecture is the same, that the change in ISO is just the processing, so your unit cell in the chip is pretty much the same.

KY: The pixel architecture is the same.

DE: I guess if you had any, you would have said so, but do you have any estimates on pricing or availability for your mirrorless camera yet?

KY: I have not decided yet.

DE: Do you have any sense of when it might hit the market, or is that...

KY: The sd Quattro will be probably sometime in the early summer. The Quattro H will maybe be in the autumn time-frame.

DE: Ah, OK. Do you have any idea what the battery life might be? Because you have a battery grip that adds two batteries, so with three batteries do you think the battery life would be comparable to a DSLR...

Sigma's PG-41 Power Grip accessory for the sd Quattro-series cameras will triple battery life, thanks to its provision for not one but two extra batteries beyond that in the camera itself.
KY: Compared to the other companies' battery life, probably [it will] be shorter [per pack], but we're still working on the firmware, so we still don't know.

DE: As, so you may be able to reduce the power consumption. And would the sd Quattro with the three batteries be similar to an SLR with just one?

KY: Probably, yeah.

DE: Well, that'd be good, because you'd be able to have a reasonable shooting time...

KY: Yes.

DE: I haven't actually had a chance to handle the cameras out on the booth yet, but there was a question about why the EVF was placed where it was, centrally as opposed to on one side. Because some people like the viewfinder on the side, so their nose doesn't hit the screen.

KY: Oh, yeah, yeah.

DE: But then maybe other people are used to having them in the middle on SLRs. Did you give some thought to where the viewfinder would go, and was there a discussion over it, or was it just kind of "We'll put it in the middle like the SLRs"?

KY: We discussed it a lot, and we concluded that location [was the best]. After we release the product we'd like to listen to the customers' opinions...

DE: Ah, and see what actual customers have to say. Separately, it was nice to see the introduction of a new mirrorless lens, the 30mm f/1.4 DN, especially for a Micro Four Thirds mount. You'd mentioned in a past interview that it probably wouldn't be cost-effective for you to produce lenses just for Micro Four Thirds. The 30mm f/1.4 seems to follow your idea, sharing the same lens construction for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds...

KY: Yeah.

Sigma's 30mm f/1.4 DN lens is the first f/1.4 optic designed for Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount cameras.
DE: And so will we be likely to see more of that, where you'll take, you know, an APS-C design and give it a Micro Four Thirds mount?

KY: Yeah.

DE: That makes a lot of sense.

KY: Yeah. If we can increase the sales volume, we can reduce the cost, and we can provide the products which the customers want.

DE: Yeah, so if you had to design one just for Micro Four Thirds, the volume would be too low, so it would get too expensive.

KY: Yeah.

DE: That makes perfect sense. What was the reason behind offering the new sd Quattro with two different sensor sizes, rather than only selling the larger one? And a follow-on question to that is which model do you expect to sell more of eventually?

KY: Ah, I'm still not sure, but the APS-H version, the file size is huge, and the processing speed [comparatively] slow, so we still believe that the normal APS-C size will be a kind of standard model.

DE: Yeah.

KY: Those who really like the...

DE: That really want the maximum resolution...

KY: Yeah, at the cost of the processing speed or file size, they should choose APS-H. But we feel we cannot recommend the APS-H camera to [just] anybody.

DE: ...because of those reasons, that it's slower and the file size is so big. And if that were your only model, people would be saying "Oh, it's so slow", or "the files are too big"

KY: Yeah.

The Sigma sd Quattro-series cameras have an unusual side-by-side monitor arrangement with both a 3.0-inch main display and a secondary LCD info display to its right.
DE: The follow-up question is how production will be allocated between the two models. I imagine the answer is "We don't know yet, because we don't know what demand will be." The sd Quattro H has a very interesting dual-monitor arrangement. Was the dual monitor feature something intended for the sd Quattro series from the beginning, or was that added later in the development?"

KY: When we're working on the body design, we decided [to implement that feature].

DE: You decided at that point, yeah.

KY: Probably at a very early stage.

DE: And then there's, as always, the standard question about video... As with other recent Sigmas, the sd Quattros do not record video. Is that as a result of the Foveon X3 sensors? Are there technical limitations that do not allow these cameras to record video? And moving forward, do you think that at some point there will be a video capability? I'm guessing the main thing with the video is that it's so complicated to do the processing for the color separation, right? You've got to try to do that on the fly?

KY: No, mainly the issue is the data output speed.

DE: Oh, readout from the sensor.

KY: Readout, yes, because we have the three-layer stack, so the data size is about two times or three times [as much as a traditional sensor].

DE: OK, so it takes two or three times longer to read out.
[Ed. Note: This is an interesting point, that hadn't occurred to me. The Foveon chips really do have three separate color layers in each pixel, so there's three times as much data to read out as a conventional sensor with the same number of pixels.]

KY: We could make super-fast readout performance, but in this case we'd have to sacrifice other features, like [having a lower] pixel count or something.

DE: Yeah.

KY: So we set our target customer as the still photographer. We cannot implement many things, because we have to develop our own sensor, and we have to develop the processor, so we have to carefully select the target customers, and implement the features which will be most useful to them.

DE: Yes, you have to pick your shots. If you tried to do video, then other areas would suffer, so you chose to focus on still photography.

DE: Changing topics again, the 50-100mm is shipping in... April, is it?

KY: April.

DE: April, so coming up soon. And the 20mm f/1.4 has been shipping for a while?

KY: Yeah, it's available in the market.

DE: And how is that selling, is that being well-received?

KY: So-so.

DE: It's a little more of a special-case kind of lens than something like a 30mm, the 30mm is a more accessible focal length for people.

KY: Right, yeah.

DE: Yes, when you get to a certain point with wide-angle, it really changes how you compose images. 35mm is easy, 30mm takes a little more thought, but really wide angles take a very different approach. I know, I've done very little wide-angle shooting and I just have to think completely differently to compose well with a super-wide lens.

KY: Yeah.

DE: Well, I think that covered all the questions I had for you. Thanks again for your time, you're always a very interesting interview subject, for myself and our readers as well, I think!

KY: Thank you.

Sigma Announces 50-100mm f/1.8 and 30mm f/1.4 DC Lens

Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens

KANAGAWA, JAPAN — February 23, 2016 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading DSLR lens, camera, flash and accessories manufacturer, today announced the addition of two high-performance APS-C format lenses to the Sigma Global Vision product line : Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens and the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens.

“Sigma’s aim is to provide high-performance lens options that lead with innovation and break new boundaries for every photographic scenario our customers can dream up,” states Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “These new lenses build on Global Vision’s great IQ technology and reflect this goal, delivering immense value, quality and performance that the Sigma brand is known for.”

Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art

Building on the groundbreaking Sigma Global Vision 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art Lens, the new Sigma 50-100 F1.8 (75-150mm on 35mm format) mid-range zoom lens embodies the same engineering prowess to deliver outstanding prime lens-like results. Factoring in the APS-C image circle of 1.5x, the 50-100mm F1.8 covers three popular short tele prime focal lengths: 85mm, 105mm and 135mm. Like the 18-35mm F1.8, the new 50-100mm F1.8 maintains a constant F1.8 aperture yielding exceptional brightness and resolution throughout the zoom, while simultaneously maintaining focus as the lens is zoomed, a feature videographers will greatly appreciate.

Sigma Art Line Image Technology Innovation

• Features three FLD (F Low Dispersion) glass elements, one SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass element, and one high-refractive index, high-dispersion glass element to minimize aberrations.
• Redesigned and enhanced, the new Hyper Sonic Motor is 30% slimmer and provides fast and accurate AF.
• Highly durable polycarbonate diaphragm made with fluorine; blades feature carbon feather film offering exceptionally smooth operation even during continuous shooting.

Outstanding Zoom Lens Maneuverability

• Inner focusing and zoom design offer versatile shooting options
• Tripod socket for stable, comfortable operation
• Features 21 elements / 15 groups, Minimum Aperture: F1.6, 82mm filter thread, Minimum Focus Distance: 37.4in, Dimensions: 3.7×6.7, Weight: 52.6oz

The new Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 Art will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. For more information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com/50-100mm-f1-8-dc-hsm-art

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary 

Combining outstanding optical performance and compact design, the new affordable Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens brings immense value to mirrorless cameras. Boasting superior image quality with F1.4 brightness, the versatile lens covers a wide range of photo and video capture scenarios, delighting users with its beautiful bokeh effects.

Contemporary Line Performance and Value

• Represents first affordable f/1.4 performance lens for the mirrorless market
• Sigma engineered quality within a sleek compact design
• Fast, smooth AF stepping motor designed to support video
• Features one aspherical element and one double-sided aspherical element producing imaging quality comparable to the Art line.
• Features 9 elements / 7 groups, Minimum Aperture: F16, 52mm filter thread, Minimum Focus Distance: 11.8in, Weight: 9.3oz, Dimensions: 2.6×2.9in.

The new Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens will be available in Sony E-Mount and Micro Four Thirds mount. For more information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com/30mm-f1-4-dc-dn-c

Sigma Global Vision lenses including the new 50-100mm f/1.8 DC Art and 30mm F1.4 Contemporary lenses can be updated with the latest lens software from a workstation or laptop using the Sigma Optimization Pro software and Sigma USB Dock (sold separately).

Tested for Optimum Performance

Sigma lenses are born of well-thought-out design concepts, exceptional Japanese craftsmanship and manufacturing, and advanced lens performance testing and evaluation. To this end, Sigma has developed its own A1 proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Even the most elusive high-frequency details are within the scope of Sigma’s quality control inspections. Every Global Vision lens is A1 tested, analyzed and approved before leaving the factory ensuring maximum performance out of the box.

For more information on Sigma’s industry leading testing, please visit http://blog.sigmaphoto.com/2012/a1-mtf-testing-for-new-sigma-lenses/

Specialized Mount Conversion Services

Ensuring continued ROI, Sigma will convert the current mount of your Sigma Global Vision lens to another of your choice. Sigma lenses currently from the Contemporary, Art or Sports line, in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax mounts can be converted to Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Sony or Pentax*.  Mirrorless lenses can be converted to Micro Four Thirds and Sony-E Mount. They cannot be converted to either an APS-C or a Full Frame format.  *For specific details, please visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com/service-support/mount-conversion-service

Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 Art Lens Coming to CP+ Show

Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens

Sigma is planning to announce their 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art lens just before the CP+ Show on February 25 in Yokohama, Japan. This will be another interesting and fast zoom lens in the highly successful Art line coming from Sigma. The new lens is designed for APS-C cameras.

Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Specifications (Google Translated)

• Lens construction: 15 group 21 sheets – three FLD glass. 
• One SLD glass. 
• One High refractive index, high-dispersion glass 
• One High refractive index SLD glass
• Filter Size: 82mm
• Minimum shooting distance: 95cm
• Maximum magnification of 1: 6.7
• Total length: 170.7mm
• Maximum diameter: 93.5mm
• Weight: 1490 g
• Aperture blades: 9
• Ultrasonic motor of the new development that has been thinned
• Inner focus, inner zoom
• Suggested retail price is 167,400 yen (including tax)
• Mounts for Canon, for Nikon, for sigma
• Scheduled release date - February 22

Interview With Sigma Corporation CEO Kazuto Yamaki

Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG APO zoom lens

Sigma is one of the most innovative lens manufacturers in the last few years. Rumor has it Canon wanted to purchase the company but could not agree on the price so it was abandoned. Sigma's line of Art HSM prime lenses have won many praises and is giving much more expensive lens makers, like Zeiss a real competition.

The interview below is of Sigma's CEO, Mr. Kazuto Yamaki. He is the son of the founder and talks about future plans and goals for the company and the photographic industry.

Canon Seeking To Acquire An Image Company?

Canon headquarter building in Tokyo, Japan

Canon is the largest photographic equipment manufacturer in the world. They have been ranked 40 out of 100 in a survey of the world's most valuable brands and have celebrated EF lens and EOS camera production of 110th and 80th million unit recently. However, their profits have dropped in the most recent quarter because camera sales have been down in the last few years, primarily due to changes in consumers' taste and the advancement in the cameras of many smartphones.

No camera manufacturer has not been affected by the recent downturn and Canon remains a blue chip, profitable company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Samsung has already shut down its camera sales operations in Germany and the United Kingdom, two of the largest economies in Europe. Sony is in the process of acquiring Toshiba's sensor manufacturing business. Lately, there are rumors Canon tried to acquire Sigma Corporation, a family owned business specializing in after market lens for other brands of cameras. This is hardly earth-shattering news in the business world. Businesses merge or get bought out all the time and the camera business is no different.  

Canon is a conservative company and although they have 'kicked the tires' in checking out other companies, including Hasselblad, they rarely overpay and prefer to buy on the cheap. Although the photography market is not expected to experience sales like it did 5 or 6 years ago, it is not expected to collapse either. 

Recently, at the 2015 Expo Show, Canon showed off a few prototype products with great potential, among them, a 120MP APS-C sensor, 250MP APS-H sensor, EF 600mm f/4 DO BR lens and the ME-20F-SH camera that 'sees in the dark'. In addition, Canon is expected to announce the EOS-1D X Mark II and EOS-5D Mark IV cameras in the first half of 2016. There are many things on Canon management's plate in the next few months, but they are also actively pursuing possible deals in the areas of sensor and lens manufacturing. It could end up in an outright purchase or joint venture with another company. More to come when I receive additional information.     

I have been a wildlife photographer for 25 years using Canon equipment, As an user and observer of the company over the years, I have seen many changes and expect to see much more as they adapt to new challenges and technology. You can see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com