Sigma News (Page 11)

From Sigma:

The Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM for Nikon is scheduled to start the shipment towards the end of this month.

B&H has the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens for Nikon available for preorder.

While this video was mentioned in the previous announcement by Sigma, I wanted to call special attention to it. This is the first time we've been able to see the USB Dock software in action and, in my opinion, it looks very promising. [Sean]

B&H has the Sigma USB Dock (Canon/Nikon) available for preorder.

From Sigma:

Global Vision products hit shelves in US early May

RONKONKOMA, N.Y., — April 24, 2013 — Sigma Corporation of America, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced the pricing and availability of the Sigma USB dock and the company’s newly redesigned 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM from the Global Vision Sport lens category.

The updated 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM lens will be available in early May for the street price of $3,599 in Sigma and Canon mounts. The USB dock, which is compatible with lenses from Sigma’s new Global Vision lineup, will also be available in early May for the street price of $59.

“As the first lens of our Sports lineup to become available, we’re glad to continue the next round of our Global Vision lenses with the 120-300mm F2.8,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “Our USB dock is the first in the industry of its kind, and we’re confident that it will be a ground-breaking product in helping photographers as they work.”

With redesigned mechanics and performance, this Sports lens is an update from its predecessor released in February 2011. With a maximum focal length of 300mm and a wide-open aperture of F2.8, this lens eases difficult shooting conditions. It is dust and moisture resistant, and allows users to switch between two custom settings created via the USB dock. The 120-300mm lens has been redesigned and quality-control tested with Sigma’s proprietary modulation transfer function (MTF) “A1” measuring system as part of Sigma’s new Global Vision category restructuring. Under the new Sports category, the lens also has the manufacturing year stamped on the barrel.

The Sigma USB dock, an industry first, works in conjunction with Sigma Optimization Pro (SOP) software to connect a photographer’s lens to their personal computer and the internet to update firmware and other parameters. The AF speed, focus limiter and OS function are also customizable for Sports lenses, such as the 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM. Upon arrival of the products, SOP will be available via a downloadable copy online here. A video demonstration of SOP software is available here.

Preorder Opportunities:

Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens for Canon - B&H | Adorama
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens for Nikon - B&H | Adorama

Sigma USB Dock for Canon - B&H
Sigma USB Dock for Nikon - B&H

From Sigma:

Sigma Corporation announces world's first F1.8 constant aperture zoom lens

New 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM features Global Vision Art lens design

RONKONKOMA, NY — Sigma Corporation of America (www.sigmaphoto.com), a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider for some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art lens, the market’s first zoom lens to achieve a maximum aperture F1.8 throughout the entire zoom range.

This revolutionary, wide aperture, standard zoom lens is created for DSLR cameras with APS-C size sensors, which translates to a focal range of 27-52.5mm on a 35mm camera. With a minimum focusing distance of 11 inches, and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:4.3, the 18-35mm is ideal for landscapes, portraits, still-life, studio, close-up and casual photography.

“Exceptionally fast apertures were previously unavailable in zoom lenses, so photographers turned to several prime lenses in a session to get bright images at various focal lengths. We’re incredibly excited to be the first manufacturer to bring the F1.8 standard zoom to the market and to provide photographers with a new level of creativity and convenience, with the outstanding image quality at the core of the new Sigma Global Vision,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America.

Amir-Hamzeh added that because developing a large aperture wide angle zoom lens can prove to be technologically and optically challenging, often resulting in various distortions, aberrations and field curvature, Sigma has tapped into its long history as a lens pioneer to overcome those issues in this new generation lens.

“Our experience with the wide angle designs of our 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 II DG HSM and our 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM, and our research and development in our Aizu factory have prepared us for this technological advancement,” he said. “Our wide, glass-molded aspherical lens and the incorporation of Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass have optimized power distribution of the optical elements and compensated for various aberrations, as well as curvature of field at the widest angle. We’re extremely proud of this achievement.”

The 18-35mm is the latest addition to the company’s Art line of lenses, designed under the new Global Vision. The Global Vision lenses have a sleek new design with the manufacturing year stamped on the barrel, and are categorized by use into one of three groups: Art, Contemporary and Sports. The Art category delivers high-level artistic expression through sophisticated and abundant expressive power.

The new 18-35mm lens incorporates Sigma’s improved AF/MF switch and the use of Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) compound material, which has a high affinity to metal parts, consistently performs well at extreme temperatures, and reduces the size and weight of the lens. It is also compatible with Sigma’s new USB Dock, which will be available in coming months, enabling photographers to update lens firmware and adjust focus parameters from their computers.

Convenient handling is achieved with internal focusing and zooming, which prevents changes to the size of the lens. Additionally, the front part of the lens does not rotate, so special filters like circular polarizers can be used.

The 18-35mm lens’ Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides sharp and high contrast images, even in backlit conditions. The petal-type hood that is supplied with the lens will provide extra protection from flare and ghosting. Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures a silent, high-speed AF function and the optimized auto focus algorithm results in smooth focusing and full-time manual focusing capability. Lastly, the nine-blade, rounded diaphragm creates an attractive, round bokeh at large-aperture settings.

Specifications

From Sigma:

SIGMA 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM & SIGMA USB DOCK

2013.04.12 - SIGMA 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM for Canon and SIGMA USB DOCK for Canon are scheduled to start the shipment from the end of this month.

B&H has the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens for Canon available for preorder.

From Sigma Japan (paraphrased from Google Translate):

2013.03.27

SIGMA 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM, SIGMA USB DOCK Release Postponed

Thank you for your patronage.

The "SIGMA USB DOCK" and "SIGMA 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM" lens were expected to be released in March 2013 for Canon. Because of a delay in the procurement of [manufacturing] parts, the release date has been postponed.

For now, the revised release date has not been determined. Please check our website for future updates on these products.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

B&H has the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens (Canon/Nikon) available for preorder.

Sigma has just announced pricing for its new 30mm F1.4 DC HSM lens. The lens will have a suggested retail price of $499.00 in Canon, Nikon, and Sigma mounts.

Preorder Opportunities:
Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM Lens for Canon - B&H
Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM Lens for Nikon - B&H

Sigma has just released this stylized video highlighting their global vision and showing lenses from each of Sigma's new product categories.

Throughout the video (filmed entirely with Sigma lenses), various components used to create Sigma's new lenses can be seen.

Some featured lenses:

• Art - 35mm F1.4 DG HSM
• Contemporary - 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM
• Sports - 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM

B&H carries Sigma Lenses.

From Sigma:

Welcome to the redesigned website of Sigma Corporation of America. Over the past several month, our team has been hard at work to redesign, refresh, upgrade, and refine the overall look, feel, and user experience on our website.

Take a look around and you’ll see our focus is on ease of navigation, with a very image-forward design. Photography is our business–our only business, and that focus shows in our redesign philosophy.

We’re especially excited about the redesigned Product Finder, which now includes the full Sigma line including cameras, strobes, and accessories, in addition to lenses. This has always been one of the most popular features on our website, and we hope you appreciate the upgrades.

We focused on creating a more visually appealing website, and there are more than 2,000 photos currently on the site–and each one was captured with Sigma products.

We’ve added several new photo galleries to the website to inspire and educate. And all the shots–from the product images, to our Fan Photo of the Week and X3 Gallery, it is all shot with Sigma. And of course, we’d also love to showcase your amazing photos in our Photoshare and Fan Photo of the Week galleries!

And be sure to check out “Video Tips from a Pro” with Sigma Pro Lindsay Adler, our new series of informative videos by this inspirational member of the Sigma team. Her expert advice should help many photographers make smart purchase decisions.

We are very excited about the look and feel of our new website, and we’d love to hear your feedback!

B&H carries Sigma lenses.

From Sigma:

01.11.2013 - SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG HSM F/NIKON scheduled to start shipping this month.

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM for Nikon is available for preorder from B&H, Adorama, and Amazon.

Sigma has released a beautifully produced video that shows the inner workings of their Aizu, Japan lens manufacturing facility.

From Sigma:

The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the new SIGMA USB DOCK, the accessory dedicated for Contemporary, Art, and Sports product lines that enables you to operate lens firmware update as well as customization including the focus setting.

By connecting the USB cable to a computer, SIGMA USB DOCK enables photographers to update the lens firmware and adjust parameters such as focus. The adjustment is processed with special software (SIGMA Optimization Pro). The AF speed, focus limiter and OS function are also customizable for Sports lenses.

From Sigma:

The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the new SIGMA 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM / DC MACRO HSM, the large-aperture APS-C standard zoom lens with a focal range that covers all your everyday needs along with macro functionality.

The most important features for a standard zoom lens for digital single lens reflex camera is to achieve high image quality, to meet the needs in various occasions and to be handy and compact.

The SIGMA 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM will clear away all the general concerns, such as a short minimum focusing distance, not a long enough focal length for telephoto shooting and a small aperture value. Mainly used for general-purpose photography, this everyday lens covers a range equivalent to 25.5-105mm on a 35mm camera. It’s surprisingly compact in size for a large-aperture lens that opens up to F2.8. Great for treasured snapshots of travel or family occasions, it also handles shots that are a little bit more creative. Designed to be the kind of lens you carry around with you all the time, it delivers simplicity and is so user-friendly it’s sure to satisfy even the most demanding of users.

Special Features:

1. Contemporary line can handle all sorts of photo opportunities
   Sigma is organizing all its interchangeable lenses into three product lines; Contemporary, Art and Sports. Featuring the very latest technology, and combining optical performance with compactness, the Contemporary line covers a wide range of needs. Incorporating the very latest technology in these lenses, Sigma has solved the difficult problem of keeping size and weight low without compromising optical performance. The SIGMA 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM is the first product from the Contemporary line. Featuring a wide zoom range, the lens has a focal range equivalent to 25.5-105mm on a 35mm lens.
2. Excellent for macro photography
   This lens’ minimum focusing distance is 22cm and the maximum magnification ratio is 1:2.8. At 70mm, the working distance becomes 5.52cm. When it comes to telephoto, it can shoot pictures with a similar sensation to a macro lens. Also, without the need to change the lens, it enables photographers to take a close up pictures of subjects such as jewelry and flowers. In order to secure a clear field of view, the design of this lens is very thorough, even down to the precise position of the engraved letters on the lens.
3. 30% Smaller Than Conventional Models
   For a which is used lens used in everyday situations, the small size makes a big difference. By incorporating a smaller OS unit and optimizing the structure and power distribution of optical elements, the lens barrel has now become more compact. In order to ensure high accuracy of the product, the new compound material TSC (Thermally Stable Composite), which has high affinity to metal parts, is introduced for the lens barrel. It results in better durability of the parts and smaller zoom rings and scale rings. The dimension of this lens is 30% smaller than our conventional models.
4. Superior Image Quality Throughout The Entire Zoom Range
   This lens incorporates 2 FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements, which have performance equal to fluorite, 1 SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass element and 3 aspherical glass lenses including double sided aspherical lens. By optimizing the power alignment of the lens, both chromatic aberration of magnification and axial chromatic aberration have been corrected. From infinity to macro, it achieves superior image quality through entire zoom range. This lens offers extraordinary expressive power and is capable of surpassing the requirement of the rigorous checking process of our new MTF measuring system “A1”.
5. Large maximum aperture of F2.8
   The aperture value is F2.8 at the wide end (17mm), and is F4 at the telephoto end (70mm). The bright viewfinder aids focusing and composition of images. The fast apertures also offer useful functions such as fast shutter speeds to prevent an object from being blurred and ensuring a smooth bokeh in the background.

Other Features:

• Optical Stabilizer - Sigma’s own unique OS (Optical Stabilizer) function is incorporated. It offers effective correction of approximately 4 stops, which makes it possible to compensate for camera shake even in macro range photography where a small blur can be easily identified.

  *1. The closer the lens is to the object, the less effective the OS function is.
  *2. For Sony and Pentax, OS function is not incorporated.

• Flare and ghosting conscious design - In order to achieve high rendering on this flagship lens, flare and ghosting were thoroughly measured from an early stage to establish an optical design which is resistant to strong incident light such as backlight. The Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides sharp and high contrast images even in backlit conditions.
• Incorporating Rounded Diaphragm - The 7 blade-rounded diaphragm creates an attractive blur to the out-of-focus areas of the image.
• Hyper Sonic Motor - The HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures high speed and quiet AF as well as full-time manual focus override by rotation of the focus ring. With the enhanced AF algorithm, smoother AF is achieved.
• Brass made bayonet mount This lens incorporates a brass made bayonet mount which has both high accuracy and durability. A special treatment to reinforce its strength is applied to the surface giving it greater strength and making it highly resistant to long-term use.
• Ease of use - The new product lines incorporate rubber for the attachment part of the provided lens hood. For better usability, the design of the lens cap and AF / MF changeover switch has been improved.
• Newly developed “USB DOCK” exclusively for new product lines - Based on these new lines, we have developed special software (SIGMA Optimization Pro) that can update the lens firmware and adjust parameters such as focus.
• Evaluation with Sigma’s own MTF measuring system “A1” - We used to measure lens performance with MTF measuring system using conventional sensors. However, we’ve now developed our own proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system (A1) using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Even previously undetectable high-frequency details are now within the scope of our quality control inspections. The SIGMA 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM will all be checked using this “A1” before they are shipped.
• “Made in Japan” - All Sigma's manufacturing – right down to molds and parts – is carried out under an integrated production system, entirely in Japan. We are now one of the very few manufacturers whose products are solely "made in Japan". We like to think our products are somehow imbued with the essence of our homeland, blessed as it is with clean air and water, and focused, hard-working people. We pride ourselves on the authentic quality of Sigma products, born of a marriage between highly attuned expertise and intelligent, advanced technology. Our sophisticated products have satisfied professionals and lovers of photography all over the world, because our manufacturing is based on genuine craftsmanship, underpinned by the passion and pride of our experts.

Preorder your Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM / DC Macro HSM Lens at B&H.

From Sigma:

The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the new SIGMA 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM, the telephoto zoom lens that achieves superior performance redesigned to meet photographers' needs.

Conventionally, large aperture lenses for 300mm F2.8 have been loved by professional users due to their brilliant capability of depiction and bright aperture value. It has established a solid standpoint in the world of photography. Based on the concept that turning a 300mm F2.8 lens into zoom lens would enable photographers to expand the scope of shooting, we have developed 120-300mm F2.8 lenses and released them into the market. It is not simple to decide on a composition with a 300mm lens. Especially for sports and theatrical shows, shooting positions are almost always fixed and changing lenses could lead to missed photographs. By adding a zoom function with the large aperture 300mm F2.8 lens, it no longer requires other interchangeable lenses and rotation of the zoom ring will offer excellent framing. In other words, when conditions are difficult, this high-performance lens gives you more scope to express yourself in the shots you take.

Special Features:

1. Sports line lenses deliver high action-capture performance
   Sigma is organizing all its interchangeable lenses into three product lines; Contemporary, Art and Sports. While offering sophisticated optical performance and expressiveness, our Sports line lenses deliver high action-capture performance, enabling photographers to get exactly the shots they want. With their high-level optical performance and expressive power, these lenses can capture fast-moving subjects, even at distance. This high-performance line also offers a variety of functions to aid the photographer in challenging conditions and scenarios. The SIGMA 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM is the first product from the “Sports” line. Besides sports photography, the lenses are also perfect for nature shots featuring birds, wild animals and other wildlife, and for capture of aircraft, trains, racing cars and more. Another major feature of our Sports line lenses is their wide range of customization functions: using the software provided, all sorts of settings can be tailored to the personal preferences of the photographer.
2. Dust-proof and splash-proof construction
   For professional purposes, we have achieved excellent durability by incorporating dust-proof and splash-proof parts for joint parts, such as mount attachment, manual ring, zoom-ring, switches for customization and external switch panels. It prevents dust and dirt from entering the lens. Also, the usage of the zoom ring and focus ring is well positioned for shooting situations.
3. High image quality close to fixed focal length lens.
   This lens incorporates 2 FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements, which have performance equal to fluorite, 1 SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass element, and compensate for the color aberration at the utmost. The design also compensates for sagittal coma flare and minimizes the blurring of a point light source in peripheral areas. It offers very high image quality, close to fixed focal length lens.
4. Incorporation of focus limiter
   Excellent usability is achieved by incorporating inner focusing and zooming that requires no change in the length of the lens for focus and zoom. It is possible to use with a rounded filter, such as a Circular Polarizer, as the front part of the lens is fixed. Due to the focus limiter offering adjustable range of auto focusing, this lens can provide fast focus setting. The USB dock enables users to change the range of the auto focusing at the discretion of users' creativity.
5. Newly developed “USB DOCK” exclusively for new product lines
   Based on these new lines, we have developed special software (SIGMA Optimization Pro) that can update the lens firmware and adjust parameters such as focus. In addition, the lenses from our Sports line have customizable AF speed, focus limiter and OS function. The “Custom Mode Switch” is the device for further customization on the dedicated lenses.
6. Ease of use
   Many parts of this lens have been designed for comfortable usage. For example, the design of the zoom ring is concerned with a texture when you hold it, the position of printed letters and the 4 control switches with integration-considered shape of the screws. Included accessories such as the removable lens hood and the newly designed tripod collar with strap ensure added ease of use.

Other Features:

• Flare and ghosting conscious design - SIGMA’s Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting. It provides sharp and high contrast images throughout the entire zoom range.
• Excellent in handheld photography for telephoto shooting - This lens incorporates the OS system which offers the use of shutter speeds approximately 4 stops slower than would otherwise be possible, ensuring the excellent use in handheld photography for telephoto shooting. The OS system has two modes - OS mode 1 is suitable for general photography, and OS mode 2 is best for panning shots of subjects such as planes or racing cars. It is possible to adjust the OS using the optional USB DOCK.

  * This lens cannot be used with film SLR cameras with the exception of the Nikon F6, Canon EOS-1v.

• Quiet and Fast AF - The HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures high speed and quiet AF as well as full-time manual focus override by rotation of the focus ring. With the enhanced AF algorithm, smoother AF is achieved. The full time manual, which offers further adjustment after focusing with AF mode, is possible. By using USB Dock, you can change and adjust the AF speed at your convenience.
• Incorporating Rounded Diaphragm - The 9 blade-rounded diaphragm creates an attractive blur to the out-of-focus areas of the image.
• APO Tele-Converter (Optional) - The addition of Sigma's 1.4x EX DG APO or 2x EX DG APO TELE CONVERTER produces a 168-420mm F4 AF telephoto zoom lens or a 240-600mm F5.6 AF telephoto zoom lens respectively.
• Brass made bayonet mount - This lens incorporates a brass made bayonet mount which has both high accuracy and durability. A special treatment to reinforce its strength is applied to the surface giving it greater strength and making it highly resistant to long-term use.
• Evaluation with Sigma’s own MTF measuring system “A1” - We used to measure lens performance with an MTF measuring system using conventional sensors. However, we’ve now developed our own proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system (A1) using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Even previously undetectable high-frequency details are now within the scope of our quality control inspections. The SIGMA 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM will all be checked using this “A1” before they are shipped.
• “Made in Japan” - All Sigma's manufacturing – right down to the molds and parts – is carried out under an integrated production system, entirely in Japan. We are now one of the very few manufacturers whose products are solely "made in Japan". We like to think our products are somehow imbued with the essence of our homeland, blessed as it is with clean air and water, and focused, hard-working people. We pride ourselves on the authentic quality of Sigma products, born of a marriage between highly attuned expertise and intelligent, advanced technology. Our sophisticated products have satisfied professionals and lovers of photography all over the world, because our manufacturing is based on genuine craftsmanship, underpinned by the passion and pride of our experts.

Preorder the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM lens at B&H.

Sigma Global has published some sample pictures taken with its new 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Lens.

Purchase the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Lens at:

B&H (Canon Mount | Nikon Mount)
Adorama (Canon Mount | Nikon Mount).

Sigma Global Vision has just posted a very detailed, well-illustrated website with an array of information on the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM lens.

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM preorders:
B&H: Canon Mount | Nikon Mount
Adorama: Canon Mount | Nikon Mount

COLOGNE, Germany, Sept. 17, 2012 – Sigma Corporation of America (www.sigmaphoto.com), a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider for some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced the family-owned and operated company’s Sigma Global Vision from an invite-only event at photokina 2012 in Cologne, Germany.

This announcement explains the restructuring of the Sigma lens lineup into three new categories, the launch of a new lens in each of those categories, the development of a new quality control inspection and measurement system for the lenses, and the design of new software and a USB docking station that will enable photographers to update and adjust their lenses to suit their personal preferences.

“We’re moving in a new direction that simplifies the lens selection process for photographers and helps them realize the full potential of the DSLR system,” said CEO Kazuto Yamaki. “In addition to making it easier for photographers to find the right lens, we’re empowering them with more control over their equipment, while furthering our commitment to them by establishing a higher expectation for the quality of the lenses we produce.”

New lens categories and new lenses

Starting immediately, all newly produced interchangeable lenses from Sigma will be designed for and organized into one of three product categories: Contemporary, Art and Sports. Each line has a clearly defined concept to guide shooters in the selection of the right lens for their photographic interests.

• Contemporary – These lenses incorporate the very latest technology and keep size and weight to a minimum, without compromising their advanced optical performance or utility. High-performance, versatile, compact and superbly portable, these lenses will be largely comprised of standard zooms, telephoto zooms and high-magnification zooms for an array of photography, including landscape and travel photography, and casual portraiture.
• Art – These lenses are developed with an emphasis on artistic touch and are designed to meet the expectations of users who value a creative, dramatic outcome. Along with landscapes, portraits, still-life, close-up and casual snaps, these lenses are perfect for the kind of photography that unleashes the inner artist. Ideal for studio photography, they offer just as much of an expressive scope when capturing architecture, starry skies, underwater shots and many other scenes. This category will be comprised of many focal lengths and designs, such as large-aperture prime lenses, wide-angle lenses, ultra wide-angle lenses, and macro and fisheye lenses.
• Sports - With their high-level optical performance and expressive power, these lenses can capture fast-moving subjects, even at distance. This line also offers a variety of functions to aid the photographer in challenging conditions and scenarios. Besides sports photography, the lenses are also ideal for nature shots featuring birds, wild animals and other creatures, and for the capture of aircraft, trains, race cars and more. The Sports line is also unique in that users can adjust the lenses’ focus speeds and the focus limiters via a button on the lens. The Sports category will be comprised of telephoto lenses, telephoto zoom lenses, super telephoto lenses, super telephoto zoom lenses, and more.

The creation of these new categories comes with the introduction of three new lenses:

• 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM – This new Contemporary lens is designed for cameras with an APS-c sensor and covers a range equivalent to 25.5 to 105mm on a 35mm camera. An upgrade to its predecessor, which was released in December 2009, this general purpose lens offers a new design and a more compact build.
• 35mm F1.4 DG HSM – This Art lens provides photographers with a state-of-the-art alternative to the more conventional 50mm. This lens’ axial chromatic aberration is minimized, which renders a cool and smooth out-of-focus image. At low apertures, it can perform like a wide-angle lens; when opened up to F1.4, it will provide background bokeh and make the subject pop like a mid-range telephoto lens.
• 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM – With redesigned mechanics and performance, this Sports lens is an update from its predecessor released in February 2011. This high-performance lens eases difficult shooting conditions by offering a maximum focal length of 300mm and a wide-open aperture of F2.8. This lens, like the other Sports category lenses to come, is dust and moisture resistant, and allows users to adjust the focus speed and the focus limiter via a button on the lens.

New user-control tools and software, and new quality control measures

The new Sigma Optimization Pro software and USB Dock are designed exclusively for the new lenses within the new product lines. They will enable Sigma users to connect their lenses to their computers to update lens firmware and fine-tune focus parameters via easy-to-use, on-screen controls.

All of these new lenses will also be subject to Sigma’s new, proprietary modulation transfer function (MTF) measuring system called “A1.” Named in honor of the company’s sole production base, the Aizu factory in Aizu, Japan, the A1 system will allow inspectors to verify previously undetectable high-frequency details in each lens before it is shipped.

“We used to measure lens performance with a MTF measuring system using conventional sensors, but this new A1 system uses our own 46-megapixel Foveon direct imaging sensors,” said Yamaki. “We view this new method of performance evaluation as being incredibly important, not only because we owe it to our customers, but because we owe it to ourselves. We’ve spent more than 50 years perfecting our design and manufacturing processes, and now we deliver a complete package by closing the loop on that commitment to quality by adopting a more stringent verification process.”

From Sigma Corporation of America:

Newly designed telephoto zoom lens with Sigma’s own Optical Stabilizer system at street price of $1099

Ronkonkoma, NY, March 30, 2012 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, is pleased to announce that its newly upgraded 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM telephoto lens is now available for the street price of $1,099.

The 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM telephoto lens is the successor to the 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC II HSM. The updated lens now features Sigma’s own proprietary Optical Stabilizer (OS) technology, which offers the use of shutter speeds approximately four stops slower than would otherwise be possible. The lens design utilizes an inner-focusing and inner-zooming system that provides convenient handling and this, along with the OS feature, makes it favorable for high-performance, handheld, close-up photography. Additionally, the Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures quiet and high-speed auto focusing, while allowing full-time manual focus capability.

The Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM Canon mounts will be available next week, while the Nikon and Sigma mounts are expected to be available by the end of April.

“This lens is a great addition to our lineup of telephoto lenses, and will be a fantastic tool for portrait, landscape and nature photography,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “This is our tenth telephoto lens with Optical Stabilizer technology and provides another option for photographers looking to produce high-quality images.”

Six SLD glass elements provide exceptional corrections for all types of aberrations and provide high-quality imagery throughout the zoom range. It also has a rounded, nine-blade diaphragm that creates an attractive blur to the out-of-focus areas of the image.

The lens’ Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and ensures sharp and high contrast images even at the maximum apertures. The addition of Sigma’s 1.4x EX DG APO and 2x EX DG APO teleconverters produce a 70-210mm F4 autofocus telephoto zoom lens and a 100-300mm F5.6 autofocus telephoto lens, respectively.

B&H just started accepting Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM Lens preorders.

From Sigma:

Announcement: New CEO of Sigma Corporation

We would like to announce that Kazuto Yamaki, previously Chief Operating Officer, was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Sigma Corporation.

Name and Biography of New Chief Executive Officer

New Job Title: Chief Executive Officer
Name: Kazuto Yamaki
Date of Birth: March 22nd, 1968

Biography

April, 1993 joined Sigma Corporation
November, 2000 Manager of Corporate Planning Division
November, 2003 Vice-President
November, 2005 Chief Operating Officer
January, 2012 Chief Executive Officer

Date of Assumption of Office

January 18th, 2012, Wednesday

From Sigma Corporation of America:

Sigma Corporation of America announces the passing of Michihiro Yamaki

Imaging manufacturer’s pioneering CEO, founder led company for more than 50 years

RONKONKOMA, NY, Jan. 27, 2012 – With great sadness, Sigma Corporation of America today announced the passing of Sigma Corporation’s founder and CEO Michihiro Yamaki. He died of liver cancer in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 18 at the age of 78.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “Mr. Yamaki was an industry visionary, and his leadership and enthusiasm has been the driving force behind our company’s innovation for more than 50 years. We’re sending our deepest condolences to the Yamaki family, and our entire Sigma family around the world, during this very difficult time.”

Yamaki founded Sigma Corporation on Sept. 9, 1961 with the development of the first-ever rear attached lens converter. At that time, most photo enthusiasts believed that a lens converter could only be attached to the front of a camera lens and the 27-year-old optical engineer turned conventional optical theory on its head. Sigma Corporation celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011 with Yamaki still at the company’s helm.

Throughout his years in the photo industry, Yamaki has been focused on producing high-quality, high-performance photographic technology at moderate prices. His goal for the company has always been to make outstanding image quality accessible to all photographers. To this end, he grew the family-owned organization into a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of lenses, cameras and flashes. The company is now known as the largest, independent SLR lens manufacturer in the world, producing more than 50 current lenses that are compatible with most manufacturers, including Sigma, Canon, Sony, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax and Sony.

In 2008, under Yamaki’s direction, Sigma Corporation purchased Foveon, a California-based company that’s renowned for developing the X3 image sensor technology. This patented, three-layer image sensor captures all primary RGB colors at each pixel location arranged in three layers to deliver outstanding, high-resolution, high-definition images with impressive three-dimensional detail and rich gradation. Last year, the company announced the arrival of its SD1, a groundbreaking, 46-megapixel direct image sensor camera, offering more megapixels than any other DSLR currently on the market. Sigma Corporation continued its theme of addressing gaps in the industry and the needs of photographers by kicking off 2012 with the launch of its new, Digital Neo (DN) line of lenses for Micro Four Thirds and E-mount camera systems.

In addition to his inventions and photographic foresight, Yamaki made many other contributions to the industry in his 78 years of life. He served organizations such as: the Japan Photographic Enterprises Association, Japan Machinery Design Center, Japan Optomechatronics Association, Photographic Society of Japan, and Japan Camera Industry Institute. He has also been honored with the “Person of the Year” award from The Photoimaging Manufacturers & Distributors Association (PMDA), the “Hall of Fame” award from the International Photographic Council (IPC), and the Golden Photokina Pin for his longtime contribution to the imaging industry.