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Photokina 2012: Sigma has announced it will brand
its lenses in three categories and has introduced a new lens in each of
the categories. The 'Contemporary' range will cover compact, flexible
zooms, such as the new, smaller 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC OS Macro designed for
APS-C DSLRs. The 'Art' range will include lenses such as primes,
wide-angles and macros, and a new 35mm F1.4 DG HSM covering a full-frame
imaging circle. Finally, the 'Sports' range will encompass Sigma's
telephoto primes, telephoto zooms and superzooms, such as the new
120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM.
Press Release:
Sigma Corporation announces reorganization of lens lineup, new products and quality control measures
Lens, camera and flash manufacturer shares plans for Sigma Global Vision at photokina 2012
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 thier 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 furthing 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.
The concept of these categories are as follows:
- 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 OS MACRO–
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 these new product lines and 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.”
For information about the Sigma Global Vision, the new product categories and products, or the evaluation method, visit
http://www.sigma-global.com. For information about Sigma Corporation of America or the company’s cameras, lenses, or flashes, visit
www.sigmaphoto.com.
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