Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma Corporation, pictured at CP+ 2017, with Sigma`s new 14mm F1.8.
Sigma released four lenses at this year`s CP+ show in Yokohama - the 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art, 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art, 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art and 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM. We`re at the show, where we made time to sit down with Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, to find our more about the new lenses.Â
You´ve told me previously that you really want Sigma to make more wideangle lenses. Do you think you´re achieving that goal with the 12-24mm and new 14mm?
Yes, but I´m still not satisfied. I think we need to make more wide-angle lenses. A fast 14mm was one of the lenses that our customers were asking for. Most existing 14mm lenses are F2.8, so F1.8 was a challenge.
The new Sigma 14mm F1.8 is the fastest lens of its kind, and according to Sigma, should outperform competitive, slower designs from other manufacturers.
What have you learned, from making the Art series?
We´ve learned that some customers require exceptional lens performance. We believe that our mission is to make products that other manufacturers don´t have. If we just released similarly-specified lenses to existing models, we wouldn´t be contributing to the industry, or benefiting customers. So our Art series is meant to provide the best performance.
They´re bulky and heavy, it´s true, but our customers like them because of the performance. That´s what we learned.
Hands-on with Sigma MC-11 (CP+ 2016)
You now make a mount adapter for Sony E-mount, but are you planning native support for the Sony E-mount in the future?
Yes, that´s our plan. Our plan is to develop full-frame lenses for Sony E mount, and in the future we will have more E mount lenses. But it takes time. Normally it takes about two years to develop one lens, sometimes three. So even if I start the process now, the lens might come out in two years time.
Sigma`s new Art-series len ...
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