Yesterday I reported that Sigma announced something revolutionary, they touted it as “change your mind? – change your [?]“. It turned out that Sigma will start a service to change the mount type of your Sigma lens so you can easily switch system (brand) of your camera without having to sell your old Sigma lenses and buy new ones. Good move by Sigma. They are making outstanding lenses since some time and it makes sense offering such a service to customers. The service is said to be free. The video above shows that it isn’t a too difficult operation to change the mount type of the lens.

Today there are new information about the lens conversion service. The information comes from a slrclub user. All Sigma lenses with 10 contacts can be easily modified to get another mount type, except for Nikon/Pentax version of Sigma lenses. For Nikon/Pentax versions, the aperture will be controlled mechanically after the conversion. There shouldn’t be such issues with Canon/Sony/Other versions of Sigma lenses. Tomorrow we will know more, since Sigma will officially announce the service on August 1st. The service will start from 9/2.

[slrclub via dicahub]

Update (thanks to the reader who posted in the comments, I got confirmation also from other sources): It appears as if the service Sigma is touting will be a mount conversion service. That is, Sigma will change the mount type of your Sigma lens so you can use it on a different camera brand (if you switch from Nikon to Canon, for instance). You will have to send in the lens (at least in the first period). It is yet to see if the service will be free or not.

Change your mind? Change your [mount]?

The Korean text translates to From September 2^nd, Sigma will start the world’s first special… service. So, what is Sigma going to announce on August 1st? I suppose a new mount type adapter. That could fit the rumor I reported yesterday, that Sigma could launch a sort of universal system adapter where all Sigma lenses can be used on all mirrorless systems. We’ll see soon, the announcement is expected for August 1st 6:00am Korean time. Stay tuned! [slrclub via dicahub]

There is also another rumor concerning Sigma, though I do not think it is related to the announcement above. Rumors suggest that Sigma is working on a 24-70 f/2 OS HSM lens for full-frame cameras, and that lens should be faster than f/2.8. Thus a lens that is in line with the amazing 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM for APS-C cameras. No word about the price, the lens should be announced at Photokina 2014. [via CR]

Sigma Poland started a website named Sigma Foto Revolution. There is a running countdown (2 days 17 hours left) with a slogan that translated to Overthrow the system with Sigma – there is liberation. Although Sigma clearly stated that they will not make a mirrorless system camera, the teaser seems to suggest exactly that. I am very curious to learn what they will announce. Sigma made some outstanding gear recently, think the 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM and 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM lenses.

However, 43rumors has some good speculations about what could happen in two days:

1) Sigma could launch a new system camera with a new mount
2) Sigma could launch a system camera and join the Micro Four Thirds standard
3) Sigma could launch a sort of universal system adapter where all Sigma lenses can be used on all mirrorless systems (including MFT)

43rumors thinks that option 3 is the more plausible. We’ll see soon.

Sigma appears to be very actively working on new lenses. We just had the announcement of very innovative lens, the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC (sample pics here) with a constant f/1.8.  New Sigma rumors surfaced on the web. It looks as if there will be four new Sigma lenses in 2013:

• a 135mm f/1.8 DG OS lens (“ART” line-up)
• a 24mm f/1.4 DG lens (“ART” line-up)
• an updated 50mm f/1.4
• one more lens (but no hints here)

[via CR]