Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art MTF figures by LensRentals

Sigma 135mm F1.8
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LensRentals’ Roger Cicala lab-tested Sigma’s latest hot lens, the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art MTF.

Mr Cicala writes:

[…] the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 has a really nice MTF curve, better than the Canon 135mm f/2 L. It’s as good at f/1.8 as the Zeiss or Rokinon are at f/2, and it autofocuses, which they don’t. Whether you want it or not is going to depend on a lot of other factors, but the MTF curves are promising. And we learned, to my sadness, that father time catches up with everything, including my favorite Canon 135mm f/2.0 which is showing it’s age a bit when compared to these newcomers.

Read the article at LensRentals.

Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art: at: B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama | Park Cameras (UK).

SIGMA 135MM F1.8 DG HSM ART shipping in May, pre-order available

Sigma 135mm F1.8
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Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/16
  • Two FLD Elements, Two SLD Elements
  • Super Multi-Layer Coating
  • Hyper Sonic AF Motor, Manual Override
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
  • TSC Material, Brass Bayonet Mount
  • Compatible with Sigma USB Dock

Update: the Sigma 135mm will start shipping the first days of April.

The highly attended Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art lens will start shipping in May at a retail price of $1,399, which is a fair if not very good price for what this lens promises to deliver. Pre-order links are already available at: B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama | Park Cameras (UK). Amazon US does not have pre-order links yet but they will soon.

sigma 135mm F1.8

Sigma press release after the break.

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Interview with Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma Corporation

Kazuto Yamaki
The new Sigma 135mm f/1.8

DPReview managed to interview Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma Corporation, at CP+ in Japan.

We all are obviously curious to learn about the latest lenses Sigma announced, especially about the 14mm f/1.8, a lens that once more shows the skills of Sigma’s engineers.

Some excerpts from the interview:

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.

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. Read the interview at DPReview.

You can get notified when the new Sigma lenses are availabe for pre-order.

Sigma 14mm f/1.8 ART lens sample photos

Sigma 14mm
The new Sigma 14mm f/1.8

Sigma 14mm f/1.8 at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/16
  • Three FLD Elements, Four SLD Elements
  • Four Aspherical Elements
  • Super Multi-Layer Coating
  • Hyper Sonic AF Motor, Manual Override
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
  • TSC Material, Brass Bayonet Mount
  • Compatible with Sigma USB Dock

DPReview posted a set of 38 sample photo shot with a pre-production Sigma 14mm f/1.8 Art lens. A Canon EOS 5Ds R was used for the test shots.

The new Sigma lenses are not yet available for the general public. However, you can get notified when pre-orders can be placed.

Get notified when the new Sigma lenses are available for pre-order

sigma

The four new lenses Sigma released last week are on many people’s wishlist. For the time being we do not know the price nor when shipping will start. All we know is that Sigma will disclose the prices by the end of March. These new, exciting lenses have been announced:

  • 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art – World’s first F1.8, ultra-wide, full-frame prime lens designed for high resolution cameras; ideal for shooting architecture, astrophotography, documentary and landscapes.
  • 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art – Formidable telephoto prime with high-speed aperture; ideal for shooting weddings, concerts, events and studio/location portraiture.
  • 24-70mm F2.8 DG HSM OS Art – Fast, constant-aperture zoom workhorse upgraded to the exacting standards of the high performance Sigma Art series.
  • 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG HSM OS Contemporary – Highly versatile, lightweight and compact super zoom touting strong IQ and image stabilization.

However, you can get notified as soon as the new Sigma lenses can be pre-ordered. Both B&H Photo and Adorama have such a notification system. Just head over and enter your email to get notified.