Sigma unveiled an intriguing point-and-shoot camera, and three zoom lenses for Photokina—a consumer-level long-range wide-to-tele zoom, and a pair of 150-600mm lenses. Let’s take a first look at Sigma’s latest product offerings.
Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Contemporary
Designed for APS-C sensor-based cameras, the Sigma 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM features a 16.6x optical zoom range with a 35mm equivalent of a 27-450mm lens. It incorporates four “F” Low Dispersion (FLD) glass elements, which have performance equal to flourite, in addition to one Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass element. This enables the lens to minimize the chromatic aberration, especially toward the telephoto-end, and provide clear image quality with high color fidelity. Also, this lens comes with a newly developed optical stabilization (OS) system, ensuring better compensation.
The compact all-in-one lens is the latest in Sigma’s rebranded Global Vision lineup, which is primarily lighter and less expensive lenses designed for beginners and enthusiasts using APS-sensor DSLRs.
The 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM incorporates a bigger and newly developed Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) that ensures high speed and quiet AF. Additionally the Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting, to provide the user with sharp and high contrast images.
The 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM is compatible with Sigma’s USB dock, allowing photographers to update the lens’ firmware and change focus parameters using Sigma’s Optimization Pro software. It is also compatible with Sigma’s Mount Conversion Service.
Close-Focus Helper
The lens focuses down to 15 inches, with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3. Sigma has also designed a dedicated close-up AML72-01 lens that pairs with the 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3 to offer a maximum magnification ratio 1:2. Sigma claims that when this close-up lens is attached, the image taken at maximum magnification ratio, at 300mm, infinity, shows very little difference in modulation transfer function (MTF). (This close-up lens will be sold separately for $55 and will also be available in October.)
The Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.4 DC Macro OS HSM will be available in Sigma, Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Sony mounts; Pentax and Sony mounts will not offer OS. Price is expected to be around $579.
Two Sigma 150-600mm Lenses
Why two 150-600mm zoom lenses? According to Sigma, the Sigma 150-600mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports delivers enhanced, professional-grade optics and greater durability for challenging, high-action photographic situations. The 150-600mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary is a versatile lens that offers similar performance in a more compact and portable design.
Both lenses are dust- and splash-proofe, and the front and rear lenses are water and oil-repellent. They both have updated Optica Stabilizer with an accelerometer for improved vertical and horizontal panning, which is extremely helpful for bird, wildlife and sports racing photography. Two new switches, added for ease of use, are a zoom lock, which will lock at any focal distance, and a MO Manual Override switch for improved focusing performance.
Mare shared features include an enhanced AF algorithm, and a Hyper Sonic Motor, which Sigma says ensures quiet and fast autofocus. The lenses are compatible with Sigma’s new Global Vision teleconverters (see below). As with all of Sony’s Global Vision lenses, both models have a USB dock and Mount Conversion Service. The USB mount allows for customization of AF speed, viewing modes, focus limiter, and firmware updates.
So, what are the differences?
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports: Sigma says this is the more durable lens, with splash- and dust-proof construction. It is 4.8 inches wide by 11.4 inches in length with a weight of 100.9 ounces. It has 24 elements in 16 groups, including two FL and three SLD glass elements. The minimum aperture is f/22, and the lens focuses to 102.4 inches with a top magnification ratio of 1:5. It will be available in Canon, Nikon, and Sigma mounts.
Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary: At an inch shorter than the sports model, this lens has a splash- and dust-proof mount, and features 20 elements in 14 groups. While Sigma hasn’t released information about the lens’s weight, with four fewer elements it is expected to be lighter as ewell. It has one FLD and three SLD glass elements, f/22 smallest aperture, and a focusing distance of 110.2 inches, a bit farther than the Sports model. It will be available in Nikon, Canon, Sigma and Sony mounts.
State of the art teleconverters
Sigma also unveiled a TC1401 1.4x ($349) and TC200 2x ($399) teleconverter. Both offer 2 SLD elements to minimize aberration correction, and will work with autofocus up to f/8. Sigma also announced:
- a Water-repellant protector, to protect the surface of the lens from dirt, dust and scratches
- a WR UV filter
- a Wr Circular PL filter
DP1 Quattro camera
With the opening of Photokina, Sigma announced the availability of the dp1 Quattro utilizes a newly developed, fixed 19mm F2.8 wide-angle lens, equivalent to a 28mm on a 35mm camera, that is specifically designed and optimized to pair with Sigma’s new Quattro sensor, making it the widest of the dp Quattro trio of cameras. One FLD glass element is paired with two glass mold aspherical lenses to minimize aberration. An optimized telecentric design improves image quality throughout the frame to maximize the resolution power of the Foveon senor. The dp2 (30mm) is currently available and the dp1’s pricing and availability has yet to be announced.
The Quattro sensor is a three-layered, panchromatic silicon chip whose green-sensitive middle and red-sensitive bottom layers each have 4.9 MP and record only color/chrominance information. The top blue layer captures chrominance and resolution/luminance information with 19.6 MP, resulting in greater detail capture and resolution capabilities that are higher than the Merrill DP camera line. The Quattro sensor’s architecture also contributes to true color rendition and more detail capture, delivering even more realistic images as well as faster image processing.
Sigma says the dp1 Quattro offers improved battery life, richer, more faithful color rendering, a new True III image processor, improved high ISO image quality, and improved color modes.
New LCD viewfinder
In addition to the availability of the dp Quattro camera, Sigma has also announced a new LCD View Finder LVF-01. The LVF-01 attaches to the camera’s LCD display to eliminate outside light and features a diopter adjustment range from -2 to +1. Coupled with the camera’s high-performance lens and coating, it magnifies the LCD display 2.5 times, allowing photographers to check the focus more easily with enhanced clarity and visibility. The easy handling of the viewfinder also helps reduce camera shake.
The Sigma dp1 Quattro is expected in the US in mid-October. Pricing will be announced soon.
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