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Photokina 2012: Sigma Stand Report

By R Butler | Published Sep 20, 2012 | Show Reports

Sigma has a large, open stand with a long counter containing a selection of its wide range of lenses that visitors can try on their own cameras. Signposts along the counter separate For Sigma, For Canon, For Sony, For Nikon, For Pentax and For Mirrorless. Also on show are the company's latest cameras, with the newly-available DP1 Merrill joining the DP2M and SD1M to demonstrate the company's unique Foveon X3 technology.

Also to be seen are the three new lenses announced at the show, representing the three categories with which Sigma will brands its lenses. Representing the high-grade, enthusiast and pro-photographer 'Art' series of lenses is the 35mm F1.4, which the company says has been designed to produce minimal axial CA. In the compact, flexible 'Contemporary' series is a smaller, redesigned 17-70mm F2.8-4 OS. And covering the long-range 'Sports' series is a new 120-300mm F2.8 OS.


The Sigma stand in hall 4	Visitors testing the Sigma range of super-telephoto lenses

Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM

Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM

Sigma DP1 Merrill 14.7x3 MP camera with 28mm equivalent lens

Sigma DP1 Merrill 14.7x3 MP camera with 45mm equivalent lens



If you bring your own camera...	...you can attach Sigma's lenses to it and test them at the stand.

Test scenes have been setup...	...and product presentations are shown on a big screen.

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Total comments: 40

What about anymore µ4/3 mount lenses?

0 upvotes

What about Sigmas rather groundbreaking lens dock stuff? To be able to do lens firmware updates and AF adjustments with the dock, USB and some new SW.

0 upvotes

I bought a 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 ages ago to replace my kit zoom on my rebel XT, that lens is still going strong! I think it has even outlived my Canon 50mm f/1.4, which makes me truly sad.

For a lens that was cheap compared to its Canon equivalent, it works great and its a tough, well built lens. I will be buying more Sigmas in the future.

0 upvotes

Finally someone else with this (18-125) lens. I don't see it mentioned much. For me, its a good travel lens, compact, good FL range and mine is pretty sharp (though I'd really like a faster equivalent at this point.)
I do have to say, it broke: the OS broke and it chattered like a frozen monkey when trying to focus. Cost about $240 to repair, greatly decreasing the original value.

0 upvotes

Hahaha, yours was newer than mine! Mine had an older noisier micro-motor and no OS. I would have loved to have OS, but I don't think it was offered at the time! I fully intend on getting OS on any zoom lens from now on though.

0 upvotes

The outer shell of the new lenses looks really different than the crumpled plastic of old. Those were nice, solid builds, but these do look great.

Sorry, but I haven't bought a Sigma lens since the 50 mm, and I've always had a soft spot for the company. :O

0 upvotes

I'm deeply dissapointed by Sigma this Photokina. I was hoping (actually counting) on some m43 lenses. I can't understand why Sigma is not actively supporting this (and the NEX) market with a nice wide-angle zoom. Big dissapointment.

Comment edited 18 seconds after posting

2 upvotes

Unfortunately there were some misleading rumors that raised a lot of expectations. I was hoping to see a nice competitor to the Panasonic 12-35 or a 12-60mm for my OM-D and without stabilization to keep the price affordable.

0 upvotes

Something like the 120-300 F2.8 would be a major addition to the longer end of the m43 range - quite interesting for nature photography...

0 upvotes

Sigma are doing great work by producing affordable low price good lenses.

0 upvotes

So does the 35/1.4 replace the 30/1.4? Guess I should get the old version quickly then. Sigma has a weird habit of upgrading great oddball lenses to crappier mainstream versions (usually from EX to OS).

0 upvotes

The new 35 1.4 is made for full frame sensors. 30 1.4 is crop only.

1 upvote

i like the new design. good job SIGMA.

3 upvotes

It will match beautifully with Sony lenses......so, identical its design!

0 upvotes

Ho my God, so much mistakes in this report ...

At first this is a DP2m, showed on the photo. Second, there is lot more to say about new lens line up but it seems Dpreview do not care (or have been paid to no care ? )

2 upvotes

Have you notice that the SD1 files aren't available in the "compare mode" in the reviews? This bug has been spotted months ago and no-one has do anything yet...

3 upvotes

Yep... but what to say ? They are probably lazy ;) or paid to be :D

0 upvotes

Seems corrected now :)

It can be cool If you, DPR staff, can link in this report your topic on the new lenses, buried under tones of P&S cameras.

0 upvotes

The thing that bothers me is how easy it is in photopro to upres to 200% and you never see any upres images here or anywhere else. They say it is because of their standardized system, but they could at least include one (compared to the Pentax 645d?) to illustrate the effect. It would be the same as if they reviewed the Hassy H4D-200MS without including a sample of the multi-shot image.

0 upvotes

"Sigma DP1 Merrill 14.7x3 MP camera with 45mm equivalent lens"
You hate Sigma for real...

0 upvotes

OK Sigma, where is the 200-500 f/4? The 120-300 isn't long enough, the 300-800 is too slow and the 200-500 is too expensive and heavy.

0 upvotes

ABSOLUTLY a 200-500 f4 OS is what I have always wished for from Sigma. I would even take a 160-400 f4 OS (still 2.5x zoom) to undercut the Canon/Nikon 200-400 f4s. I just hope they do not increase the price much (or at all).

0 upvotes

then why don't you go out and make your own lens if you can't satisfy yourself here. Listen to yourself and take a look in the mirror. you sound like a cry baby.

0 upvotes

What's the nickname for that BIG green lens?

0 upvotes

Siggyzilla or Sigmazilla.

1 upvote

I thought it was the Bigma ?

1 upvote

50-500 is the Bigma

2 upvotes

I call the 200-500 Kingma.

What else is the king of lenses?

1 upvote

THE SIGMONSTER

0 upvotes

Sigmonster is the 300-800 5.6.

0 upvotes

For GOD's sake, don't categorize lenses, there is no creative boundary to a lens, nothing's gonna stop me from using the 120-300mm for arts or the 35mm for sports!
It's is great news for Canon users, the 35L is old and not particularly excellent. Hope Sigma's can exceed the 35L at a lower cost!
And if the 120-300 has excellent optical quality, it could possibly become legandary, there's simply no competition.

2 upvotes

If they stated that the 35mm is an ART lens and not a sport one, propbably silly people will stop argue the low AF speed on a such lens... Out there is full of self proclaimed photographers who don't understand that lenses and camera are instruments that are design with a precise mission. Everytime someone states CANON or NIKON are better cameras than 645d because of the high iso performance or AF a designer die. This slaughter must end.

2 upvotes

Well, if Sigma tags the 35mm as art, silly people would still use it to take sports and complaint about the AF, because by definition, they are silly ;D

0 upvotes

Looks like a pretty empty booth... Not many folks watching that SD1 Merrill movie.

1 upvote

hahahahaha

0 upvotes

Oops. Didn't put a label for the 17-70 OS.
Descriptions are a bit skewed.

Like that iPhone pano!

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 11 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

The new lenses are beautiful: modern, honest (love that serial number location), high-tech but approachable.

Little details like FEET spelt out rather than abbreviated to the unnecessary and unsanctioned FT are not lost on us. A lot of thought went into this design, and it shows.

May they perform as well as they look!

4 upvotes

All that, but still keep the "Sigma Price" please :)

2 upvotes

Pls

1 upvote

Richard, it would be nice to get some info regarding the computer based AF fine tuning that the photographer can accomplish with the new 120-300mm lens. Thanks!

1 upvote

Total comments: 40