Sigma

With a number of both updated and brand new lenses and cameras on offer Sigma is at this year's PMA certainly one of the more interesting stands to visit. The company's long awaited SD15 DSLR (which has been shown as a mock-up at previous shows) is now in a very-close-to-production state and the updated DP-1x and DP2s APS-C sensor compact cameras are on display as well.

However, the big stars at Sigma's stand are the new lenses. Along with the redesigned 50-500mm F4.5-6.3, 17-50mm F2.8 and 70-200 F2.8 (now all with image stabilization) there are the brand new 8-16 f4.5-5.6 DC wide-angle for APS-C and the very promising looking 85mm F1.4 (I bet our lens reviewer can't wait to get his hands on one of those). In some of these new lenses Sigma has for the first time used its new FLD glass which was developed jointly with Hoya. Sigma claims the new material has the same excellent characteristics to fluorite glass but can be produced at lower cost and therefore offered at a more affordable price.