Sigma Corporation

Sigma Corporation
Native name
 株式会社シグマ
Private KK
Industry Electronics
Founded Setagaya, Japan (September 1961 (1961-09))
Founder Michihiro Yamaki
Headquarters Asao-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 215-8530, Japan
Key people
 Kazuto Yamaki
(CEO)
Products
Number of employees
 1,135
Subsidiaries Foveon
Website Official website
Footnotes / references
[1][2]

Sigma Corporation (株式会社シグマ Kabushiki-gaisha Shiguma) is a Japanese company, manufacturing cameras, lenses, flashes and other photographic accessories. All Sigma products are produced in the company's own Aizu factory in Bandai, Fukushima, Japan. Although Sigma produces several camera models, the company is best known for producing lenses and other accessories that are compatible with the cameras produced by other companies.[3]

The company was founded in 1961 by Michihiro Yamaki, who was Sigma's CEO until his death at age 78 in 2012.[4]

Sigma products work with cameras from Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic, as well as their own cameras.

Sigma has also made lenses under the Quantaray name, which have been sold exclusively by Ritz Camera. Similarly, Sigma lenses were sold exclusively by the former Wolf Camera, but following the merger of Wolf and Ritz, both brands can be purchased.

Sigma's digital SLRs, the SD9, SD10, SD14 and SD15 and the latest SD1 are unusual in their use of the Foveon X3 image sensor. All use the SA lens mount. The Sigma DP1 and DP2, high-end compact P&S cameras, also use the Foveon X3 sensor, which gives them a much larger sensor than other cameras of this type.

Sigma is the world's largest independent lens manufacturer and is a family-owned business.[5]

Cameras

Sigma has made a number of film SLR cameras, including the SA-300, SA-5, SA-7 and SA-9. Their latest consumer digital SLR is the SD15. During photokina 2010, Sigma announced their new flagship DSLR camera, the SD1. SD1 features a new 46MP Foveon X3 sensor with 1.5x crop, as opposed to the 1.7x crop of previous models.[6]

All Sigma SLR and DSLR cameras use the Sigma SA mount, which is mechanically similar to the Pentax K mount and electrically an adaptation of the Canon EF lens mount lens control system.

Sigma also produces high-end compact digital cameras, the Sigma DP1, Sigma DP2, and Sigma DP3, through various iterations using APS-C sized sensors similar to those used in the DSLR line. Their 23.5 x 15.7 mm sensors were first based on the Sigma SD-14 DSLR, then the Sigma SD-15, then the Sigma SD1 and Sigma SD1 Merrill.

The current line of Sigma DP compact cameras make use of the Quattro sensor, a variant of the Foveon design using a higher resolution top layer and lower resolution lower layers combined into a final image that is equivalent to a 39 megapixel color filter array image.

The four compact cameras each have a fixed lens - the DP0 with a 14mm f/4 lens, the DP1 with a 19mm f/2.8 lens, the DP2 with a 30mm f/2.8 lens, and the DP3 with a 50mm F/2.8 lens (equivalent to 75mm on a 35mm SLR camera).

Lenses

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Sigma makes autofocus lenses for the Sigma SA, Canon EF, Nikon F, Minolta/Sony α, Pentax K and Four Thirds lens mounts. Each lens may not be available in all mounts, and may lack certain features (such as HSM) on certain mounts. There have been some complaints of quality control and assurance issues of lens manufacturing.[7][8]

In August 2013, Sigma announced that starting the following month, it would offer a mount conversion service for its newest "Global Vision" lenses—those with either an "A" (Art), "C" (Contemporary), or "S" (Sport) as part of their model name. For a cost that varies with lens and market—from $80 to $250 in the U.S., not including shipping costs—owners can send their lenses to their local Sigma company, which in turn sends them to Japan for mount replacement, including calibration and optimization for the new camera system. Lenses designed for DSLRs can be converted to Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sigma SA, or Sony A mounts; those designed for MILCs can be converted to Micro Four Thirds or Sony E-mount.[9]

Designations

Sigma 200–500mm F2.8 EX DG displayed at the 2008 photokina
Sigma macro, telephoto and wide angle lenses (left to right)

Zoom lenses

Wide-angle zooms

Standard zooms

  • 17–50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM
  • 17–70mm f/2.8–4.5 DC MACRO HSM
  • 17–70mm f/2.8-4.0 DC OS MACRO HSM
  • 17–70mm f/2.8-4.0 DC OS MACRO HSM C
  • 18–35mm f/1.8 DC HSM A
  • 18–50mm f/2.8 EX DC
  • 18–50mm f/2.8 EX DC MACRO
  • 18–50mm f/2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM
  • 18–50mm f/3.5–5.6 DC
  • 24–60mm f/2.8 EX DG
  • 24–70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro
  • 24–70mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM
  • 24–70mm f/3.5–5.6 Aspherical HF
  • 24–105mm f/4 DG OS HSM A
  • 24–135mm f/2.8–4.5 Aspherical IF
  • 28–70mm f/2.8 EX DG
  • 28–70mm f/2.8–4 DG
  • 28–70mm f/2.8–4 UC
  • 28–70mm f/3.5–4.5 UC
  • 28–80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical Macro
  • 28–84mm f/3.5–4.5
  • 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5
  • 28–105mm f/2.8–4 DG
  • 28–105mm f/3.8–5.6 Aspherical IF
  • 28–105mm f/4–5.6 UC
  • 28–135mm f/3.8–5.6
  • 28–135mm f/4–5.6
  • 28–200mm f/3.5–5.6 DG Macro
  • 28–200mm f/4–5.6
  • 28–300mm f/3.5–6.3 DG Macro
  • 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DL Hyperzoom Aspherical IF
  • 35–70mm f/2.8–4
  • 35–70mm f/3.5–4.5
  • 35–80mm f/4–5.6 DL
  • 35–105mm f/3.5–4.5 Macro
  • 35–135mm f/3.5–4.5
  • 35–135mm f/4–5.6 UC
  • 35–200mm f/4–5.6
  • 39–80mm f/3.5 XQ

Telephoto zooms

Prime lenses

Wide-angle primes

Standard primes

Macro primes

  • Macro 50mm f/2.8 EX
  • Macro 50mm f/2.8 EX DG
  • Macro 55mm f/2.8 XQ
  • Macro 70mm f/2.8 EX DG
  • Macro 90mm f/2.8
  • Macro 100mm f/2.8 XQ
  • Macro 105mm f2.8 EX
  • Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG
  • Macro 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
  • APO Macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM
  • APO Macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
  • APO Macro 180mm f/2.8
  • APO Macro 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
  • APO Macro 180mm f/3.5 EX DG IF HSM
  • APO Macro 180mm f/5.6

Telephoto primes

  • 85 mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM [11]
  • 135mm f/1.8 XQ
  • Sigmatel 135mm f/1.8
  • 135mm f/2.5 T-mount
  • 135mm f/2.8
  • 135mm f/3.5
  • 200mm f/2.8 XQ
  • 200mm f/3.5
  • 200mm f/4
  • APO 300mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM
  • APO 300mm f/2.8
  • 300mm f/4 XQ
  • APO 300mm f/4 Macro
  • APO 300mm f/4 HSM Macro
  • APO 300mm f/4.5
  • 300mm f/5.6
  • 400mm f/5.6
  • 400mm f/5.6 Mirror
  • APO 400mm f/5.6
  • APO 400mm f/5.6 Macro
  • APO 400mm f/5.6 HSM Macro
  • 500mm f/4 Mirror-Ultratelephoto
  • APO 500mm f/4.5
  • APO 500mm f/4.5 EX DG HSM
  • APO 500mm f/7.2
  • 500mm f/8 Mirror
  • 600mm f/8 Mirror
  • APO 800mm f/5.6 EX DG HSM
  • APO 1000mm f/8
  • 1000mm f/13.5 Mirror

DC lenses for APS-C

DN lenses for MILC

  • 19mm f/2.8 EX DN
  • 19mm f/2.8 DN | A
  • 30mm f/2.8 EX DN
  • 30mm f/2.8 DN | A
  • 60mm f/2.8 DN | A

Lawsuit

In 2011, Nikon filed a suit against Sigma, alleging it had violated patents relating to Nikon's "Vibration Reduction" image stabilisation technology.[12] In 2015, the suit ended through settlement, with no details disclosed.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Company Summary". Sigma Corp. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Company Snapshot". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  3. ↑ Werner Publishing (2006), PCPhoto Best Tips & Techniques for Digital Photography, ISBN 1-57990-697-4
  4. ↑ "Michihiro Yamaki, Sigma founder and CEO dies: Digital Photography Review". Digital Photography Review. January 27, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Sigma AF 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM - Lab Test / Review". Photozone.de. May 1, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Sigma releases SD1 flagship digital SLR". Digital Photography Review. September 21, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  7. ↑ "The Sigma Saga". LensRentals.com. September 12, 2008. Archived from the original on October 16, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Lens Repair Data". LensRentals.com. May 17, 2009.
  9. ↑ "Sigma Corporation’s new Mount Conversion Service enables lens use across camera systems" (Press release). Sigma Corp. of America. August 1, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Sigma launches stabilized 70-200mm F2.8 telezoom". Digital Photography Review. February 20, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Sigma releases 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM". Digital Photography Review. February 20, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  12. ↑ http://www.dpreview.com/articles/1662465553/nikonsigmadispute
  13. ↑ http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2015/04/21/nikon-and-sigma-reach-settlement-in-os-patent-infringement-case

External links

Sigma Digital SLR timeline
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
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APS-C SD9 SD10 SD14 SD15 SD1 SD1 Merrill
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