World First for Sigma Fisheye Lens
Posted on Mar 12, 2024
Opposites attract
Sigma’s world’s first full-frame f/1.4 diagonal fisheye lens and a compact ultra-telephoto prime, promises unmatched image quality and professional-grade features
Optical specialist Sigma has whipped the covers off an ultra wide-angle and a super telephoto lens, both arriving in mid-March.
The Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN is touted as the world’s first full-frame f/1.4 diagonal fisheye lens.
Available in both L-Mount and Sony E-mount on launch, the properties of this Art series lens include the bright, fast aperture and a 180° angle of view, allowing capture of large landscapes and star-strewn skies, or images with uniquely exaggerated proportions.
A built-in rear filter holder allows for gel-type ND filters to be inserted, a lens heater retainer prevents heat strips used by astrophotographers in cold conditions from slipping over in front of the lens, plus a unique manual focus lock switch disables the focus ring.
Naturally, Sigma promises outstanding quality across the whole frame, ensuring bright points of light remain pin-sharp.
Included with the lens is a TS-141 tripod socket; because this type of ultra wide-aperture lens is relatively heavy, its maker wants to ensure a more balanced set-up closer to the centre of gravity when both it and the camera are mounted on a tripod.
The 15mm f/1.4 DG DN comes with a suggested retail price of £1859.
The second new lens is the Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS, joining its Sports series line-up, and again arrives in L-Mount and E-mount.
Despite its reach, this prime lens for full-frame cameras is described as relatively compact and lightweight at 234.6mm in length and 1370g in weight.
To achieve the smaller size, we’re told convex low-dispersion elements have been used towards the front of the lens barrel.
Professional-grade features include a weather-resistant structure, focus limiter switch, de-clickable and lockable aperture ring, detachable tripod socket and custom mode switch.
Sigma sums this one up as ‘the definitive ultra-telephoto prime’ aimed at enthusiasts and pros alike.
The 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS comes at a suggested retail price of £2779.
This article was first published in Issue 114 of Photography News.
Don’t forget to sign up to receive our newsletter below, and get notified about the new issue, exclusive offers and competitions.
Have you heard The Photography News Podcast? Tune in for news, techniques, advice and much more! Click here to listen for free.
