World First for Sigma Fisheye Lens

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.

sigmauk.com

This article was first published in Issue 114 of Photography News.