[interested_observer]

Not my article......

On a trip to Japan this past August, Sigma Corporation's CEO Kazuto Yamaki asked if I'd like to tour their factory in Aizu Wakamatsu. Engineer/geek that I am, I couldn't possibly resist. Sigma Corporation has been a leading player in the third-party lens business since there was a third-party lens business. Long seen primarily as a source of inexpensive add-on lenses, they've recently been reshaping themselves into a purveyor of true high-end, no-excuses glass that's in the top tier of optical performance. (In our recent SLRgear review, we called the new Sigma 18-35 mm f/1.8 DC HSM "A" "by a wide margin, the best constant-aperture/wide-aperture zoom lens we've ever tested".) With this as background, the opportunity to have a true no-holds-barred geek's tour of their factory was a chance not to be missed.

• A geek’s tour of Sigma’s Aizu lens factory: Precision production from the inside out

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Last edited by interested_observer; 09-21-2013 at 09:25 AM.

[Johndav]

thanks for posting this up

[blackcloudbrew]

agreed, thanks for posting. wow, that's quite a read.

[monochrome]

Given what we've just read about the costs of just the coatings evaporators I imagine Ricoh has invested considerable money in Pentax for the new HD DA Limiteds. If they follow though by making enough capital investment to update manufacturing technologies for the entire line they'll have made a major commitment to Pentax - and most of us will never think about it.

We'll just keep writing that Pentax is DOOMED and Ricoh is running it into the ground.

[rbefly]

Interested_observer, thanks for posting this. Whew! What a process and the range of in-house production is truly amazing. No wonder Sigma moved from another 3rd party lens-maker to a real contender.
Paul, if you want to write about gloom and doom, you have to take a number. There's a half-dozen ahead of you and they show no signs of retiring or slowing down. You could say it's an obsession. I have another name for it.
Ron

[GibbyTheMole]

Fascinating read. Thanks for posting! :-)

[c.a.m]

interested_observer,

Congratulations on an exceptional piece of observation and writing. As an engineer/geek myself, I have to say that your article captures not only many, many technical details, but also gives us a glimpse into Sigma's culture. Really well done. Thanks for making the effort and taking the time to document your visit.

- Craig

[monochrome]

Paul, if you want to write about gloom and doom, you have to take a number. There's a half-dozen ahead of you and they show no signs of retiring or slowing down. You could say it's an obsession. I have another name for it.

Was I not clear? Everyone else says based on no new groundbreaking products Ricoh is doing nothing. I say Ricoh is investing in production facilities first, which we don't see, then the products follow.

Ron If you think I was adding to the pyre this place has gotten really twisted.

[interested_observer]

interested_observer,

Congratulations on an exceptional piece of observation and writing. As an engineer/geek myself, I have to say that your article captures not only many, many technical details, but also gives us a glimpse into Sigma's culture. Really well done. Thanks for making the effort and taking the time to document your visit.

- Craig

Craig - I just re-posted the link to the article, I did not write it. The most I did was to plagiarizer (copy) the lead in paragraph for the post. I am sitting here having my morning coffee and just saw a slew of likes, and just knew that something was out of kilter....

[c.a.m]

Craig - I just re-posted the link to the article, I did not write it.

A big oops on my part - I neglected a most important point. Thanks for the clarification. I guess my comments apply to the author!

[rbefly]

Was I not clear? Everyone else says based on no new groundbreaking products Ricoh is doing nothing. I say Ricoh is investing in production facilities first, which we don't see, then the products follow.

Ron If you think I was adding to the pyre this place has gotten really twisted.

No, not you Paul, I guess my sarcasm is too dry, I'll have to lighten it up. I was just joshing you, based on some earlier (PM) conversations we've had.
But it also was (or, tried to be) a pre-emptive notice for the REAL gloom and doomers, especially the ones who jump into any thread that mentions Pentax in a business sense, or the dreaded double F's. We've heard it, read it, been there, done that, bought a T-shirt. We don't need 42 posts by the same person (it's true, you can look it up), on one thread, saying the same thing, to get your point. Once is more than enough.
Sorry about the mix-up, buddy!
Ron

[monochrome]

Hah - we really need sarcasm tags. I got yours, too.

We don't need 42 posts by the same person

Said person has been quite moderate lately. We should give him credit since underneath the (formerly) assertive tone he usually has good insights and observations. I personally think Ricoh is the best thing to happen to Pentax in 40 years. Unfortunately it might not restore the Pentax most people seem to long for.

For those Pentaxians, an LX, an MZ-S, 200 Macro, a K10D and a few other things will have to do. For me a KX split-prism is enough memory; an MZ-S and the three FA Limiteds is the goal and HD's and whatever will be the new flagship will be sublime.

[Slice Of Light]

Thanks for the link 'interested_observer', it was a fascinating read.

Now if only Sigma would release their new 30mm F1.4 lens in a Pentax mount !!