RONKONKOMA, NY — Sigma Corporation of America (www.sigmaphoto.com), a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider for some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art lens, the market’s first zoom lens to achieve a maximum aperture F1.8 throughout the entire zoom range.
This revolutionary, wide aperture, standard zoom lens is created for DSLR cameras with APS-C size sensors, which translates to a focal range of 27-52.5mm on a 35mm camera. With a minimum focusing distance of 11 inches, and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:4.3, the 18-35mm is ideal for landscapes, portraits, still-life, studio, close-up and casual photography.
“Exceptionally fast apertures were previously unavailable in zoom lenses, so photographers turned to several prime lenses in a session to get bright images at various focal lengths. We’re incredibly excited to be the first manufacturer to bring the F1.8 standard zoom to the market and to provide photographers with a new level of creativity and convenience, with the outstanding image quality at the core of the new Sigma Global Vision,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America.
Amir-Hamzeh added that because developing a large aperture wide angle zoom lens can prove to be technologically and optically challenging, often resulting in various distortions, aberrations and field curvature, Sigma has tapped into its long history as a lens pioneer to overcome those issues in this new generation lens.
“Our experience with the wide angle designs of our 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 II DG HSM and our 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM, and our research and development in our Aizu factory have prepared us for this technological advancement,” he said. “Our wide, glass-molded aspherical lens and the incorporation of Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass have optimized power distribution of the optical elements and compensated for various aberrations, as well as curvature of field at the widest angle. We’re extremely proud of this achievement.”
The 18-35mm is the latest addition to the company’s Art line of lenses, designed under the new Global Vision. The Global Vision lenses have a sleek new design with the manufacturing year stamped on the barrel, and are categorized by use into one of three groups: Art, Contemporary and Sports. The Art category delivers high-level artistic expression through sophisticated and abundant expressive power.
The new 18-35mm lens incorporates Sigma’s improved AF/MF switch and the use of Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) compound material, which has a high affinity to metal parts, consistently performs well at extreme temperatures, and reduces the size and weight of the lens. It is also compatible with Sigma’s new USB Dock, which will be available in coming months, enabling photographers to update lens firmware and adjust focus parameters from their computers.
Convenient handling is achieved with internal focusing and zooming, which prevents changes to the size of the lens. Additionally, the front part of the lens does not rotate, so special filters like circular polarizers can be used.
The 18-35mm lens’ Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides sharp and high contrast images, even in backlit conditions. The petal-type hood that is supplied with the lens will provide extra protection from flare and ghosting. Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures a silent, high-speed AF function and the optimized auto focus algorithm results in smooth focusing and full-time manual focusing capability. Lastly, the nine-blade, rounded diaphragm creates an attractive, round bokeh at large-aperture settings.

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Hands-on Photos | PhotographyBLOG

http://saeki_pnc.blog.me/185545089


I hope that Sigma make pentax mount for this lens.

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Last edited by rlatjsrud; 04-19-2013 at 02:36 PM.

[Adam]

Could be a nice lens on FF, who knows if they'll bother to make it for Pentax's lineup...

[WillWeaverRVA]

Not a rumor - Sigma announced the lens yesterday.

Sigma announces super-fast 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art for APS-C DSLRs: Digital Photography Review

Canon, Nikon, and Sigma mounts, though.

Only APS-C camera only.

[Akarak]

lol 18mm @f1.8 ON A ZOOM LENS? this i gotta see, must have the most superb quality ever, goodbye pentax FA ltd good bye *star* lenses!
Oh oh oh!!! lol

and also Sigma will takes time to make pentax mount or not.

[Adam]

Only APS-C camera only.

Well, I guess 1.8 might be difficult to accomplish on FX- will look at the official announcement!

Adam
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[Adam]

No Pentax mount

No Pentax mount

We are not sure that they make pentax mount. so we should have time to wait... Such as sigma 35.4(First time, sigma didn't make lens for pentax but several month they did.)

[Adam]

We are not sure that they make pentax mount. so we should have time to wait... Such as sigma 35.4(First time, sigma didn't make lens for pentax but several month they did.)

Usually they at least mention Pentax and say it will come out later. Doubt there's much of a market this this lens among Pentax users, anyway (unfortunately).

[WillWeaverRVA]

Usually they at least mention Pentax and say it will come out later. Doubt there's much of a market this this lens among Pentax users, anyway (unfortunately).

This sucks, as I'd definitely use a 18-35mm f/1.8 lens for some of the things I do...

[Adam]

This sucks, as I'd definitely use a 18-35mm f/1.8 lens for some of the things I do...

BH has just posted it in Canon, Nikon, and Sigma only:

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Lens For Nikon B&H Photo Video
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Lens For Sigma B&H Photo Video
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Lens For Canon B&H Photo Video

Too bad, but hey, at least we'll be getting the 35mm F1.4!

BH has just posted it in Canon, Nikon, and Sigma only:

Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Lens For Nikon B&H Photo Video
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Lens For Sigma B&H Photo Video
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Lens For Canon B&H Photo Video

Too bad, but hey, at least we'll be getting the 35mm F1.4!

Just wait for several week or month. They might make it for us.

[Cannikin]

Doubt there's much of a market this this lens among Pentax users, anyway (unfortunately).

On the contrary, I would think there is much higher interest among Pentax users (and to a lesser extent Sony) relative to their total population as compared to Canikon. This is a (presumably) very expensive, not particularly versatile, FF alternative lens. For Canikon users, the cost of the lens would probably be comparable to a 6D or D600, for which they can get much more versatile lenses.

Meanwhile Pentax has no FF, and no (APS-C) wide angles faster than f/2.8 at all, zoom or prime. This lens fills some very large holes for Pentax users.

[DSims]

lol 18mm @f1.8 ON A ZOOM LENS? this i gotta see, must have the most superb quality ever, goodbye pentax FA ltd good bye *star* lenses!
Oh oh oh!!! lol

It doesn't necessarily have superb quality at all, especially coming from Sigma. However, based on my positive experience with my recent purchase of the Sigma 8-16 (one of their more recent lenses) I think there's a good chance it will be.


I believe Sigma is waiting to see how well it sells on Canon and Nikon before they decide whether to release it on Sony or Pentax. In Pentax' case I think it will also depend on the success of Pentax' upcoming DSLR releases, which were designed after Ricoh took over.

Notice how Sigma even left two empty rows under the Corresponding Mounts section on the preliminary Specifications page:

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/product/18-35mm-f18-dc-hsm-art?link=april_m_1_new

Certainly they can add K-mount in the future (even if they change the layout of this page)!