[Update on April 14, 2014: Pricing for the 50mm lens will be set at $949, available in late April for Canon, Nikon, Sigma, and Sony mounts.]
[Update on January 18, 2014: Some new photos, and pricing for the 18-200mm has been set at $399.]
Sigma used CES 2014 to unveil two new lenses for DSLR users, the 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM and 50mm F1.4 DG HSM. Both are updated versions of existing lenses.
The 18-200mm is an improved and redesigned successor to the 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM by including improved macro capabilities. It’s also smaller and lighter (15.2 ounces, 2.8 x 3.4 inches) and now has a minimum focusing distance of 15.4 inches; the previous lens had a 17.7-inch distance and weighed 17.3 ounces and measured 3 x 3.5 inches. There are Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements with high refractive index for correcting chromatic aberration at full telephoto, while aspherical lens elements keep the whole thing compact while correcting distortion. The lens works with DSLRs with APS-C sensors, which are the majority of consumer DSLRs. According to Sigma, the letters on the front of the lens are engraved as to not reflect into the image – little attentions to details, the company says.
The 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is designed for full-frame DSLRs, ideal for portraits, landscapes, or anything that isn’t moving. It’s been updated with SLD glass elements and “optimized for rich peripheral brightness with improved large aperture performance by positioning wide elements into the front groups.” In other words, great bokeh/background defocusing. To achieve that, there’s a lot of glass elements in here, making it hefty. An enhanced algorithm offers smoother focusing, plus it has a floating system to reduce lens movement. Close-up focusing has also been improved to 15.7 inches when compared to previous version.
The two lenses have Hyper Sonic Motor for quiet and fast autofocusing – handy if you’re recording video. The glasses are also coated to reduce flare and ghosting. Both can utilize Sigma’s USB dock that lets you easily update the firmware, and can have the mounts updated should you ever switch camera brands via Sigma’s Mount Conversion Service.
This article was originally published on January 8, 2014
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