Sigma CEO Expresses Interest in Fujifilm GFX Support: “If We Want to Master Optics, We Need to Support Medium Format”

image courtesy: sigma-sein.com
image courtesy: sigma-sein.com

In an interview to Petapixel, Sigma’s CEO, Kazuto Yamaki, has expressed personal interest in supporting medium format cameras with the company’s lenses.

While Sigma has focused on building its lens lineup for full-frame mirrorless cameras, Yamaki acknowledges the growing popularity of medium format cameras and the potential for third-party lens manufacturers to enter this market.

Although there are currently no official plans to support medium format, Yamaki stated that it is his personal hope, and he emphasized the need to carefully assess the market and demand.

Here are the relevant quotes from the article:

I [am] personally very much interested in supporting medium format. Again, it’s a small market, but I have some interest.

[…]

So right now we don’t have such plan, but if Sigma wants to be a master of optics, I think we need to support medium format. But that’s just personal hope. But I need to carefully look at the market and demand

Fortunately, the CEO’s personal opinion holds significant influence, perhaps more than any other within the company. These statements indeed inspire optimism.

Additionally, it is now evident that Fujifilm has not restricted the G-mount to third-party manufacturers. If this were the case, Sigma would have publicly expressed their concerns, just as they did previously when they complained about Fujifilm not permitting them to produce X mount lenses.

It’s only an issue of market share. And luckily the Fujifilm GFX (and also Hasselblad X system) market share is growing.

You can read the full article at PetaPixel here (image from sigma-sein.com)

Sigma CEO:” Fujifilm GFX Users Would be Our Ideal Customers, but so far No Sigma GFX lenses Planed” and Sigma 10-18mmF2.8 DC DN

image courtesy: Phototrend
image courtesy: Phototrend

Sigma & Fujifilm

The French website Phototrend had the opportunity to interview Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki.

The Sigma CEO briefly talks about the new Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary and a mention also goes to the Fujifilm GFX system.

Here is a quick summary mainly of the Fujifilm related stuff:

  • for 2-3 years (during Covid), high-end lenses were very popular
  • recently, perhaps because of inflation, people have begun to look for the right balance between performance, quality and price
  • I think that this trend will be even more marked in the coming years.
  • if the new Sigma 10-18mm f/2.8 would have been designed as an ART lens, it would have been larger
  • but since it is a Contemporary lens, Sigma looked for the right balance between performance, weight and compactness
  • the 10-18 mm uses the camera corrections. This is one of the reasons why we were able to make it compact
  • in camera correction is very effective especially for distortion and vignetting. It is very difficult to see the difference [with an optical corrected lens] on a small image
  • if you print big, then the difference would be more noticable
  • If the lens has vignetting, the bokeh in the shape of a cat’s eye may be exaggerated
  • Thus, if customers are really concerned about the quality of the image, they should also care about the quality of the lens
  • currently no plans to offer lenses for the GFX system
  • GFX users would be ideal customers for Sigma, because they are professional or passionate photographers
  • But Sigma’s engineers are working hard on many projects, and Sigma’s resources are limited
  • making lenses for GFX is a possibility that the Sigma CEO would like to continue to explore
  • but so far no plans for GFX lenses from Sigma

The full interview, that covers much more, can be checked out in French at Phototrend here.

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 for Fujifilm X mount Listed at Stores – Announcement Imminent?

Sigma told us many months ago here, that the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 for Fujifilm X mount will come in December.

Well, it seems it is about to happen as the first stores started to list it on their websites.

The first one has to be New Zealand located store photowarehouse, who has listed it here (thanks Massimo for letting me know via the revived contact form)

Details for Sigma 18-50mm F/2.8 DC DN Contemporary Lens For Fuji X-Mount

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

Sigma CEO Confirms Sigma 18-50mmF2.8 for Fujifilm X mount Coming End of 2022 (Probably December)

It’s a known fact since February 2022 that Sigma plans to release the Sigma 18-50mmF2.8 DC DN Contemporary for Fujifilm X mount within this year.

And FujiRumors already reported how Sigma USA gave a more precise timeline: the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 for X mount will be released in December.

But all those statements were made back in early 2022.

So has something changed? Did the parts shortage or the price increase on those parts due to inflation change the plans at Sigma and possibly even delayed the lens?

Well, I am happy to report that Sigma is still on track to release the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 for X mount within this year.

This has in fact just been confirmed by the Sigma CEO himself, who in the latest Sigma Stage talk video confirmed that the lens is scheduled for “end of 2022 release“.

A little good news for X shooters.

Now let’s hope that they will also keep it gently priced as the Sony E mount version.

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Fujifilm X Talk with Sigma: X Mount Sigma Lenses Demand Surprisingly High

In the latest Fujifilm X Talk episode, Fujifilm manager Ueno talks to Mr. Ozone, general manager of Sigma product planning department.

The automatic YouTube translation is very bad, but luckily the Japanese guys at dclife made a summary, which Google Translate makes a good job to translate.

  • Fujifilm first contacted Sigma 9 years ago
  • Sigma wants to increase mount supports and is grateful Fujifilm opened the X mount protocols
  • Fuji users are used to aperture rings. But changing the current design to implement an aperture ring would have raised the costs of the lenses
  • Sigma released lenses that are already covered by Fujinon XF lenses, so they thought demand would be low. But turns out the demand was surprisingly higher than expected
  • “In addition, the lens configuration of “XF35mmF1.4 R” and MTF curve lens design discussions are exciting, and it is the first part that makes you two really like lenses or have passion.”

Many were skeptical, when Sigma released lenses that are similar to existing Fujinon lenses, and predicted the same debacle of the Zeiss Touit lenses. However, here on FujiRumors we always told you that that won’t be the case for the reasons we explained here.

Next up, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8, which will come in December and I expect to become Sigma’s best selling X mount lens by a large margin.