Photokina 2018 is rocking and rolling in Cologne, Germany, and camera and lens manufacturers certainly came to play this time.
That includes Sigma, which unveiled five - yes, FIVE - new lenses as part of their "Global Vision" series.
If you ask me, Sigma makes some of the best glass on the market today. That's a sentiment shared by many of my colleagues in the industry.
What makes that even more impressive is that it wasn't all that long ago that many photographers would never have considered putting a Sigma lens on their camera.
Here's the scoop on Sigma's incredible new line of lenses.
Editor's Tip: Becoming a better photographer means knowing how to use your gear. Learn how to read the markings on your lens.
Sigma 28mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
I'm particularly excited about Sigma's new 28mm wide-angle option since I typically photograph landscapes.
This f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens offers water-repellent and oil-repellent coating on the front element, dust-proof and splash-proof weather-sealing, and reduced chromatic aberration and sagittal coma flare due to a new optical design.
The hypersonic motor is combined with an updated algorithm to offer high-speed autofocus that's extraordinarily accurate, too.
Sigma has designed versions of this lens for Sigma, Canon, Nikon, and Sony E mount cameras.
Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
Next up is a 40mm f/1.4 lens that was developed specifically for low-light photography.
This is the first lens Sigma has developed to offer a cinematic angle of view and performance.
With three F low dispersion glass elements and three special low dispersion elements, the lens has minimal chromatic aberration and magnification chromatic aberration.
The lens produces less than one percent distortion and virtually non-existent sagittal coma flare, offering shootings gorgeously clean and sharp results, even at maximum aperture.
The lens is compatible with 8K resolution and offers gorgeous bokeh as well.
Sigma has designed variants of this lens for Sigma, Canon, Nikon, and Sony E mount cameras.
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Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary
Designed specifically for Micro Four Thirds and Sony E mount cameras, the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 lens offers an effective focal length that provides a telephoto view.
The compact and lightweight design of this Contemporary lens will be appreciated by any photographer that wants excellent performance without having to carry a big, bulky lens.
The image quality is, unsurprisingly, top of the line, with particularly beautiful bokeh that will act as the perfect backdrop for everything from portraits to wildlife photography.
This lens is also designed for video shooting, with a quiet autofocus that operates smoothly and won't cause distracting noise in the background of your videos.
Editor's Tip: Not sure what lens to add to your bag next? Learn why every photographer needs a 50mm lens.
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports
Far and away, the biggest news from Sigma this year at Photokina was the announcement of the much-anticipated 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports lens shown above.
This flagship lens is aimed squarely at professional photographers that need a large aperture telephoto zoom lens in their camera bag.
Sigma managed to pack this lens full of high-end features while keeping the lens feather light (thanks to its magnesium body).
It's dust-proof, splash-proof, and like the 28mm lens discussed earlier, it also has a water-repellent and oil-repellent coating on the front element.
The lens incorporates Sigma's Intelligent OS with an acceleration sensor as well as Sigma's latest algorithm capable of panning in all directions.
With 10 low dispersion glass elements, this lens is capable of extraordinarily high resolution images from corner to corner.
Available for Canon, Nikon, and Sigma camera systems, this lens is ideal for sports photography and portraiture.
Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports
If you're looking for a lens with incredible reach, Sigma's 60-600mm sports lens might be the one for you.
This is the first lens in the world with 10x optical zoom that reaches 600mm. It has a whopping 25 elements in 19 groups that give it superb image quality from 60mm to 600mm and all points between.
The intelligent OS offers excellent image stabilization, giving you four extra stops.
Likewise, the optical design guarantees maximum correction of chromatic aberrations.
But this lens isn't just for telephoto work. Instead, at 200mm, it can be used for telephoto macro photography thanks to its 1:3.3 magnification ratio.
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Final Thoughts
Whether you're in the market for a wide-angle, standard, or telephoto lens, this new Sigma line of lenses has you covered and covered well.
I mean, seriously - a 60-600mm lens?? Crazy!
Better still, Sigma traditionally has excellent lenses that are offered at competitive prices, so once the pricing details on these lenses come out, you likely won't have to prepare to have a heart attack.
That being said, buying a new lens is definitely harder on your pocketbook than buying a pre-owned lens, so if you're strapped for cash, I highly recommend looking for a quality, pre-owned lens to save some money.
Either way, an upgraded lens is going to have a bigger impact on the quality of your photos than a new camera, so whatever your budget is, put it toward a better lens!
Via Sigma