In an interview at CP+ with Sigma Corp's CEO Kazuto Yamaki about the new Sigma 500mm f/5.6 DG DN OS lens, Phototrend's Damien Roué followed up his questions by bringing up the recurring topic about Sigma making lenses for Canon and Nikon mirrorless cameras.
While Kazuto seemed to brush off the possibility of Sigma lenses for the Canon RF mount despite “increasingly strong demand” – which will disappointment Canon fans, especially those with APS-C cameras like the EOS R7 for whom there are so few lenses available – he was more encouraging about full-frame lenses for Nikon Z-mount.
Kazuto said: “In Nikon Z-mount we already have three lenses. But they haven't been very well received by users of Nikon bodies, perhaps because they are APS-C optics. Also, we must redouble our efforts to win the hearts of Nikonists.”
After launching three APS-C lenses for Nikon Z-mount at CP+ 2023 that have received a lukewarm response, how could Sigma win the hearts of Nikon fans? Damien probed about potential full-frame lenses to which Kazuto responded, “Full-frame is a source of opportunity for us. But our plan was to launch these three optics for APS-C to observe the market response. But today I would like to see how other objectives would be received.”
Of course the only way for Sigma to measure a market response to full-frame lenses for Nikon Z-mount would be to launch such lenses. Traditionally, Nikon has been more open to the third-party lens makers than Canon has, and it's entirely possible that some of Sigma's popular 'Art' lenses could become a reality – in fact, they could already be in the works.
Which lenses could Sigma make for full-frame Nikon Z mount?
If the response to this interview in the Nikon Rumors comments section are anything to go by, the prospect of full-frame lenses for Nikon Z mount has excited Nikon fans. They've started dreaming about what Sigma glass could become available for popular cameras like the Nikon Z6 II, Z8 and Zf.
I'd love to see an equivalent of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art – a lens that I relied on for years with my own Nikon DSLR in making some of my favorite portrait and reportage photos in East Africa, and the likes of which is not already available as a Nikon Z lens. That'll be the point here – Nikon is less likely to allow third-party lens makers like Sigma to create new optics that directly compete against its own existing range.
Nikon has made some incredibly sharp and affordable Z-Mount f/1.8 prime lenses, plus a number of pro-level f/1.2 prime lenses such as the Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S that cost anything up to six times the price of f/1.8 alternatives, in the region of $3,000 / £3,000 / AU$4,200. What there isn't much of is f/1.4 primes that sit somewhere in the middle.
Could we see Sigma 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 full-frame primes in Nikon Z mount – some of which already exist in the L-Mount and Sony E-Mount? There will be plenty of people who can't wait to find out, including me.
