- Sigma is jerked to work on a 200 mm f/1.8 Telprime
- Lens with full frame could debut in L-Mount and Sony E Mount
- First of its kind to any mirror -free camera system
Back in 1988, Canon EF introduced 200 mm f/1.8L USM – the world’s fastest 200 mm telecommunications lens. Created for Canon’s EC-Mounted DSLR cameras it was interrupted in 2004. Nothing since then has come close to its unique combination of range and speed. That may be changing: According to online rumors, Sigma is working on a spiritual successor to the mirrorless era.
L-ROUNTERS, a source of L-Mount Camera System News, recently ran a story that claimed Sigma is developing a world’s first 200mm f/1.8 L-Mount lens for Sony E and L-Mount (Leica, Sigma and Panasonic) full frame cameras. It points out that the optical design of such lens was patented by Sigma back in 2020. Sony Alpha rumors wore the same story.
No place provides any concrete information about performance, pricing or release date that only speculates that the lens will form part of Sigma’s sports series. Regardless of the details, the lens – if real – would be unique among modern mirror -free glass.
No other optics offer the same pairing of the primary telecommunications range and a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture. It is a recipe that promises sharp still images with a beautiful background, giving it appeal to both sports, portrait and landscape photographers.
Who would a 200 mm f/1.8 lens be good at?
A 200 mm teleprime may sound like a niche lens, but it is one that has a lot to offer to sports and wildlife photographers. It provides a useful degree of magnification, which brings distant items markedly closer but not so tight that you cannot easily pan to follow the action from the sidelines.
It is also a flattering focal length of portrait photography, creating an attractive compression effect where the background seems larger. The same effect gives the appeal to landscape photographers who want to create compositions that contrast specific details of foreground and background.
Prime Optics offers famous faster maximum openings than zoom lenses. This allows photographers to shoot with faster shutter speeds under the low light ratio. It also comes with the promise of soft bokeh and background blur. Both of these benefits are maximized by an aperture of f/1.8.
As above, rumors suggest that Sigma 200mm f/1.8 will be part of Sigma’s sports line. It makes a lot of sense: On the aperture, sports photographers would be able to work in faster shutter speeds to freeze action indoors or during floods. Similarly, both wildlife and landscape photographers would be able to make use of all available light, even when absorbing in muted environments.
Of course, portrait photographers would also benefit. The lens promises to isolate items sharply against wonderful defocused background. Sigma 200mm F/1.8 would deliver the lowest depth of field possible on the focal length of a modern mirror -free camera. It makes it a rather compelling, if inevitably expensive and physically heavy, suggestions.
