14 DAY TRIAL // CES 2014 is the first important international electronics show of the year and many camera and optics manufacturers are there to present and market their latest products to the public.
Japanese photographic equipment manufacturer Sigma has just announced in a press release the new additions to its current Art and Contemporary lens lineup, the 50mm F1.4 DG HSM and 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM optics.
Although no rumors or official statements were released prior to CES 2014, a revamped version of the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX lens was expected to be announced sometime this year. With every important player on the photographic business market announcing its latest cameras and lenses, Sigma decided to finally reveal its new 50mm f/1.4 lens to the public.
In comparison with the previous 50mm f/1.4 EX, the new lens features a more complex construction with 13 elements in 8 groups (five more elements than its predecessor) including 3 SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements and 1 aspherical glass element to minimize chromatic aberrations.
Moreover, minimum focusing distance is now 5cm / 2in less than on the 50mm f/1.4 EX model and stands at 40cm / 15.7in. The new lens is significantly longer than the previous version (85.4 x 99.9 mm / 3.4 x 3.9 in vs 83.8 x 68.6 mm / 3.3 x 2.7 in) in order to fit the additional 5 elements in its construction.
While maximum magnification stands at 1:5.6 (1:7.4 previously), the weight of the lens is surprisingly smaller (470g / 16.6oz) than its predecessor’s (505g or 17.81 oz) although the new device is bigger and comes with a more complex construction.
Price and availability are yet to be announced, but our guess is that cost will be somewhere between its older sibling and the new 35mm f/1.4 Art lens.
The Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM on the other side, is an entry-level optic that features a 27-300mm focal length (35mm equivalent) and comes with optical stabilization and Macro capabilities.
