Canon Says it’s up to Sigma to Make Full-Frame RF Lenses

[roby17269]

Those are not all additional costs: production and testing of the RF mount lenses must be arranged, packaging, marketing, add SKU to ordering and shipping systems, distribution, service/ repair organization etc. etc.

Sigma have been selling lenses for multiple mounts for most if not all of their existence. I assume they are efficient at doing that by now and I would not believe that that'd be the reason preventing them to sell RF AF FF lenses

 

[neuroanatomist]

If Sigma is selling them now to L and FE clients it means that they are already (or believe they will be) making money on those lenses.

So, again, I don't think that the capacity argument holds any water.

Canon has sold more cameras than Sony and far more cameras than the L-mount alliance for many years. The cumulative result of that is that the installed base for Canon is significantly larger than that for Sigma‘s other customers.

So what you’re saying is that it would be no problem at all for Sigma to double or triple their production of those lenses. Sure, any manufacturer can do that easily.

Of course, that assumes Canon users will want to buy significant numbers of Sigma full frame RF lenses. It could be that Sigma’s market research suggests that is not the case. Once again, the wishes expressed on this forum in no way represent the broader camera market.

 

[P-visie]

Sigma have been selling lenses for multiple mounts for most if not all of their existence. I assume they are efficient at doing that by now and I would not believe that that'd be the reason preventing them to sell RF AF FF lenses

I reacted to your “the only additional investment” which is (IMO) not correct. I agree with you that those costs are not the reason that Sigma does not market FF AF RF lenses.

 

[neuroanatomist]

I I agree with you that those costs are not the reason that Sigma does not market FF AF RF lenses.

Agreed. IMO, the most likely reason isn’t capacity, either (they could make fewer lenses than demand and charge more for them because of that).

I think the most likely reason is Canon setting license terms that make it unreasonable for Sigma to agree to them, so Sigma chooses not to make farfs.

 

[mimbu]

I think Sigma lenses like the 35mm 1.4 Art II for ~1000€ would sell like crazy on the RF mount. So my guess would be that Canon is in fact asking for a licensing cut that is simply too greedy for it to be a profitable business proposition for Sigma.

Not just a licensing fee, but probably a contractual requirement that Sigma not pass that fee along to consumers. Having an the E mount 35/1.4 II sell for $1060 but the RF one sell for $1400 would probably result in a lot of questions to Canon that they do not want to answer.

 

[roby17269]

Canon has sold more cameras than Sony and far more cameras than the L-mount alliance for many years. The cumulative result of that is that the installed base for Canon is significantly larger than that for Sigma‘s other customers.

True... and a larger user base makes the RF market simply more interesting for Sigma (or any other 3rd party vendors for what matters)

So what you’re saying is that it would be no problem at all for Sigma to double or triple their production of those lenses. Sure, any manufacturer can do that easily.

I am not saying that at all, please point me at a message of mine saying that.
What I am saying is that by adding RF Sigma would simply sell more of lenses they are already making. I fail to see the downside of that for Sigma.
That's not a bad problem to have (more demand that you can satisfy)
Otherwise where would that leave Canon that seems to be consistently underestimating demand and delivering less lenses that required?

Of course, that assumes Canon users will want to buy significant numbers of Sigma full frame RF lenses. It could be that Sigma’s market research suggests that is not the case. Once again, the wishes expressed on this forum in no way represent the broader camera market.

True but again, you seem to assume that Sigma needs to sell over a certain high threshold to make it worthwhile for them to enter the RF FF fray. I assume on the other hand that that threshold is pretty low since most of the investment for the latest Sigma lenses has already been budgeted.

You yourself wrote a couple of messages after that you do not believe that capacity is the reason, so not sure why you replied to me this way?