Making 'Art': DPReview Goes Inside Sigma's Aizu Lens Factory

[Canon Rumors Guy]

While at CP+ last month in Japan, DPReview had the privilege of touring a Sigma lens factory in Aizu, Japan. We’ve all seen lens factories before, but I never get bored of looking at them.</p>
<blockquote><p>Mr Yamaki’s philosophy for Sigma is inherited from his father, Michihiro Yamaki, who died in 2012. It can be summed up in four words: ‘small office, big factory’. The great majority of Sigma’s employees in Japan are involved directly in creating its products, and the company maintains a relatively small administrative staff.</p></blockquote>
<p>Sigma has their next Art series lens, the <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1120085-REG/sigma_24mm_f_1_4_dg_hsm.html/bi/2466/kbid/3296" target="_blank">24mm f/1.4 DG Art</a> hitting stores by the end of March for the Canon mount.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.dpreview.com/articles/0773575852/making-art-inside-sigma-s-lens-factory" target="_blank">See the tour at DPReview</a></strong></p>
<p> </p>

 

[compupix]

32 clicks to get through a story. :'(

 

[Canon Rumors Guy]

32 clicks to get through a story. :'(

Haha, i do agree they could probably do that in 2 or 3 pages.

 

[sanj]

Canon factory looks more impressive by far.

 

[martti]

Sigma impresses by the way it uses its resources to make a difference.
Sigma is a family enterprise, formerly situated in Fukushima. Fukushima like in a nuclear disaster.
Only that their plant was about 45 miles or 70 kilometres away from the nuclear plant and had no fallout there.

The direction of sigma changed quite recently. the new generation introduced the idea of actually being better than the rest at a competitive price. they used the top notch materials and, what the Japanese like a lot, the workers who had devoted all their life to Sigma. Like in the old times. the dedicated skilled Sigma families who would rather die than dishonor their company. Who were taken care of until the end by their Patrons.

Sigma should really use more of this image in their marketing. They could make up a Japanese version of Leitz, Wetzlar. People like stories and mysteries. Sigma still has to do some extra work to erase the image of the downmarket 'just-good-enough' stuff they used to make and still do.

Still, Sigma fights the biggies like the last of the samurais.
I am about the sell the last Sigma lens in my possession tomorrow. If they launch a 21mm f/2.0 I will be the first in line to order it. And I am pretty sure they will and I will.
Who else would be dumb enough?

 

[Mitch.Conner]

Impressive. I sort of want one of those Hoya glass cakes. Coolest paperweight ever.

I honestly never stopped to think about what Hoya makes beyond filters.

 

[Canon Rumors Guy]

Impressive. I sort of want one of those Hoya glass cakes. Coolest paperweight ever.

I honestly never stopped to think about what Hoya makes beyond filters.

I agree, I'd love a glass cake too.