Sigma Launches the Sigma USB DOCK

[Drizzt321]

Forgive my ignorance, but from the description of this USB Dock, I have no idea what this product is, or how it is used. Does it mount onto a lens or something?

Yes, it mounts onto the bayonet mount of the lens, and allows communication between a computer and the lens for things like firmware updates, AF tweaks, setting the focus limiter limits, and things like that.

 

[mcintoshi]

Ah ok, thanks

Yes, it mounts onto the bayonet mount of the lens, and allows communication between a computer and the lens for things like firmware updates, AF tweaks, setting the focus limiter limits, and things like that.

 

[PeterJ]

I don't have any Sigma lenses but reading this made me think it was odd that Canon have never had a way to update the lens firmware through the body. Just taking a look though I see they've added that ability for the 5D3 and later .

 

[Marsu42]

I see they've added that ability for the 5D3 and later .

Canon is a very conservative company - the lens fw update mainly seems to be designed to ensure compatibility of lenses with newer camera bodies, on each new generation release there are a few lenses (even newer ones) that need a trip to Canon service because they have issues. But Canon isn't enthusiastic about (too?) many customizations or features, they leave that to Sigma and Magic Lantern.

 

[PeterJ]

I see they've added that ability for the 5D3 and later .

Canon is a very conservative company - the lens fw update mainly seems to be designed to ensure compatibility of lenses with newer camera bodies, on each new generation release there are a few lenses (even newer ones) that need a trip to Canon service because they have issues. But Canon isn't enthusiastic about (too?) many customizations or features, they leave that to Sigma and Magic Lantern.

Yep fair point, and I guess in Canon's case they already know likely incompatibilities in advance unlike 3rd parties that need to react / reverse-engineer changes later if previously unused commands are used.

 

[JohnnyWashngo]

^ Do you really expect corporations to code their software to work with Linux, representing a whopping under 2% of computer users? ???

Anyways, if sigma would have had this accessory years ago it would have saved their brand an awful lot of hurt over bad AF!

Well, yes. They could easily have used a cross platform library for writing the application and then it would have worked everywhere. I am tired of companies offering software for Windows and Mac OS alone. It smacks of laziness.

Well no, says somebody who actually has written cross system software, it's quite difficult and expensive. Have you ever done this, or are you simply giving us your unfounded opinion? That smacks of laziness.

Yes I have done this... I write software for a living. Making the decision to be cross platform would have been easy, writing the software not so much. But if you are going to invest in Widows and Mac versions of the application, you may as well go that extra step and support Linux. Imagine the goodwill that would engender. Instead of 'Oh well, another company not willing to support Linux', it would be 'Wow, check out Sigma and the awesome Linux app'.

Without actually seeing the software in action, it's hard to tell how complicated it is, but I imagine a library/framework like QT would have been an option for a piece of software like this.

That being said, once the software and hardware is released I imagine it won't take long until the protocol is reverse engineered

Anyway, I can't wait for this to be released. I love a new gadget and this one looks like it could be fun. I have already been playing with the MFA of my copy of the 35mm f/1.4 through my Mark3 and would love to see how that compares with changing the settings using the USB dock.

 

[cayenne]

^ Do you really expect corporations to code their software to work with Linux, representing a whopping under 2% of computer users? ???

Anyways, if sigma would have had this accessory years ago it would have saved their brand an awful lot of hurt over bad AF!

Actually, considering that OSX and Linux are very similar under the hood (both are flavors of unix)...it would seem reasonable to have them develop for Linux too.

And with the fiasco that Win8 seems to be...well, there might be more people trying out Linux, not to mention, there are a lot of pro houses out there using Linux servers.

And with Mac seemingly unwilling to put out an updated mac pro....building a high end linux box is somewhat appealing.

But again, since osx and linux are so similar, I could see them porting it pretty readily.

For the time being...just run Win or OSX as a VM on your Linux box...and you have all your bases covered.

 

[Drizzt321]

^ Do you really expect corporations to code their software to work with Linux, representing a whopping under 2% of computer users? ???

Anyways, if sigma would have had this accessory years ago it would have saved their brand an awful lot of hurt over bad AF!

Actually, considering that OSX and Linux are very similar under the hood (both are flavors of unix)...it would seem reasonable to have them develop for Linux too.

And with the fiasco that Win8 seems to be...well, there might be more people trying out Linux, not to mention, there are a lot of pro houses out there using Linux servers.

And with Mac seemingly unwilling to put out an updated mac pro....building a high end linux box is somewhat appealing.

But again, since osx and linux are so similar, I could see them porting it pretty readily.

For the time being...just run Win or OSX as a VM on your Linux box...and you have all your bases covered.

At a low level, OS X and Linux might be fairly similar, but there are a lot of subtle differences. Especially when it comes to the UI level, totally different libraries (sure, OS X does ship with an X11 server...) and frameworks. The core protocol could probably pretty easily simply be a library that's shared, but all of the GUI/UX is not just as simple as recompiling with a few macro tweaks and it'll work nicely. Especially if the OS X GUI is based on Objective-C, while I bet the Windows is either .NET, or using VisualC++ or similar.

 

[Marsu42]

Actually, considering that OSX and Linux are very similar under the hood (both are flavors of unix)

But MacOSX is BSD and Linux is, well, Linux - the unix versions have split decades ago and are often very different, just because they both use a forward slash for directories and run gcc doesn't mean much for porting software, esp. if it relies on hardware features like usb.

 

[cycomachead]

They aren't talking too much about this at CES today...at least not to most normal folk. I did catch a glimpse of one that was out on top of the new 120-300. It looked nice. A little smaller than the 1.4x canon extender I'd say.

They were expecting March for release right now, and no office costs but I heard "it shouldn't be too much" and "about the cost of an extender". I'm really hoping that's sigma prices and not canon!

The main functionality is to really be able to adjust lens parameters, like focus speed and potentially IS/OS settings if the lens has them. I didn't get a chance to ask to what extent you'll be able to customize things, but I imagine there's room for things to change in the next couple months anyway.

The new 120-300 also looks really nice. I didn't get to hold it, but I did play with the previous version and it wasn't bad! Certainly for HALF the cost of the current Canon it should be a good deal.

I've been using the new 35 1.4 and I've got to say I'm impressed with the new sigma stuff. This is my first Sigma lens I've owned as wasn't overly convinced about the earlier stuff, but so far it's great! I'm definitely going to be considering the dock when it's released, assuming the price isn't too much, and I get more than just firmware updates and AF speed.

 

[FunPhotons]

Final comment: I don't get some of the thinking on this thread at all. This is a puck to reprogram lenses - how often are you going to do that? How many people are actually going to buy one? Is going into OSX or Windows that much of a pain for that twice a lifetime event? Seriously?

Every platform introduces a plateful of bugs, especially Linux which is highly fragmented and backwards compatibility is not as much a concern as it is for Apple & Microsoft. I would have been surprised if they had released on it, not that they hadn't.

Finis -

 

[PeterJ]

Final comment: I don't get some of the thinking on this thread at all. This is a puck to reprogram lenses - how often are you going to do that? How many people are actually going to buy one? Is going into OSX or Windows that much of a pain for that twice a lifetime event? Seriously?

What they should do is have the option of a toggle switch on the data line and a debounced pushbutton on the clock line to make it OS agnostic.

 

[K3nt]

Actually, considering that OSX and Linux are very similar under the hood (both are flavors of unix)

But MacOSX is BSD and Linux is, well, Linux - the unix versions have split decades ago and are often very different, just because they both use a forward slash for directories and run gcc doesn't mean much for porting software, esp. if it relies on hardware features like usb.

I very much doubt the decision to not develop a Linux version has anything to do with the technical aspects. Using the correct foundation cross-development can be done fairly cost-effectively. What I think is that Sigma (this is what I would do) wants to cover as wide a user-base they can with as few options as they can. Developing a Linux version means they are also liable to provide support for it and have the appropriate staff available and trained, both developers and support staff. It's just not worth the expense and effort for the minimal user base. If the user base was 15-30%, then things would be different.
After all, Sigma wants to make money even if us nerds think that should be secondary.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

The new 120-300 also looks really nice. I didn't get to hold it, but I did play with the previous version and it wasn't bad! Certainly for HALF the cost of the current Canon it should be a good deal.

I've been using the new 35 1.4 and I've got to say I'm impressed with the new sigma stuff. This is my first Sigma lens I've owned as wasn't overly convinced about the earlier stuff, but so far it's great! I'm definitely going to be considering the dock when it's released, assuming the price isn't too much, and I get more than just firmware updates and AF speed.

The 130-300 OS was a curious beast. It's big and heavy, it's AF was quite fast...but like a lot of Siggi lenses....very erratic performance. It was sharp, when it's AF performed but it's no where in the AF league of the Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS II. But here's the kicker....it's not really a 300mm lens, at infinity it's more like a 280mm which is quite short of the claimed 300mm. But the worse news is that as the focus draws in to MFD, it's focal length drops appallingly to around 240mm....which is where I would usually want to shoot with this lens. So in my opinion, it's size bulk and cost isn't justifyable over a Canon 70-200. It's a nice lens, but very dissapointing in real world use. If you want a 300mm f2.8, look for a good used Canon copy.

The 35mm f1.4 looks like a nice lens, but I've had it with Siggi lenses. I've owned a lot of them over the years but I've come to the conclusion that one gets what one pays for.

 

[Edwin Herdman]

120-300mm's AF performance has been pretty consistent for me on a 7D. When it hunts, that's generally due to very low lighting or me hitting the AF-ON button when peering through tangles of branches.

I'm actually interested in this thing - I hope it is compatible with the "original" 120-300mm OS, although I would not be too hopeful that it will get firmware updates from the "new" 120-300mm OS (with the focus limiter switch).

 

[Ricku]

When is this thing coming?

I want to buy the new Sigma 35, but I will hold off untill this USB-puck is available. I've had lots of focus issues with Sigma in the past, so I want to be ready for it this time. ;D