Sigma announces pricing and availability of 24-105mm F4 lens

Buried among all of the cameras announced last week was a new 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM lens from Sigma. The company has announced pricing and availability for this full-frame ‘Art lens’, which will be available for Canon, Nikon, Sigma, and Sony mounts (in that order). The lens features optical stabilization (except for Sony) and supports Sigma’s USB dock. You’ll be able to pick one up for yourself starting next month at a retail price of $899. In the UK, the recommended retail price will be £849.99.

Sigma Corporation announces pricing, timing for new 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM lens

Versatile and stabilized standard zoom lens starts shipping in November for street price of $899

NEW YORK, NY — Oct. 25, 2013 — Sigma Corporation of America (www.sigmaphoto.com), a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today from PhotoPlus Expo 2013 announced the pricing and availability of its new 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM Art lens.

This new Art lens was developed as part of the company’s Global Vision and will be on shelves next month, starting with Canon mounts, for the street price of $899. The full frame lens, which will also work with APS-C sensor cameras with an effective increase in focal length, will be available in Nikon and Sigma mounts in December, and Sony mounts will soon follow. All but the Sony mounts will incorporate Sigma’s proprietary Optical Stabilizer (OS) technology to compensate for camera shake. This functionality is omitted from Sony mounts to accommodate for that manufacturer’s in-camera image stabilization system.

The 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM covers the basic shooting range from wide to medium tele with an inner focusing system that eliminates front lens rotation, enhancing the lens stability and allowing the use of circular polarizing filters. Moreover, it was designed to surpass the required quality inspection of every Global Vision lens with Sigma’s own modulation transfer function (MTF) “A1” measuring system to create a new optical standard to align with the high-spec cameras on today’s market.

“This is a top-notch lens in its design and image quality. Our engineering team in Japan continues to wow the industry with the caliber of the new lenses we’re producing and we expect Sigma users to be just as pleased with this new 24-105 F4,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America.

The lens offers the largest possible fixed aperture to zoom ratio that will maintain optimal integrity for many kinds of photography, including landscapes, architecture, portraiture and still-life. With a minimum focusing distance of 45cm and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:4.6, this lens is also excellent for close-up photography.

High-performance glass elements, including SLD and FLD, which is equal to fluorite, and glass-molded single- and double-sided aspheric lenses have been included into the optical system to prevent aberration, field curvature, distortions and color aberration. The 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM lens is also able to suppress chromatic aberration very effectively at the telephoto-end, and can achieve superior image quality throughout the zoom range. Unlike lenses with similar specifications, this lens overcomes low peripheral brightness. Although it is designed for full frame cameras, it also works with APS-C sensors, giving an increase to focal length.

The lens’ Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures a silent, high-speed auto focus function and enables full-time manual focusing capability. The 24-105mm is also compatible with Sigma’s USB dock allowing photographers to update its firmware and change focus parameters using Sigma’s Optimization Pro software. It is also compatible with Sigma’s recently announced Mount Conversion Service.

Comments

Itried the Canon, 3 of them, not good. I tried a couple of Sigma 24-70mm (EXDG) and the flare at the long end was bad, unusable.The Tamron 2470 is not worth it because the distortion at 24mm is awful. And I am suspicious of the trend for poor lens design and great software compensation, simply because there is no compensation unless Lightroom or PhotoShop or Capture One or Aperture (NONE!) or DXO supply it, and they drop old models regularly from the list of lenses/ Suppose this is OK with computer correction and you use film? you are lost. And in 3, 5, 10 years you will be as lost because, like my 28-105 Nikor and my 24-85 Canon (EFUSM-excellent too on FullFrame) there is no package that corrects for CA and distortion anymore (older lightroom and DPP did once upon a time, but no longer do. Perhaps you also have lists of lenses that are not supported by either software or even their own camera manufacturer Like some RAW files I could mention on Windows 7 now?

I have to say sigma rocks…their new products are very exciting. Now I hope they will do 14-24 that will be as good as nikon:-)

Hard to get excited about the Canon version when new 24-105L can be had for $640. Hopefully it makes more sense for other mounts, but, a Canon user, this is not the lens I was waiting for.

Go to any online store and find canon for less than 1000, please share the link.

Looks like beautifully designed lens on the outside.
I wonder why zoom and focus rings are bunched together? Especially when what seems to be the focus ring is very narrow. Hope this won’t create conflict between the two functions in actual use.

Sigma needs to come out with an E mount version with OIS for the A7, A7r and VG900 or people will just buy the new 24-70mm OSS E mount lens coming out in a few months.
http://www.sony.net/Products/di/en-us/products/lenses/lineup/detail/sel2470z.html

Isn’t it like $2k?

“This is a top-notch lens in its design and image quality.” – I sure hope so! 🙂 Sigma – please, be it a great lens!

I need to add, that I think this lens will be $799.00 pretty quickly, I don’t see it keeping that MSRP very long. At that price it becomes more attractive. An odd FL for Sigma mount users considering they don’t have a FF sensor in any of their bodies yet.

I never found the Canon 24 – 105 overwhelming. Maybe it is a calibration issue but with my 5D Mark I I cannot calibrate.

Me neither, tried 2 copies, each is less sharp than an EF-S 17-55/2.8. The new Sigma is interesting. If performance is near its 35/1.4 and 50/1.4, it’ll be an easy choice over the canon 24-105

If it performs, that’s a good price. A very nice lens too in design. The control rings, style of the lens, all exude quality and practicality at the same time. Very impressive on this one Sigma.

Bummer you’re not making it for the Pentax K Mount, tsk tsk!

Carl

the EF 24-105mm cost around 700 euro here.
i guess the sigma will sell for around 650 euro after a few month.
the 35mm sigma droped significantly too.

this lens only has to have good sharpness and less distortions then the canon and it will find it´s buyers. MTF charts tell only a part of the story, something many noobs here seem to forget.

sigma produces for nikon and sony too, so why should they not make a canon model. even when there is the EF 24-105mm. it´s not much more work.

weathersealing is something not everyone outside the gearhead fraction is very interested in.

the only thing im worrried about is AF performance and accuracy.

This is a lens Sony users have been shouting for for a long time but now Sigma has gone greedy and removed the OS. Which means that a whole market segment that wants to use this lens on the FE or Nex E mounts with LA adapters will have no stabilisation.

Perhaps they should simply bolt on an FE mount with stabilisation and watch it take off.
It’ll give the 24-70mm f/4 Zeiss a fair thrashing since that lens is priced at $1000.00.

“Sigma has gone greedy and removed the OS”

Sony decided to make a full-frame E-mount camera without IBIS, and you’re blaming Sigma?

Well, all previous Sigma lenses on A-mount got OS. I see no reason for this one not to have it.

I’d be happy if the sharpness was on a par with the Canon 24-105L, but with lower distortion. Distortion is something lens makers need to sort out. And before anyone mentions software correction NO.

What the hell is the point in a 24mm FL that has such egregious barrel distortion you have to effectively crop back to 28mm????

I’m totally with you on that Barry. Distortion correction (either automatic or manually corrected) eats up field of view and it’s hardly ever mentioned. I mention it on my reviews when I do lens reviews, but I don’t know why it’s not mentioned more. It very well ought to be.

Carl

Should come with a few stickers: red ring decal, gold lining labels, etc. to mimic the real deal. Add ons like “L” or Golden ED are also options.

Hmmm…

Might as well save a few pezookas and get da real deal.

.

Hard to be interested in that lens from what we can see here. Same price as Canon 24-105 L, significantly heavier, not weather sealed… looks a bit pointless at first sight.
Don’t feel it as a real challenger to that great all-rounder, it looks too redundant with already existing material with no really extra feature overall. Perhaps more interesting for Nikon, don’t know.
Though, I guess the “Art” addressing means great optical qualities…
I would rather have liked that Sigma created a new 16-35 2.8 DG or something like that. Why this one, and also why these new APSC’s lenses instead, while Canon is quitting softly this market? Strange decision IMHO.
Though, their 35 1.4 looks quite tempting ;).

I think this lens will become a serious competitor for the 24-105mm of Canon. not directly a competitor for the Nikkor 24-120mm.

Price will be lower soon.

Canon users can get EF24-105 for about 700 US as a kit lens.
little chance for Sigma here.

I’m personally not too worried about the Sigma 24-105mm f4 as I already use the Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 but if it’s made as well as the new Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 Sport lens it’ll give the big boys a run for their money.

No stabilization for Sony, wake up Sigma and smell the e-mount! Its a mount with high opportunities and limited lenses in their segment… hope they turn around on the no OSS for Sony.

Sony usually have Shake reduction in the bodies so it doesn’t need to be in the lens.

Sony has it’s shake reduction in Alpha cameras NOT in E mount as Hugo was sugesting.

What about OS noise compared with Canon? Because Canon stabilization noise is audible to any mic even if placed more than 25 cm away and damages all video recordings. Can’t understand why Sony inbody OS doesn’t make any noise and Canon inlens is so noisy.

Der Steppenwolf – it’s NOT an E-mount lens. If you haven’t noticed.
And you can easily fit a NEX inside of this lens barrel. So I see no reason why anyone would use it with these tiny cameras.

As someone else pointed out: It’s not Sigma’s fault that Sony decided to release an E-mount camera without in-camera stabilization.

The MTF charts doesn´t look very promising. No better than the Nikkor 24-120/4 – and that is not the best lens.

the MTF looks a bit better than Canon 24-105, but from test shots Canon and Nikon resolutions are quite similar.

a bit cheaper starting price for 1,000 US or so, Canon or Nikon ones should be better for better service and resale value.

At this price tag and weight, it’s only worthy to get this lens if it’s image quality surpass the iq of canon 24-70/4IS and 24-70/2.8II

This lens has to be better than a $2000 pro lens to be worth considering, you’re kidding right?

no, he is just not very intelligent…..

I don’t quite understand why they released this. There is already a flood of cheap Canon 24-105mm f/4 L lenses, are the intending to target the Nikon users or something? Unfortunately I’m not as familiar with the Nikon lens marketplace.

What am I missing?

Nikkor 24-120/4 performs very similar to Canon.

many of us got 24-105/4LIS as a kit lens with 5D and it’s much cheaper as a kit lens (USD 780 on amazon.com, USD 600 from adorama or bhphotovideo), so I don’t see chance for this Sigma.

Simple, there’s three more mounts this is available for other than Canon. Duh.

Finally a 24-105 F4 for a Nikon too. That’s great 🙂 I expect a very good optical quality for my Nikon D4 and D800E. I don’t care about the weight.

I’m waiting for the same thing though D800. I don’t care aboutthe weight either.

there is already a 24-120 f4 in Nikon league. we should see if there is any IQ difference.

Nikon has had a 14-120 F4 for quite many years now Gabriel. Where were you ???

What’s wrong with the Nikon or Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 lenses? Both are excellent lenses. Too short?

Girls can you read? I was talking about the 24-105 range and not a 14-120, ok? When I use Canon 5D years ago, the 24-105 was my most used lens, perfect for model photography. I still miss it, until now 😉
Thank you Sigma!

(No I don’t need the 14mm range cause I use a 14-24mm and no 120mm I use a 70-200 too. Yes, I own a 24-70 too, which is not the same. Thanks for listening.)

I brought the Nikon 24-120mm F/4 earlier this year and eventually sold my 24-70mm F/2.8. Was a very difficult decision knowing which one to part with. Both have adv and disadv.

The 24-70mm was near perfect but I rarely used it apart from for professional work (which I now no longer do). The extra zoom of the 24-120mm means it is on my camera most of the time now (where as the 24-70mm about 1/4 of the time) and I am frequently surprised at just how good it is. Fantastic walk around lens and as sharp as you want 85% of the time – its all I take on holidays with me. But at the same time I just don’t trust it like I did my old 24-70mm – that just performed 100%, 100% of the time (at least that’s how it felt).

Please DPR, make this a testing priority. A test against the Canon f/4 24-105 and the f/2.8 24-70-II, as well as the Nikon equivalents. I don’t expect the build quality to compare, but if the optical quality is like their 35mm ART lens then I would love to get this piece of glass.

Actually I expect the build quality to easily compare. Sigma lenses seem very well built and their new Art series even more so.

I agree. I had the 85mm F/1.4 for a couple of years. Its build actually made my Nikon 24-70mm and 70-200mm feel a little cheap. Everything felt so substantial – the switches engage with a chunky and reassuring throw. Excellent lens – just wish I had not dropped it.

I’ve owned the Sigma 50 f/1.4, definitely a good lens. A bit huge for a 50mm, but good optically with a nice metal barrel.

I wouldn’t it made the two pro-grade Nikkor zooms feel cheap. That’s a bit of a stretch.

Well, I have Sigma 35mm/1.4f Art series and its build quality is superb. Solid construction, beautiful industrial design. I love it. It easily compares well to Canon L series lenses in build quality, but its industrial design is more stylish. Go Sigma, go!

Actually: I wouldn’t be surprised if this lens would win over Canon in build quality. Most certainly it wins in terms of design.

Sounds interesting but it weighs half a pound more than the Canon 24-105L 670 grams vs 885 grams (23oz vs 31oz)

And no weather sealing like the L either

Auts! Whether sealing would be a high priority for this kind of general purpose travel lens. Oh Sigma, what have you done?

I have accidentally tested my Canon 24-105/4L’s whether sealing and it works. It got poured about 20 liters of water directly on camera (5DII) + lens on a river boat without any problems at all.

No, I am not gonna test my luck second time.

let’s see how it compares to the 24-120 f4

Should thrash it. The Nikon is not very good at all.

Thrash it, like a boxing match? lol.

The Nikon 24-120 VR provides similar IQ to the Canon 24-104 with a bit more zoom range.

Yeah pull the other one it yodels. Even the Nikon guys know the 24-120 is not that good.

Neither is that good.

Easier for Sigma 🙂 😉

> Even the Nikon guys know the 24-120 is not that good.

Look at the Lenstip reviews for the Canon and Nikon 24-105 f4 lenses. Their respective MTF graphs are almost identical and mostly very good to excellent. And other issues, like the high distortion at 24mm on the Canon, or the CAs with the Nikon, can be corrected in LR.

Hope it surpasses the Nikon 24 to 120. The price is very good.

How much is the Canon equivalent these days?

Sigma should have aimed higher, and made it a constant F/3.5 lens. I’m waiting for the Sigma 135 f/1.8 to take on–and beat–the Canon 135L.

f/3.5 and now you’ll be at $1200-1300 and 1.2kg.

Why wait for mythical 135 f/1.8 when the Canon is so darn good. Either buy it, or be happy with what you have. The Only thing to really improve the 135L is IS.

I am not literally waiting. It was only a manner of speech. Having said that, it is possible that a Sigma 135 f/1.8 could be less expensive, have weather-sealing and/or less vignetting.

Hmm what about stabilization for the new Sony e mount full frame a7/a7r camera😳

Right, I want this lens in FE mount WITH stabilization!

Just buy A99. With this lens size and weight differences are negligible. And A99 offers far more ergonomic body.

very usable focal length………

Yeah, I wish is was a 2.8. I still use a Tamron 35-105/2.8 and *love* the range, even though the image quality is not really up to modern sensor standards. I haven’t gotten a short or medium 2.8 zoom because the throw is so limited I may as well grab a prime.