SIGMA launches lenses for Canon RF Mount system

The “war” has, apparently, ended and Sigma is, finally, announcing its first official lenses for the Canon RF Mount system… but only for APS-C.

The first series of Sigma lenses for Canon RF Mount cameras will arrive in July 2024.  Sigma announced the upcoming launch of interchangeable lenses for Canon RF Mount system, which will allow, according to the company, “users to enjoy high performance, and high quality SIGMA lenses in native mount on their Canon RF Mount system.”

It’s interesting to see that the whole press-release from Sigma does not mention that this first batch is only for APS-C cameras. Although Sigma usually starts any lens series with APS-C models, as it did for the Nikon Z, no one knows if the agreement now reached with Canon is… “only for APS-C” or if it extends to full frame.

This “war” around the RF mount has been on since the moment Canon released its mount for mirrorless, but it is not surprising if you’ve been following the industry for a while. Companies try to protect their R&D while others try to find ways to make their lenses compatible. Canon cameras are the most common target when it comes to reverse engineering, especially since mounts depending on electronics became common. The Sigma SA-mount, which Sigma discontinued in 2018 – when it joined the L-Mount Alliance, used electrical communication between body and lens similar to Canon’s EF, “much too similar” according to Canon sources then.

Canon closed the RF mount to other companies, and besides some manual lenses made available, from companies as Samyang, there were no alternatives to Canon’s own line up, as no independent brand, of which Sigma and Tamron are the most popular, seemed interested in the RF mount. When RF Mount lenses with AF appeared, from Samyang and Viltrox, Canon was quick to make both companies pull the lenses from sale. In recent years, though, the pressure on Canon has been mounting, and by the end of 2023 the company announced that it would open the RF mount to independent lens manufacturers by the end of the year. We’re in April 2024, and Sigma just announced its new lenses.

The new lenses coming from Sigma are:

Launch in July, 2024

SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary  – Petal Type Lens Hood (LH582-02) supplied

Launch in fall of 2024 and onwards

SIGMA 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary – Push-on Petal Type Lens Hood (LH706-02) supplied

SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary – Petal Type Lens Hood (LH716-01) supplied

SIGMA 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary – Petal Type Lens Hood (LH554-01) supplied

SIGMA 30mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary – Lens Hood (LH586-01) supplied

SIGMA 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary – Lens Hood (LH582-01) supplied

According to Sigma “These products are developed, manufactured and sold under license from Canon Inc.”. The company also noted, under “Main specifications and features” that “control algorithm including AF drive and communication speed optimization has been developed specifically for Canon RF Mount interchangeable lenses. In addition to realizing high-speed AF, the lens also supports AF-C (Continuous AF), in-camera aberration correction (available on supported cameras only) and in-camera image stabilization. The mount is rubber-sealed to cater for use in a variety of environments.