Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-04-11)

ril 2020Iwww.amateurphotographer.co.ukIsubscribe 03303331113

IT’S AN exciting and busy

time for Sigma. As well as

releasing a steady stream of

well-regarded lenses, Sigma is a

key member of the L-Mount

Alliance with Panasonic and Leica,

and dropped a bombshell last year

by announcing the Sigma fp – the

world’s smallest and lightest

full-frame camera, also packed

with powerful video features. I met

CEO Kazuto Yamaki in a rooftop

bar in Tokyo’s Shinagawa district

to fi nd out more.

AP Were you planning to

release any new lenses at CP+?

KY No. Although we are working

on many projects, and new

products will be announced later

this year. I can’t comment on

anything now.

AP How has the Sigma fp

been received, as it’s quite

a departure for Sigma?

KY We have done well in

Japan, and probably the next

most successful market is the

AP meets

the CEO

of Sigma

During his recent trip to Japan

following the cancellation the CP+

show, Deputy Editor Geoff Harris

met Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma

transition between still and movie

recording, and its scalability. Video

makers are very excited as there is

no such stills/cinema camera in

the market, very compact, but also

able to produce beautiful movies.

You can take this camera

anywhere, it never feels like a

burden when you are travelling.

AP What was the thinking

behind releasing the fp with a

45mm lens? Why not a more

conventional focal length?

KY We are going to release more

compact lenses which match well

with the fp, so there will be more

variety. As for the 45mm lens, we

started this project aiming to

implement a 40-50mm lens

which people regard as a standard

prime lens. I personally really like

the 45mm focal length, however,

and so does our optical designer.

The Orange and Teal colour mode generates attractive effects,

as seen in this image taken with the fp during Geoff’s Japan trip

US. There is also a lot of interest

from Europe, but I am under the

impression that not so many

potential customers know about it.

One of the biggest challenges for

smaller companies like Sigma is

marketing. In the past there has

been a bit of distance between

manufacturers and users. Thanks

to the internet, this distance is

shrinking, so makers have to

connect and communicate

directly with end users through

all aspects of the media,

ambassadors, etc so we can

deliver our message directly to

users. We need to create a new

relationship with users.

AP What do you think are the

main advantages of the fp?

KY This camera is based on three

main concepts – the

pocket size, the

seamless

The fp with its
45mm f/2.
DG DN lens