Rumored Sigma telephoto prime could be world-first 200mm F1.8 for mirrorless, and it sounds like a next-level portrait lens christian.rowlands@me.com (Chris Rowlands) | usagoldmines.com

• Sigma rumored to be working on a 200mm f/1.8 telephoto prime
• Full-frame lens could debut in L-mount and Sony E mount
• First of its kind for any mirrorless camera system

Back in 1988, Canon introduced the EF 200mm f/1.8L USM – the world’s fastest 200mm telephoto lens. Made for Canon’s EF-mount DSLR cameras, it was discontinued in 2004. Nothing since then has come close to its unique combination of reach and speed. That might be about to change: according to online rumors, Sigma is working on a spiritual successor for the mirrorless era.

L-rumors, a source for L-mount camera system news, recently ran a story claiming that Sigma is developing a world-first 200mm f/1.8 L-mount lens for Sony E and L-mount (Leica, Sigma and Panasonic) full-frame cameras. It points out that the optical design for such a lens was patented by Sigma back in 2020. Sony Alpha Rumors carried the same story.

Neither site provides any concrete information on performance, pricing or release date, speculating only that the lens will form part of Sigma’s Sports series. Whatever the specifics, the lens – if real – would be unique among modern mirrorless glass.

No other optic offers the same pairing of prime telephoto reach and a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture. It’s a recipe that promises sharp stills with beautiful background blur, giving it appeal for sports, portrait and landscape photographers alike.

Who would a 200mm f/1.8 lens be good for?

A 200mm telephoto prime might sound like a niche lens, but it’s one that has a lot to offer for sports and wildlife photographers. It gives a useful degree of magnification, bringing distant subjects significantly closer, but not so close that you can’t readily pan to follow the action from the sidelines.

It’s also a flattering focal length for portrait photography, creating an attractive compression effect where the background appears larger. That same effect gives it appeal for landscape photographers who want to create compositions which contrast specific details of foreground and background.

Prime optics famously offer faster maximum apertures than zoom lenses. This allows photographers to shoot at faster shutter speeds in low-light conditions. It also comes with the promise of soft bokeh and background blur. Both of those benefits will be maximized at an aperture of f/1.8.

As above, rumors suggest that the Sigma 200mm f/1.8 will be part of Sigma’s Sports line. That makes a lot of sense: at that aperture, sports photographers would be able to work at faster shutter speeds to freeze action indoors or under floodlights. Similarly, both wildlife and landscape photographers would be able to make use of all available light, even when shooting in dim settings.

Portrait photographers would naturally benefit, too. The lens promises to isolate subjects sharply against wonderfully defocused backgrounds. The Sigma 200mm f/1.8 would deliver the shallowest depth of field possible at that focal length for a modern mirrorless camera. That makes it a pretty compelling, if inevitably pricey and physically weighty, proposition.

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