Sigma is hosting an online product launch on January 12 – and smart money is on it being the highly anticipated Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS lens for Sony E Mount and Leica / Panasonic L Mount.
The best lenses for bird and wildlife photography are telephoto lenses with a big zoom range, as they enable photographers to capture animals in the distance without disturbing them. A popular choice is the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM, which was released in 2021, but now Sigma is releasing an even faster lens with an even wider zoom range.
According to a very reliable source at Sony Alpha Rumors, the latest Sigma 60-600mm will be constructed of 27 elements in 19 groups, with a minimum focusing distance of 45-260cm depending on the focal length, a filter diameter of 105mm and a weight of just under 5.5 lbs / 2.5kg.
It’s not a lightweight lens, by any means, but it is incredibly versatile. While the 60-100mm range would be ideal for shooting portraits (although admittedly it would be a very heavy portrait lens), the 100-600mm range is much better suited to distant subjects such as birds, other wildlife or even aircraft, for those who love a bit of plane spotting.
Although it hasn’t been confirmed by Sigma, we expect the 60-600mm lens will have the same rugged build and effective weather sealing as the previous Sigma 60-600mm Sport lens for DSLRs. We also expect it to come with a tripod bracket, to toggle between manual and autofocus, an autofocus range limiter switch, as well as two switchable custom modes.
The Sigma 60-600mm lens is already available in Nikon F and Canon EF mounts, so this will be welcome news to Sony and Panasonic shooters who want to invest in a versatile lens suitable for a range of photographic styles. The cost of the Nikon and Canon versions is $1,999 / £1,699 / AU$3,599, though whether or not the new lens will see the usual 'mirrorless premium' added on top is yet to be seen.
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