Sigma's next mirrorless camera lens is strongly rumored to be a new 150-600mm super-telephoto for sports and wildlife shooters – and now we have a good idea of its price, thanks to a new leak.
The ever-reliable leaker Nokishita has spotted that the 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports, for L-mount and E-mount cameras, has been "added to UK retailers for £1,199".
That tallies with its expected retail price of 198,000 yen (including tax) in Japan, which converts to around $1,800 / AU$2,440.
If true, that would make the new lens slightly more affordable than the DSLR version of the lens it's rumored to be based on, the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM. +
That lens currently sits at the top of our guide to the best super telephoto lenses, so a mirrorless version could go down a treat for anyone who needs sharp results at the end of a very long zoom range.
- These are the world's best super telephoto zoom lenses
- Or check out our guide to the best mirrorless cameras
- Read our in-depth Sony A1 review
The leaked pricing is for L-mount and E-mount versions of the new lens, which would be for Panasonic, Sigma and Sony mirrorless cameras. What isn't yet clear is whether Sigma will also be making it available for the Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts, but it looks like we won't have to wait long to find out.
Live event confirmed
Sigma has just published a placeholder on YouTube (below) for a live event that's taking place on August 4 at 8am EST / 1pm BST / 10pm AEST, which it says will be a "new products presentation".
Sony Alpha Rumors, though, is pretty certain that the event will be for the launch of the new Sigma 50-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports.
In fact, Sony Alpha Rumors also claims to have a list of the lens' specs, which suggest it'll weigh a pretty hefty 2,100g (including its tripod mount) and have a minimum shooting distance of 58cm-280cm, depending on your focal length.
It's likely to be a pro-level lens, so is expected to have 25 elements in 15 groups and also be compatible with 1.4x or 2x teleconverters for even more reach. The latter would take its maximum focal length to a ludicrous 1200mm on full-frame cameras.
Analysis: Zoom raider
The Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports is shaping up to be a beast of a lens with fittingly hefty price tag. But if the rumors are true, it's also likely to be more affordable than some of its existing mirrorless telephoto rivals from the likes of Sony.
The Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS, for example, cost £1,800 / $2,000 when it launched in 2019. That lens fully deserves its place in our list of the best Sony lenses, and is suitable for both full-frame and APS-C cameras (where it has an effective reach of 900mm, thanks to the 1.5x crop).
But Sigma's rumored new rival could well be a tempting alternative for sports and wildlife shooters, particularly if it does match the build and performance of the existing Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM for DSLRs. The latter has a full set of weather-seals and, in our tests, trumped its Tamron 150-600mm rival for autofocus speed.
The only question is whether it'll also arrive on Canon RF or Nikon Z cameras. The leaks so far suggest it'll be for L-mount and E-mount only to begin with, but with the Canon EOS R3 and Nikon Z9 fast approaching, there will surely be a case for it to land on those mirrorless sports cameras before long.
- These are the best Canon RF lenses you can buy right now
