Sigma 20mm f/1.4 Art lens rumored to be announced this Friday

Sigma’s Art lens lineup has become extremely popular, and according to Digicame-info the company is about to add a new lens to the lineup.

Continuing to focus on wide angle lenses, the next lens rumored to be released is the 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art, and if true we should see it already this Friday.

Below are the rumored specs:

• Designed for full frame DSLR cameras
• Lens construction: 15 elements in 11 groups
• Large diameter, double sided aspherical lens
• Two FLD (‘F’ Low Dispersion) and five SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements
• Correction of magnification chromatic aberration to the limit (what?)
• HSM AF motor with new full-time manual mechanism
• Total length: 129.8mm
• Maximum diameter: 90.7mm
• Weight: 950g
• 9 circular diaphragm blades
• Maximum magnification: 1:7.1
• Flare and ghost measures thoroughly (I’m guessing this means reduced flare and ghosting)
• ‘Very small’ distortion
• Attention to the sagittal coma flare (Again guessing, reduced coma?)
• Available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts
• Suggested retail price in Japan will be ¥ 162,000 (retail price is around ¥ 120,000 at the lowest price). (Not quite sure what this price is referring to, but it makes no sense).

Currently neither Nikon nor Canon offer a 20mm f/1.4 lens. Nikon is the closest with a 20mm f/1.8 lens that will cost you $797 while the Canon offers a 20mm f/2.8 lens that will set you back $489.

This will also be Sigma’s first 20mm f/1.4 lens. Until now the closest it got was the 20mm f/1.8 lens.

The new lens will be joining the 24mm, 35mm and 50mm f/1.4 Art lenses.

There have been lots of rumors going around lately, including Canon’s upcoming 1D X Mark II specs and a new 70-200mm lens, but due to the source and proximity to the announcement date this one seems to be especially accurate.

[via Digicame-info]