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]