The Sigma 18-35mm T2 was a revolutionary cine zoom upon release and still remains a staple in many cinematographers' toolkit due to its versatility, image quality, size and most of all - affordability. It was arguably the first indie filmmaker favourite go-to wide angle cine zoom for everything from low budget commercials to indie films and countless documentaries. The 18-35mm T2 is still a fantastic lens that will serve you faithfully for a long time. However, as with everything, especially in our image making industry, time are moving fast and visual preferences change over time.

And with the rise of large format (or rather full-frame) formats with cine camera such as the Sony VENICE or ALEXA Mini LF, it became somewhat of a norm to use full-frame cine primes and seek equivalents in the cine zoom space. Naturally, the SIGMA 18-35mm is a S35 lens, and even though the 24-35mm end covers most FF sensors, the main benefit of this lens - the wider FOV's were not covered by the most frequently used cameras. This undeniably prompted SIGMA and other manufacturers to attempt and make affordable, but still high-quality wide angle cine zooms for large sensor cameras. And SIGMA is not new to this - their 24-35mm T2 is a powerhouse of a lens, but rather limited when it comes to angle of view, it's not wide enough and rather limited, even though it had earned its place in the lineup and still used on a number of productions all over the world.

So, now that we have adopted the "full-frame" look what's next for cine lenses? How can they become better? Technological advancements in autofocus technology in the last few years have been nothing short of impressive, and naturally the spillover from the world of stills into cinematographer was somewhat pre-ordained. And this is where the new SIGMA 28-45mm T2 comes in - it is in essence the spiritual successor to the 18-35mm, but this time ready for the modern world of moving images - adding the autofocus switch to the side of a cine zoom.

For some, this may be a bold move, but Sigma have been on top of their game creating some of the industry's favourite hybrid lenses, used in both stills and video such as the aforementioned 18-35mm and its longer brother the 50-100mm. And their upcoming 28-45mm Cine zoom may just turn out to be their finest yet. Time will tell, however judging by the initial reception from the lens' preview at IBC 2024 last Fall, the future looks bright.

Sigma 28-45mm T2 Cine Zoom with AF Highlights:

    • Super-fast maximum T-stop of T2.0
    • Full-Frame Coverage
    • HLA Auto Focus
    • Properly geared rings, 200 degrees focus rotation
    • Available in L and Sony E mounts
    • 95mm front, compact design

The optical formula is based on the 28-45mm f1.8 stills version, which you can explore in further detail here and also check out the first impressions video by Jack Redgate below.

We don't have a precise date yet for when this new and exciting cine zoom will be available to order and ship, however we promise to keep you updated as soon as we hear.

To see these great products in action, give us a call to arrange a demo on 0208 977 1222. If you want to learn more, head over to our website www.visuals.co.uk

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