[Klaus]

Sigma 105mm f/1.4 ART ... with a tripod mount - gosh
and a 70mm f/2.8 macro ART

https://photorumors.com/2018/02/25/95869/

[JJ_SO]

This time with Arca dove-tail. They are learning at Sigma... now we just need some wheels and a motor.

[Rover]

It's rather odd that the 70mm macro appears to have a 49mm filter thread. The old discontinued one had 62mm... and I think it was at the time lauded as the sharpest (practical) lens in the world, used by a couple of review sites as a reference unit. However, to become this it had to employ some glass that is no longer available, as Sigma had said. I wonder if the new one is going to be similarly remarkable?

[Brightcolours]

A bit odd that Sigma's range consists of almost only "Art" lenses now. But this one should be good, right smack in the middle of the 85mm and 135mm. For those who can't decide on which portrait focal length to get.

[Rover]

Well, the C category is reserved mostly for entry level stuff, which is rather sparse in Sigma's lineup now, and the S line is only for the long zooms and primes. Hence the A designation being a grab bag of stuff - really there for everything else.

[JJ_SO]

"grab bag of stuff", yeah, other manufacturers would be happy to be able to manufacturer this kind of bag level, rover I rather think the Contemporary line is the grab bag stuff and the Art line the fast, heavy and important looking. Comes also in black. I somehow miss stormtroopers white of Canon M50

About the M49 mm filter thread: You know, Sigma makes also filters, like ceramic protectors (but don't ask too much strength formt he ceramics...). To balance filter production, we need to have the full scale from M49 to M105. Don't we? )

It's 7 Contemporary, 17 Art FF (+9 dedicated Art for Sony), 3 Art APS-C, 3 Sports and 21 "others".

The 105/1.4 needs muscles to carry 1.645 grams, contrary to the made in China Nikkor with 985 grams. Even an Otus 85/1.4 is lighter :/

[Klaus]

I reckon this is more like a hero lens which is used for showing off (like the 200-500mm) rather than a mainstream offering.
Still, an impressive feat.

[JJ_SO]

It's certainly triggering some of my collector's genes I'm obviously being punished with. But this thing in front of and on top of the camera a speedlite is something like 3-4 kg in total. And still not close to MF quality although "portrait work" comes with a brighter accent on "work".

They deliver the tripod foot, but also a protection ring for people preferring to shoot portraits handheld. Can't be more than half a dozen... The hood is made of carbon plastics and has a screw to fix it. I already found that screw cumbersome at the 150-600 Sports and I don't think, this would be different. But worse: When I look at the two sample pictures, I miss a lot of sunshine, of front light, even direct one and I catched myself thinking "the 135/1.8 has no worse bokeh than this one. And comparing the MTF doesn't show a clear advantage of the 105/1.4. Not. At. All."

Showcase? Yes, very probably.

[mst]

Definitely a show-off lens... and that's exactly why it will sell

And seriously: I can see myself using it, for sure.

Hm... maybe I'm already too biased for a review of it?

-- Markus

[JJ_SO]

Yeah, just give it to me to test it. I'm so far off being biased...