Summary
- SIGMA marked 65 years of history in 2026.
- Its anniversary promotion offers discounts from €50 to €200 on eight selected lenses.
- The campaign runs from October 1 to November 30, 2026.
- The article traces the company’s journey from Tokyo to its manufacturing base in Aizu.
SIGMA is celebrating 65 years of photographic history, a journey that began in Japan in 1961 and continues today with the company standing as one of the world’s most important independent manufacturers of photographic lenses.
To mark this significant anniversary, SIGMA is linking its 65-year history with a special anniversary offer on selected lenses, giving photographers the opportunity to purchase models from its current range with savings of up to €200.
65 years of SIGMA and discounts of up to €200
The anniversary promotion includes a total of eight selected SIGMA lenses, with discounts ranging from €50 to €200, depending on the model.
| Lens | Line | Discount |
|---|---|---|
| SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports | €200 |
| SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II | Art | €200 |
| SIGMA 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG | Contemporary | €150 |
| SIGMA 16-300mm F3.5-6.7 DC OS | Contemporary | €100 |
| SIGMA 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary | €80 |
| SIGMA 15mm F1.4 DC | Contemporary | €80 |
| SIGMA 12mm F1.4 DC | Contemporary | €80 |
| SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary | €50 |
The largest discount, at €200, applies to the SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports and SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II | Art, while substantial reductions are also available on the other models included in the anniversary promotion.
The campaign runs from October 1 to November 30, 2026.
The anniversary also offers a good opportunity to revisit SIGMA’s beginnings and the journey that took it from a small workshop in Tokyo to its current position in the photographic industry.
From a small workshop in Tokyo
SIGMA’s story began in 1961, at a time when Japan’s photographic and optical industries were growing rapidly.
Its founder was Michihiro Yamaki, who worked at an optical products company while attending university and had gained experience in manufacturing binoculars. When the business he worked for faced collapse, Yamaki took part in efforts to support the suppliers who had been left exposed.
Those same partners and suppliers subsequently asked him to establish a new company and continue operations. This led to the creation of the Sigma Research Institute in Tokyo’s Setagaya district, the company that would evolve into today’s SIGMA.
Its beginnings were particularly modest. It was essentially a small workshop, but Yamaki had a clear philosophy from the outset: SIGMA would not confine itself to subcontracting for other manufacturers, but would develop its own products and technological identity.
As early as 1961, it introduced the TELEXTENDER, which SIGMA records as the industry’s first teleconverter, along with the miniTEL 200mm F4, featuring the YS interchangeable mount system. The name YS stood for “Yamaki System”.
In 1968, the company changed its corporate structure, and in 1970 it adopted the name Sigma Corporation.
Aizu becomes the heart of SIGMA
One of the most important milestones in the company’s history came in 1973, when the first phase of its factory in Aizu, Fukushima, was completed.
The factory gradually developed into SIGMA’s manufacturing heart and remains a fundamental part of its identity today.
In an industry where much production gradually moved to countries with lower costs, SIGMA followed a different path, maintaining its manufacturing base in Japan.
A particularly large proportion of the production process takes place in Aizu, from processing optical elements and metal components to assembly and final quality control.
This philosophy also underpins “Made in Aizu, Japan”, which has become an important part of SIGMA’s modern identity.
From lenses to cameras
Although SIGMA is best known for its lenses, its activities have not been limited to them.
In 1976, it introduced the Mark-I, the company’s first 35mm SLR camera. Over the following decades, it continued to develop both lenses and cameras, often pursuing different technological choices from the market’s larger manufacturers.
Independence remains one of its defining characteristics. SIGMA continues to be a privately held, family-owned business. Following Michihiro Yamaki, leadership passed to his son, Kazuto Yamaki, the company’s current CEO.
Art, Contemporary and Sports
The creation of Sigma Global Vision and the organization of its lenses into three main families—Art, Contemporary and Sports—were pivotal in shaping SIGMA’s modern image.
The Art line placed particular emphasis on optical performance and includes many of the company’s fast prime and zoom lenses. Contemporary focuses more on the balance between performance, size and practicality, while Sports addresses demanding applications such as sports photography, wildlife and action.
The transition from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras subsequently brought the new generation of DG DN lenses, designed specifically for mirrorless systems.
The 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II | Art and 70-200mm F2.8 DG DN OS | Sports belong to this modern era: two lenses that connect SIGMA’s history with its current range and are now at the center of the anniversary promotion with a €200 discount.
65 years of independence
On September 9, 2026, SIGMA officially marked 65 years since its founding.
From the small workshop of 1961 to the Aizu factory and its current international presence, the company has navigated enormous changes in the photographic industry, from film and SLRs to digital photography, DSLRs and ultimately today’s mirrorless systems.
The 65th-anniversary offer connects this historical journey with SIGMA’s current generation of products, offering the opportunity to purchase selected lenses with discounts of up to €200.
