Summary
- Sigma marked its 65th anniversary on September 9, 2026
- CEO Kazuto Yamaki thanked customers, partners, suppliers and local communities
- The company acknowledged that stern customer feedback has contributed to its development
- Sigma remains independent, family-owned and committed to production in Japan
- The Aizu factory remains the company’s sole manufacturing base
- The anniversary letter contains no new product announcement
- Yamaki links Sigma’s future to photographic culture and human happiness
- From 1961 to a very different photography market
- Aizu remains at the heart of Sigma
- Independence as a defining part of the company
- “For Happy Moments” and a different kind of anniversary letter
- Photography is changing, but Sigma says its role is becoming more important
- A visual identity that had already signaled the message
- What we think
- Frequently asked questions
Sigma has turned 65, and CEO Kazuto Yamaki chose to mark the anniversary not with a new product but with a message about independence, criticism, photography and the reason the company exists.
On September 9, 2026, Sigma marked exactly 65 years since its founding, with Kazuto Yamaki publishing an official anniversary letter thanking customers, dealers, business partners, suppliers and the local communities that have supported the company. Particularly notable is his open acknowledgement that Sigma’s products and services have not always met expectations, adding that even stern feedback from users has provided valuable lessons and helped the company grow.
The significance of the anniversary lies largely in the fact that Sigma remains independent and family-owned in an industry that has changed dramatically since 1961, with many historic companies and manufacturers disappearing or changing form. At the same time, it continues to base its manufacturing philosophy entirely in Japan, particularly in Aizu, a decision that is now a central part of its identity.
From 1961 to a very different photography market
Sigma was founded on September 9, 1961, by Michihiro Yamaki as the Sigma Research Institute in Setagaya, Tokyo. According to the company’s history, Yamaki had previously worked for an optics business that ran into serious difficulties and was ultimately asked by cooperating suppliers to establish a new company so operations could continue.
Sigma entered the market at a time when Japan’s optics industry was exceptionally crowded. The company says there were nearly 60 competing manufacturers, but from very early on Michihiro Yamaki decided that Sigma should not operate merely as a contractor for other brands and should instead develop its own products and build its own brand.
Its early products included the TELEXTENDER and the miniTEL 200mm F4 using the company’s own YS interchangeable mount. Cameras, lenses and technologies that helped shape the Sigma of today followed over subsequent decades.
Aizu remains at the heart of Sigma
Sigma’s factory in Aizu, Fukushima, was established in 1973 and remains the company’s sole manufacturing base. Sigma says almost the entire manufacturing process takes place there, from optical and component processing to assembly and quality control, while its supply chain is largely concentrated in the wider Tohoku region.
That relationship with Aizu is not new to PTTL readers. Back in 2013, PTTL covered the lens manufacturing process at Sigma’s Japanese factory. See PTTL’s earlier coverage of Sigma’s Aizu factory
In 2026, the company’s relationship with the region took an even more unusual form when Sigma announced the establishment of Sigma Aizu Farm Corporation and plans to begin rice cultivation, citing its desire to contribute to the local community and address issues including abandoned farmland.
Independence as a defining part of the company
In his 65th-anniversary message, Kazuto Yamaki again emphasizes Sigma’s independence. The company remains privately held and family-owned and is now managed by the founder’s son. According to the latest available corporate figures, it employs 1,914 people and reported annual turnover of approximately 55 billion yen for the fiscal year ending in August 2025.
That independence has allowed Sigma to pursue choices that sometimes fall outside the conventional direction of the market. Its history includes the SD9 with the Foveon X3 sensor in 2002, the introduction of the Art, Contemporary and Sports lines in 2012, participation in the L-Mount Alliance in 2018, the compact full-frame fp in 2019 and, more recently, the Sigma BF.
The BF is a good example of that approach: a full-frame camera with radically simplified controls, a true unibody chassis machined from a solid block of aluminum and 230GB of internal storage instead of a conventional memory-card slot. PTTL has already covered and tested Sigma’s unconventional approach in detail. Watch PTTL’s Sigma BF video review
“For Happy Moments” and a different kind of anniversary letter
Central to Yamaki’s message is Michihiro Yamaki’s philosophy, “For Happy Moments,” based on the belief that photography accompanies people through important and happy moments in their lives. The CEO connects that principle not only with product quality and performance but also with the effort to create products that are original and visually appealing.
The reference to criticism is also notable. Rather than limiting the anniversary letter to achievements, Yamaki acknowledges that Sigma has not always reached the desired standard with its products and services and describes stern customer feedback as an important lesson in the company’s development. A similar emphasis on customer criticism appeared in his message for Sigma’s 60th anniversary in 2021.
Photography is changing, but Sigma says its role is becoming more important
Yamaki acknowledges that technological innovation continues to transform both photography and video. His position, however, is that their fundamental importance to people has not diminished and may be even more significant today.
At the end of the letter, Sigma connects its future role not only with products and technology but with the development of photographic and visual culture, social peace and human happiness. It is therefore more a statement of direction and corporate values than an announcement of a specific future product.
A visual identity that had already signaled the message
This direction became more visible in 2025, when Sigma introduced its new visual identity. Its updated symbol is based on the Greek letter “Σ” and, according to the company, represents the idea of the sum of technology, experience, passion and expertise required to create a product.
PTTL covered the new identity at the time, including its connection to the Greek “Σ” and Sigma’s effort to place greater emphasis on “Made in Aizu, Japan.” Read PTTL’s coverage of Sigma’s new visual identity
What we think
The 65th-anniversary letter does not introduce a new product, but it may reveal more about today’s Sigma than a typical equipment announcement. The company continues to emphasize three characteristics that set it apart: its independence, its manufacturing connection to Aizu and its willingness to pursue unconventional ideas.
The real value of those principles is ultimately judged through products and services. Still, the fact that the CEO openly acknowledges mistakes and the value of stern criticism is noteworthy in an anniversary message, particularly in an industry where corporate communications usually focus almost exclusively on achievements.
Frequently asked questions
When was Sigma founded?
Sigma was founded in Japan on September 9, 1961, by Michihiro Yamaki. It celebrated its 65th anniversary in 2026.
Who is Sigma’s current CEO?
Kazuto Yamaki, the son of founder Michihiro Yamaki, is the company’s CEO. Sigma remains privately held and family-owned.
Did Sigma announce a new product for its 65th anniversary?
No. The September 9, 2026 anniversary message does not contain a new product announcement or a specific product roadmap. It focuses on the company’s philosophy, history and future mission.
Where are Sigma cameras and lenses manufactured?
Sigma says its products are manufactured in Japan, with the Aizu factory in Fukushima serving as its sole manufacturing base.
