Sigma 65mm T1.5 And T2.5 Classic Cine Lenses (IBC 2022)

Just prior to IBC 2022 Sigma announced the development of two 65mm cine prime lenses: The SIGMA 65mm T1.5 FF High-Speed Prime and the SIGMA 65mm T2.5 Classic Prime. Both these lenses have been developed from the ground up to be part of the company’s expanding Cine line and should be available in a few months’ time.

A completely new lens

Talking to Brian Linhoff from Sigma USA, we learned that unlike most of the Sigma Cine line of lenses which have been adapted from the original (DSLR) line in a rehoused and reconfigured body but with the same basic optics, the new 65mm lenses (and so is the Cine 40mm T.15 and its Classic version) were developed from the ground up to be used as Cine lenses (i.e. with things such as minimal breathing which is not typical of any concern when developing stills lenses).

The new SIGMA 65mm T1.5 has the same fast aperture as the rest of the Cine lineup and it is designed to give the same sharp and accurate look to your image. The SIGMA 65mm T2.5 Classic is essentially exactly the same lens with different coatings which reduce the amount of light hitting the sensor (hence T2.5), however, it has the same bokeh and background separation but with a more vintage look (warmer tones).

Choosing between the two boils down to the look you want to achieve in your particular project (we would guess that the Classic variants will be more popular with big rentals where it makes more sense to rent a lens like this than to actually buy it for a specific project). Linhoff actually mentioned that from now on clients can buy each Classic lens individually instead of in a full kit.

Pricing and availability

Both lenses are still under development by Sigma and should be available sometime early in 2023 according to Linhoff. Pricing depends on the mount and both lenses will arrive in a PL, EF, or E mount (covering FF sensors) with the PL selling for $3900 and $3500 for the two other variants.

For more of our coverage on LensVid from IBC 2022 – please visit the following link.

Iddo Genuth

Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.