Sigma Celebrates You, the Photographer, As It Marks sixty fifth Anniversary

Amid the shuffle and chaos of Apple’s annual iPhone occasion, yesterday additionally marked Sigma’s sixty fifth anniversary, and the corporate celebrated in very Sigma style with a honest letter to the world and a superbly animated video that includes technicolor digital camera and lens elements.

Starting with the letter, shared in a single day by DPReview, it’s a vibrant celebration of the independence that finally makes Sigma completely different from lots of its fellow Japanese images firms. Unlike Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Sony, and Panasonic, Sigma isn’t publicly traded. This is an enormous deal.

Rather than reply to shareholders, Sigma solutions to itself and its staff, and finally, its clients. As Sigma’s CEO, Kazuto Yamaki, advised PetaPixel final yr, he runs Sigma prefer it’s a household enterprise — as a result of it’s. He took over for his father, Michihiro Yamaki, who based Sigma in 1961.

“My father was a really poor photographer, but he loved photography. And he always told me to take over the business because photography is a wonderful business, because people take photos when they are happy. So, the photo business is about happy business. So, he always asked me to take over the business — it’s really nice business — and I’ve tried to take over his philosophy,” Kazuto Yamaki advised PetaPixel.

As a part of this “happy business,” Sigma has confirmed repeatedly to be extraordinarily dedicated to its area people in Aizu, the place it not solely has its headquarters and manufacturing facility, but additionally now a rice farm that’s as a lot about protecting individuals within the space employed and fed as it’s about earning money.

But make no mistake, images is a onerous enterprise. Since Sigma’s founding in 1961, a lot in regards to the market has modified. How individuals work together with images and video has modified too. But as Yamaki writes in his letter, offered in full under, what hasn’t modified is how a lot images issues.

On September 9, 2026, Sigma celebrates its sixty fifth anniversary.

Our firm was one of many final to enter an trade as soon as so crowded with digital camera and lens producers that it was mentioned a model existed for nearly each letter of the alphabet. Over the many years, fierce competitors and shifts available in the market and enterprise atmosphere compelled many to withdraw. That Sigma has been capable of keep its independence and proceed working to this present day is completely as a result of beneficiant assist of everybody related to us, for which we’re deeply grateful.

First and foremost, I want to specific my honest because of our clients who use and love our merchandise. Although our services and products could have fallen quick at instances, your unwavering assist has been our best supply of energy. The stern suggestions we acquired once in a while served as invaluable classes that fueled our development. We are additionally profoundly grateful to our sellers, enterprise companions, and suppliers for his or her a few years of assist in sustaining our enterprise, in addition to to the native communities the place we function for his or her heat understanding and encouragement. Sigma exists right this moment as a result of it has been nurtured and supported by so lots of you.

Guided by the philosophy of our founder, Michihiro Yamaki — “For Happy Moments,” reflecting his perception that images accompanies individuals of their moments of happiness — we’ve strived to create merchandise that aren’t solely of top of the range and efficiency, but additionally revolutionary, unique, and delightful. None of this was ever simple, however we really feel we’ve been guided right here by the sheer fascination of images and filmmaking. Working inside a discipline so deeply rooted in tradition and artwork makes us really feel actually lucky.

While technological improvements proceed to rework the character of images and video, their core significance has not pale — if something, it has change into much more important to humanity. As we glance forward, we are going to proceed our day by day efforts whereas reflecting on the function Sigma ought to play, and the way we will contribute to the event of photographic and visible tradition, social peace, and human happiness.

With heartfelt gratitude for all of your assist,

Kazuto Yamaki
Sigma, CEO

It’s an incredible letter, and it’s protected to say Sigma has achieved an excellent job residing as much as its founding legacy. The firm continues to make excellent lenses which might be enjoyable to make use of and comparatively accessible.

Alongside Yamaki’s letter to the images world, Sigma additionally launched a extremely lovely, considerably trippy video. It options X-ray-like photos of cameras and lenses, some nice music, and a ton of colours. You actually need to look at it; it’s not like anything I’ve seen.

Please be aware that the video under has flashing lights and patterns that would have an effect on individuals with photosensitive circumstances.

Congratulations on 65 years, Sigma. And right here’s to a different 65.

Image creditSigma. Sigma’s sixty fifth anniversary video was directed by Daihei Shibata with music by Cornelius, inventive route by Ichiro Iwasaki, and video manufacturing by WOW inc.