Inside Look at the Sigma Factory

Photography Tips

Not many people are granted the opportunity to take a tour of Sigma’s production factories. Fortunately, the company allowed access to a video crew who takes us on a virtual tour through the facility, giving us a behind the scenes look at the craftsmanship that goes into each piece of glass the company produces. Throughout the duration of the short, five minute video viewers are shown multiple aspects of the lens making process including assembly, hand polishing, and their inspection. See it here:

Sigma takes their work very seriously. Many precautions are put into effect to ensure the company is sending out top quality merchandise. Employees, such as the inspector in the photo below, are required to wear special clothing, presumably to eliminate dust and debris inside the factories. As you can imagine, cleanliness is a major concern since a tiny fleck of dust is reason enough for a lens to fail the inspection.

We all know that the cost of a good lens can put a pretty big dent in the pocketbook, but it’s comforting knowing they are created with such great attention to detail by manufacturers who clearly take pride in their work!