Sigma’s New Filter Could Make Lens Scratches a Thing of the Past

December 16, 2015

By Laura Brauer

Camera bodies come and go, but lenses are an investment that can last for literally decades if properly cared for.

Sigma has just announced a new lens filter that can protect that investment. The new Water Repellent Ceramic Protector is a bit like body armor for your front lens element, protecting it from scratches and water.

sigma ceramic filter

What sets it apart from other protective filters is its materials. It’s made from shock and scratch-resistant clear glass ceramic that’s incredibly strong. Sigma claims it’s 10 times stronger than a conventional lens filter and three times stronger than a chemically strengthened filter.

The lens protector also contains a coating that repels water, dust and oil. It has a Vickers hardness number of 700HV (by way of comparison, a diamond clocks in at 10,000HV). Despite its durability, the new filter is 50 percent thinner and 30 percent lighter than earlier Sigma filters.

The company also claims that the clear glass ceramic delivers “very high transmittance” so it’s suitable for optics.

Sigma hasn’t said when the new filter will ship or how much it will cost but did promise that it would be available in the “most popular filter thread sizes.”