So, you said ISO the sun. With the launch of the Sigma ISO farm, so you have gone from polishing glass to growing rice. Such two extreme things at a spectrum, you know, two extremes. So, there's a patience required for a harvest field similar to the long development cycles, something like the Foveon sensor.
Good question. But actually, we don't need patience because even either we make lenses or rice or Foveon sensor, we've been keeping ourselves very busy. So, we just ask for patience to the customer side. So, I truly feel sorry to customers to keep them wait for a long time. But we've been working so busy and hard to provide, to deliver the Foveon sensor camera.
Okay. So, I've been waiting actually.
So, my next question is, yeah, you always use the phrase 'beautiful foolishness' to describe projects like the FP or the Foveon sensor. So, is there a project that was too foolish for you or for the market, but too beautiful for you to ignore?
In the past... or present maybe?
Or present, he cannot review.
Oh, yeah. Yeah, actually probably Foveon sensor camera.
And you know, my father started the project. He was one man of vision. And actually, when the digital imaging started, we did not know that the digital camera uses a multi-color capture sensor. And it was quite different, and it's still different from the way a film captures the color light. And my father believed this can be a future. And then we started the project. While we were financially suffering at the time. It was really a tough time for us because it was the time when the camera system was shifting from film to digital. And the SL system, the SL market was, you know, decreasing during this transition time. And our sales, the interchangeable lens, also declined or declining. But then my father started the Foveon sensor camera project. So, it was quite a foolish project, but it was beautiful because we started with his vision and our passion.
And do you know that this sensor, this camera changed my life? It changed my life. Really. Honestly. Before that, I was doing programming. Now, I've become a photographer. All thanks to the chip.
Three weeks ago, the project manager at the time at Foveon site visited Japan with his family. So, we met him after many years. And according to him, the engineers at the early Foveon were still getting together. They still have a reunion. I asked who comes to the gathering, and most of the key people were there. So, they said they were still, you know, excited about what they did, and they still have very beautiful memories from that chip.
Me, too. Really, I tell you, I can't relate or can't tell you really for the first time when I see the output from Foveon.
Actually, I do appreciate Steve because he used SD9 and the SD10, which were really, really difficult to use.
Very short battery, right? And very hard to use.
Oh, you can say that. But, I overcame all the obstacles. It's fantastic. The output just blew me away. Really. Honestly, I really thank you. You know, it changed my life, honestly.
I think if I can add something, Foveon was also the communication bridge between Steve and my partner and me when we met almost two decades ago. We somehow went to a function, and we talked about cameras, and got to know that Steve was representing Sigma as an ambassador, and he uses that very special camera, which I'm quite aware of. And we started talking about it the whole night, you know. And that's how we got to know each other so well now.
I'm probably the very first person who used the Foveon camera in Malaysia. And then I did not know where to buy the lens. Honestly, it's like I don't know. Some sorry would say that. And then eventually I bought the lens 24-70 from Taiwan. And the 50 mm from Sigma Malaysia, I think.
Actually, we've got so much inspiration and also ideas from users, especially the early Foveon camera users. Actually, it was them, I mean the early Foveon users, that asked us to make even better optics because the Foveon sensor was so sharp and gave us fine details. At that time, to be honest, Sigma did not have enough lenses that resolved well enough for the Foveon sensor. So, they asked us to make the best of the best optics to support the Foveon sensor. It was really inspirational.
Yeah. Then comes the 50 and the 85. I was totally blown away, I tell you.
Even today, I share that kind of what happened between us and the early Foveon users to our young engineers because we can learn from customers.
Yamakisan, I will have to ask you some very difficult questions. Also because I think the global audience who will be watching this podcast may eventually ask at what stage is the Foveon development right now. Yes, you have mentioned that it is continually being developed, so we would like to know at what stage it is.
Right now, it's a transition time from the R&D technology development stage to the product development stage. So, the technology has almost been proved as it works. So, now we are going to make a prototype sensor. But still not sure if we can productize it, and we're still not sure when we can productize it, but we are now moving to the next stage.
Okay. How long do you think that the next major announcement is going to be?
Mhm. This is a million-dollar question.
It's difficult to answer, but as we are working very hard, so I hope customers stay patient and waiting for the announcement from us.
Changing topic a little bit, but still staying with the idea of difficult questions. Given that we've had so much new computational technology, let's say new production technology, is there anything lens-wise, I'm not going to ask about sensors, is there anything lens-wise that you've wanted to make, but still can't make? I mean, let's say a ridiculous example would be everybody asks for, I want a 14 to 200 mm F1.4. That's impossible optically.
