Sigma Can Make Just Nine BF Cameras a Day

Feb 25, 2025

Jaron Schneider

A person holding a metallic, rectangular camera accessory with a large circular cutout. The accessory features a textured pattern and a small circular emblem in one corner. The background is softly blurred.

The Sigma BF is milled from a single block of aluminum on state-of-the-art five axis CNC machine, which is a process that takes seven hours to complete. It should be no surprise, then, that the production capacity is extremely low: just nine per day.

During a tour of Sigma’s headquarters in Aizu, Japan, the company explained to PetaPixel that it needed to acquire six brand-new machines that are capable of milling the BF camera body from a single aluminum block. These machines work in teams of two over the course of seven hours in order to produce the camera. Therefore, Sigma can only make nine per day — an extremely low level of production.

Various electronic components are laid out on a beige surface, including circuit boards, connectors, and metallic parts. The components are arranged in a grid-like pattern, showcasing the intricate details and variety of pieces used in electronic assembly.

It has been actively producing BF cameras for what was casually described as the last five months in anticipation of the launch this week. That said, even with that much time dedicated to production, that would mean that Sigma has only been able to produce around 1,500 units. It has another month and a half of production ahead of it before the camera’s availability in April but even so, photographers shouldn’t expect Sigma to have even 2,000 total cameras for the global market.

A person's hand holding a small electronic device with a rectangular screen and surrounding circuitry, possibly a camera sensor or similar component. The device has a ribbon cable attached at the top.

A detailed view of an electronic circuit board placed on a light surface. The board features several microchips and components. To the right, a ribbon cable with connectors is visible, detached from the board.

Close-up of various electronic components on a white surface, including a circuit board with chips and other small parts. The items are arranged without any noticeable pattern, showcasing technology details.

This is a very Leica-esque approach to manufacturing, but not pricing — $2,000 for this “beautiful foolishness” of a camera of this limited availability is unusual. On that note, Sigma’s factory in Aizu is responsible for all of its manufacturing — both cameras and lenses. Sigma is capable of producing 75,000 lenses a month and 1,000 total cameras at peak capacity, all in this one location. Despite the fact that many of the steps are not automated and do require human hands, Sigma describes its factory as vertically integrated which allows it to hit the high level of quality it strives for while also keeping prices low.

Close-up of three metal camera bodies with circular cutouts, aligned in a row. The bodies have a sleek, minimalist design, with the front one in focus and the others blurred, highlighting the texture and curves of the metal surfaces.

A hand holds a rectangular Sigma metal object with a black center. The frame has rounded edges and the brand name "SIGMA" is etched on one side. The object appears to be lightweight and compact, fitting easily in the palm.

Looping back to those new machines, it’s important to recognize that they are extremely expensive. While Sigma did not confirm or deny, it is unlikely that the company would only keep them for making BF cameras forever, so it’s not out of the question to think the company would make more products in the future that use a similar unibody design or milled processing.

Close-up of a mechanical component viewed through a circular opening. The component, possibly a camera part, features multiple gears and intricate details. Its blurred background suggests a focus on the foreground element.