The Sigma SA-mount is a lens mount by the Sigma Corporation of Japan for use on their autofocus single-lens reflex and mirrorless cameras. It was introduced with the SA-300 in 1992. Originally, the SA-mount was a dual-bayonet mount with inner (SA-IB) and outer (SA-OB) bayonets, the latter being a feature intended to mount heavy telephoto lenses,[1] but never utilized by Sigma and consequently dropped with the release of the SD14 in 2007.
There were two precursors to the introduction of SA-mount cameras, the manual-focus Sigma Mark-I in 1976, which still featured a M42 screw lens mount, and the SA-1 of 1983 with Pentax K-mount.
Mechanically, the (inner) SA-mount is similar to the Pentax K-mount as well,[2] but with a flange focal distance of 44.00 mm, identical to that of the Canon EF-mount. Like the EF-mount, the SA-mount uses electrical communication between body and lens, and in fact uses the same signalling lines and protocol as the EF-mount, despite the physical incompatibility. Sigma has long produced EF-mount lenses for Canon cameras, and thus had the ability to use this protocol.
All Sigma SLRs and DSLRs can use manual focus lenses too, which have no electrical communication between body and lens.
In September 2018, Sigma announced that they will stop the development of SA-mount cameras and focus on the Leica L-mount, as members of the L-Mount Alliance alongside Panasonic.[3]