More thoughts on the Sony 500/F4 lens

Posted by Kurt on February 8, 2012 in Jottings

Most people probably aren’t aware of the fact that this lens is a classic example of a ‘halo’ product.  In this case Sony is trying to bump up its market perception from amateur grade cameras and accessories, to a major player in professional camera gear.  By introducing the 500mm F/4, Sony gets free publicity, and people begin to associate Sony with higher grade photographic products.

At $10k or more each, it’s doubtful Sony plans on selling very many of these, and I’d guess they don’t care if they sell a single one, again, it’s all about improving Sony’s market perception, or how one thinks about Sony’s camera gear; In my opinion, it’s the very purpose of this lens.  It’s also why they’re asking such a high price for it; people associate price with quality, so the higher the price, the better.  Interestingly enough, I read a report on world-wide lens sales of the expensive Sony 300/2.8 a year or two ago, and it indicated Sony was selling about 50 copies per year!

Now don’t get me wrong, the 500/F4 will probably perform very well, as good as the Canon or Nikon versions, but I highly doubt this introduction is a result of Sony getting flooded with mail from photographers indicating they want a 500mm telephoto lens.

If Sony wants to become a real player and a threat to Canon or Nikon, it’s going to have to come out with the more popular lenses that they don’t have right now, like the 70-200mm F/4, or 400mm F/4.5 or F/5.6, a 300mm F/4, 200mm F/2.8, and some zooms like an APS-C 10-24mm F/2.8, and FF 16-35mm F/4 just to name a few.  And don’t forget; right now, Sony has only one professional camera to offer, the three year old A900.

In my opinion, Sony should stick with perfecting and expanding its APS-C cameras, lenses and accessories, and forget the full frame stuff for now.

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  • Chris Jankowski

    I’d guess that Sony also needs a high quality “travel” zoom for the APS-C range 18-200mm or better 16-200 with SSM and good sharpness at the long end. The current 18-200 just won’t do for the 24 Mpixels sensors. With increasing sensitivity of the sensors one can easily live with F3.5-5.6, but the image quality should be there. Such lens does not need to be very heavy and could become a lens of choice for 99% of situations.

    • http://photojottings.com/ Kurt Munger

      Yup, I think it’s on the 2014-15 roadmap!

      • Wojtek

        haha, good one! :D
        Unfortunately I suppose you’re right and due to lack of high quality lenses I’m beginning to question my investments in NEX system.
        Hopefully tamron and sigma come with some good high quality lenses like 17-50/2.8, 35/1.8 and maybe 70-200/4(or 70-300/4-5.6)

  • Matthew Durr

    I actually didn’t think of this with this lens, Kurt, but that makes a lot of sense.
    And I think the really need to work on their NEX-lenses as much as they need to get professional alpha bodies out. :)
    The lens roadmap that came out today is nice, but the one lens that captured my attention back last year (the standard G zoom) has been delayed to 2013. Bummer.

    • http://photojottings.com/ Kurt Munger

      I don’t think the current NEX roadmap is aggressive enough, and high quality lenses are still a long way off, the only combo that’s really impressive is the NEX-7 and CZ 24/1.8, so not sure yet about the NEX system.

      • Matthew Durr

        I’m thinking the same thing. It seems like it isn’t maturing as fast as I would have hoped.

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  • Barroq Safi

    You know, I am sad that Sony hasn’t taken a more aggressive stance on anything involving full-frame cameras. If they want anyone to take them seriously with regards to professional photo quality, they need to expand on full frame offerings and lenses with practical applications as opposed to ‘wow’ factor.

    • http://photojottings.com/ Kurt Munger

      FF is a tiny portion of the Sony profit generator, therefore, it stays on the back burner. When people think ‘Sony’ they think video, and now, ‘NEX’ products. When people think ‘Nikon’ or ‘Canon’ they think high quality still camera systems. I’m not sure Sony FF will ever be a real player in the end.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Roman-Matevosov/100003198561153 Roman Matevosov

    I presume that Nikon is giving to Sony a really lot’s of cash by their agreements and this is why Sony is so slow. Seriously. They making a lot of effort to release all those great dslr and slt body’s, but almost nothing to release some good glass. I think that there must be pretty much glass for every needs and this is what must describe your system. It’s not like they need to r&d all the lens, they already have Minolta’s IP for that. So what stopping them? Where is weather sealing? Where are primes with f1.2 (this is actually really necessary because the lack of light with slt)? Where is perfect build quality and ssm? It’s clear that there is a lot of opportunity that Sony is missing right now. And making second system? You can’t catch two hares in one time. This is an ideal example what happens when big corporation involved in something that they have no idea about. So 500/4? Great. Now up and go for 70-210/4, 50/2, 50/1.2, 50/1.4 CZ, 85/1.2, 85/1.4G. And it would be nice that there will be new price without overpriced offers. In fact little of demping is more reasonable.

  • Anonymous

    You know that when they released a33/55 they in fact where maked market research. They do care what customers think. And what is that customer will buy first? That’s right a a body with kit lenses. And you know what? That lenses are so good that you could use them even when you will have greater glass. Sony increasing customers base selling their dslr’s and slt’s. You are right though saying that they are wasting minolta’s intellectual poperty and about overprising. Why even bother to have built-in steadyshot when you are paying even little more for the same lens?

  • Scott

    Kurt
    I totally agree with you re this lens BUT I think you can apply the same argument to full frame cameras as well. In many ways, I’m a perfect ‘NEW’ Sony owner.. I started with a NEX, found out I enjoyed photography, then went with the a55, was happy with the EVF approach and am now an a77 owner.. I’ve followed Sony’s marketing line / upgrade path almost by accident. However, I now suddenly find myself heavily invested in Sony bodies and budget / mid level lenses and despite the fact I have no intentions of buying a full frame this year, am perturbed at the lack of tangible details over Sony’s next full frame – its almost like a comfort blanket… having a new FF in the line up won’t mean they sell one to me, but might make me more likely to justify and buy a zeiss prime or G lens because I can use them now and on the a99 (or whatever) IF I buy one.
    Scott

    • http://photojottings.com/ Kurt Munger

      Don’t worry about so called ‘mid level’ lenses, many times I find they’re better than the high dollar offerings, read: 35/1.8, 85/2.8 or the CZ 24/1.8 etc. I prefer APS-C for most work, that’s where all the technology is going, the FF stuff plays catch up.