500mm lens hands-on by Engadget.
Engadget (Click here) visited the CP+ show in Japan and played with the new Sony 500mm f/4.0 lens: “The lens focused surprisingly quickly, especially given its massive 500mm fixed focal length. Moving from subject to subject at varying distances, we were typically able to achieve focus in a fraction of a second. Long lenses have traditionally been tricky on the focus front, but this guy handled it like a champ”
The lens costs 13.000 Euro (no preorders yet) and is the most expensive Sony lens ever made. It beats the 300mm f/2.8 APO G SSM Autofocus Lens which costs $3200 at Bhphoto (Click here).
Curiosity: The most expensive lenses are from leica. Look at that Prototype 50 Summicron which sells for more than $35000 on eBay (Click here)!!!
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Recent comments
Comment from Mar: They would've done much better by releas...
Comment from skylightphotos: Sounds and looks like a great lens. When...
Comment from Jesse: Made me remember this $120,000 beast... ...
Comment from Carl: Batteries are unlikely to be an issue; i...
Zhi Shan
4 months ago |The focusing is indeed fast! Wonders how it fares against the likes of Canikon. Hoping to have a chance to touch that lens soon.
JonasM
4 months ago |Yeah, that is fast AF. Can’t afford it though.
doraemonboi
4 months ago |lol. And I see a guy whining that this lens doesn’t have stabilizer in the engadget comments. Must be a Canikon guy.
Henk
4 months ago |Yup. One common complaint is that the lens is “impossible to use handheld” as the effect of stabilization is not visible through the viewfinder. That is of course bullshit.
Except for astrophotography I’m always using my 400/4.5 + 1.4x TC handheld on a A700 crop body with no problems at all. More importantly, the image stabilization does have a great impact on the number of keepers.
matgay
4 months ago |stable what?? who handholds a 750mm (500mmm + A77) tele?? sample images or it didnt happen
Carl
4 months ago |Ergonomic issues aside, as long as you keep the shutter speeds well up, it could be done. Your arms would be like tree trunks after a while, though.
Henk
4 months ago |Deer + bird images are 400/4.5 on a A700, hand held (elks 80-200/2.8 in darkness):
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150311419922698.361109.655482697&type=3&l=6b57d5c037
Wolf images are 400/4.5 + 1.4x TC II on A700, hand held:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150182345027698.323767.655482697&type=3&l=a5f610018b
All images 400/4.5 on A700, hand held, heavily cropped:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.437735887697.239052.655482697&type=3
Spoon
4 months ago |Everything is possible….:
http://www.foto-biz.com/sites/default/files/misc/sigma-200-500.jpg
barri
4 months ago |BTW: The Sony 2.8/300 does not cost 3200 USD, as is written here. It costs rather 6000 USD. 3200 would have made it a bargain.
Carl
4 months ago |I’d be all over it if it was 3200. It’s a real nice lens.
Yong
4 months ago |the focus is fast…. any video of direct comparison between this and canon or nikon lens ?
march
4 months ago |really amazing len made from sony ! cheers !
Hugo
4 months ago |The lens costs 13.000 Euro (no preorders yet)
At this price they are going to sell many many lens. not enjoy!
These guys do not need customers.
SONY:
Yes we have the best product! But we have no cleintes! But it is the best ….
SonyBirder
4 months ago |Yep, amazing lens but horrible price. The money I saved up for this beast is only good for the Canikon version. I guess it’s time to….sigh….consider theirs over this lens…..sigh again
grete
4 months ago |a 13.000 euro lens on a a77?? bhauauaaua are the usual sony’s contradictions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SRL
4 months ago |Not really, APC sensor cameras are often preferred by wildlife and sport-event photographers. I think some of the advantages of full frame are lost using lenses over 200mm. A Sony APC like the a77 with 24MP is a nice combination…………A 36 MP APC SLT with this lens would be incredible sideline camera or a NASCAR/Indy type race!
SRL
4 months ago |As I think more about it, this lens if it focuses as fast as the reviewer claims with the focusing speed of the high MP a77 I can’t think of a better combination from anyone; Nikon, Canon nobody has a better APC sensor camera for a lens like this……………Me, I’m a full-Framer and seldom need the more than 200mm and I never do events that need that much reach, and thankfully so, as I’m glad I don’t need to spend that much money on one lens that equals the cost of all of my CZ and G lenses combined
Adam Maas
4 months ago |Actually the A77′s very high pixel density and fast AF make it a killer birding or wildlife camera, it just needed the right lens and the 500/4 is just that.
Zhi Shan
4 months ago |If you guys are not in a hurry maybe you can wait for the street prices…?
Pei
4 months ago |There is no street price. The lens is made to order. Whoever wants one pay for one to be made.
Carl
4 months ago |There are street prices for the 300/2.8, which is also BTO.
Zhi Shan
4 months ago |Ordering through your local camera store will definitely be cheaper than ordering from Amazon though.
Sonyalphalab
4 months ago |Looks like a masterpiece to me!! Can’t wait to see some real sample shots. Sony should bring that to a sporting event and show it off;)
Kim
4 months ago |If only there were some high profile, worldwide sporting event coming up this summer. Say in London? Hmmmmm
Pei
4 months ago |Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee? I wouldn’t call that a sporting event but with all the politicians, maybe you can. I’ll call it monkey business thought with all those monkeys in Armani
Zhi Shan
4 months ago |Sony REAAAAAALLY should hire a few top photographers and give them the a77 and 500f4 combo to use at the Olympics.
klw10
4 months ago |I bet they will have some there with the a99 and that lens. a99 trials. hah
Sonyalphalab
4 months ago |Looks like a masterpiece to me!! Can’t wait to see some real sample shots. Sony should bring that to a sporting event and show it off
derek
4 months ago |Is this official price for this lens because I can sell all my Minolta/Sony gear, buy brand new D800 and Nikon 500mm lens and still have money left over for ice-cream
and be happy..
LENS $8,999.99 http://www.henrys.com/849-NIKON-AF-S-500MM-4-0-VR-II-ED.aspx
CAMERA $3,449.99 http://www.henrys.com/68925-NIKON-D800E-DIGITAL-SLR-NO-AA-FILTER.aspx
TOTAL COST 12,449.98
D.CH.
sergei
4 months ago |D800 doesn’t have the frame rate to do sports effectively. We also don’t know how fast it will dump the 36mp Raw files to a card. Time will show.
David
4 months ago |Oh please. You don’t NEED uber high fps for sports.
And lets be honest.. the 12fps is a bit of a gimmick anyway. It has its uses but I would choose proper continuous mode with manual controls.
And you could argue that the d800 probably focuses faster, although I don’t know specifics of the Nikon or Sony lens. I’ll go out on a whim and say Nikon will focus better, just by their reputation.
Spoon
4 months ago |Heh, the D7000 sure has a reputation too in this area. Wink wink.
Henk
4 months ago |I would like to whine a little bit:
Of course there’s need for a 500/4. However, with the in-body actuator of the aperture, in-body AF motor & in-body image stabilizer, wouldn’t Sony be in a good position to put out some really cost-effective tele lenses for the masses? Maybe a 400/5.6 (or a 400/4.5) which does not cost an arm and a leg, maybe some cheap 300/4 etc.
Carl
4 months ago |A SAM/easy-choice telephoto might work, but boy would there ever be a lot of complaining about it.
For the moment, the 70-400 is the only option.
Adam Maas
4 months ago |Actually, Canon holds the record for the most expensive production lens for stills photography, not Leica. The rare time the EF 1200mm f8 L USM comes up for sale used it sells for around $100,000USD and that lens retailed for over $60,000 when new. However total production of that lens was lass than 100 examples IIRC, all of which were owned by Sports photography organizations (Sports Illustrated has a couple of these) or Canon Professional Services (who does loaners at major sporting events).
richy
4 months ago |I think the zeiss 1700mm f4 medium format lens (6x6cm image circle) is the most expensive lens (7 figures usd) although it is not listed with an msrp. Canons 1200mm is no longer produced but was circa 90k usd, now used at about 120k. Sigmas 200-500 2.8 lens is currently about 30k usd list.
Mike
4 months ago |It is actually 1200 f5.6
Dan
4 months ago |Heck with the birds! I’d love to have this on a beach front cottage patio in the summer.
Randy
4 months ago |That was never a production lens and only 3(or was it 5?) where ever made.
richy
4 months ago |20 made, it was produced, but only to order like the zeiss 1700mm. Sigmas 200-500 2.8 is a production lens and many were sold but to spooks / the military etc.
Randy
4 months ago |OK it believed less then 20 AND NO STABILIZATION IT MUST HAVE SUCKED ACCORDING TO SOME HERE LOL.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EF_1200mm_lens
Randy
4 months ago |This is a pricy lens http://www.tristatecamera.com/product/Contax_Ae_Tele-Apotessar_300mm_F2_8_Apo_AE300.html
Wheelus
4 months ago |I would like to see a photograph of the 500 on an NEX 5N. Just because…
Flakeu
4 months ago |The NEX 5N will be a nice lens cap for sure!
pancanikonpus
4 months ago |admin,
do you able to have some similar NR (nikon rumor) like how many sony can produce from factory in a day? quite cannnot believe sony are still stuck at stock issue
p5freak
4 months ago |That price is insane. Sony doesnt want anyone to buy that lens. Otherwise it wouldnt be priced so high. Canon does make the best Teles, their new 500mm lens is below 10k and it has IS inside which means a stable picture through the viewfinder, their lens is also ~500g lighter, both help when you handhold it. For 13k i could buy that Canon lens, a good body, like the 7D, and still had enough money for a nice holiday.
pancanikonpus
4 months ago |this lens is not targeting on usual user. this is purely for commercial firm especially those shooting sport news
Mar
4 months ago |But why wouldn’t those clients buy something with better track record and pro service like Canon or Nikon?
Not to mention that A77 will probably eat through batteries extremely quickly with this lens, so covering let’s say football game or F1 race with this won’t be possible without chaning the batteries.
Carl
4 months ago |Batteries are unlikely to be an issue; if you can handle the cost and weight of the lens, you can also handle buying a few extra battery trays.
As for press organisations not buying anything other than Canikon, I don’t see that changing, and that’s the likely reason Sony was so conflicted about releasing the lens. Maybe a handful of influential photographers who like the Sony look will convince their masters to pick one up, but that’s likely to be nothing more than a blip on the radar compared to the number of Canon and Nikon lenses bought.
Mar
4 months ago |They would’ve done much better by releasing more affordable and smaller lenses such as 400mm f4, 500mm f5.6 and similar.
Those ultra tele lenses are rarely used wide open anyway due to way too shallow DoF (only in low light such as sports) and for birds most of the time you’ve got plenty of light anyway and modern sensors can use higher ISOs compared to film days.
Jesse
4 months ago |Made me remember this $120,000 beast…
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-1200mm-f-5.6-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx
skylightphotos
4 months ago |Sounds and looks like a great lens. When I bought the 70-400mmG lens I already thought I must be nuts to spend so much money. Clearly if you have to ask for the price of this lens, it is not for you.
As great as the news is, one has to wonder the use of such a lens. Considering Sony is not really targeting the pros with their cameras, what is the use of this pro lens? Like it or not, SLTs may be fantastic cameras for the money, but the translucent technology compromises quality and it is doubtful true pros would use such cameras. It is pretty clear that Sony is not trying to compete with the Nikons and the Canons at the very high end cameras, but now they announce this lens.
In other words, who would put a $15000 lens (or whatever the price) on a $500, $1000 or $1500 camera?