The lens price increase in USA is real :(
Two months ago our friends over at Photorumors got the news that on April 1st Sony will increase the price on all Sony lenses. Sadly this wasn’t an April joke. And the bad news is that i have been told more price increases will arrive soon in other countries too 
This is the price change list in USA:
| Model | Effective 9/1/11 | Effective 4/1/12 | Price Diff | |
| SAL1635Z | $1,899.99 | $1,999.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL1680Z | $849.99 | $999.99 | $150.00 | |
| SAL2470Z | $1,799.99 | $1,999.99 | $200.00 | |
| SAL24F20Z | $1,299.99 | $1,399.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL85F14Z | $1,499.99 | $1,699.99 | $200.00 | |
| SAL135F18Z | $1,599.99 | $1,799.99 | $200.00 | |
| SAL70300G | $899.99 | $999.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL70400G | $1,799.99 | $1,999.99 | $200.00 | |
| SAL35F14G | $1,399.99 | $1,499.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL300F28G | $6,299.99 | $6,999.99 | $700.00 | |
| SAL100M28 | $749.99 | $799.99 | $50.00 | |
| SAL1118 | $699.99 | $799.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL135F28 | $1,299.99 | $1,399.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL14TC | $499.99 | $549.99 | $50.00 | |
| SAL16105 | $649.99 | $699.99 | $50.00 | |
| SAL1650 | $699.99 | $799.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL16F28 | $899.99 | $999.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL18250 | $599.99 | $649.99 | $50.00 | |
| SAL1855/BQ | $199.99 | $219.99 | $20.00 | |
| SAL20F28 | $649.99 | $749.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL20TC | $499.99 | $549.99 | $50.00 | |
| SAL2875 | $799.99 | $899.99 | $100.00 | |
| SAL35F18 | $199.99 | $219.99 | $20.00 | |
| SAL50F14 | $399.99 | $449.99 | $50.00 | |
| SAL50F18 | $149.99 | $169.99 | $20.00 | |
| SAL50M28 | $529.99 | $599.99 | $70.00 | |
| SAL85F28 | $249.99 | $299.99 | $50.00 | |
| SEL18200 | $799.99 | $899.99 | $100.00 | |
| SEL24F18Z | $999.99 | $1,099.99 | $100.00 | |
| SEL30M35 | $249.99 | $279.99 | $30.00 | |
| no price increase: | ||||
| SAL18200 | $549.99 | $549.99 | $0.00 | |
| SAL1870 | $179.99 | $179.99 | discontinued | |
| SAL30M28 | $199.99 | $199.99 | $0.00 | |
| SAL55200/2 | $199.99 | $199.99 | $0.00 | |
| SAL70200G | $1,999.99 | $1,999.99 | $0.00 | |
| SAL75300 | $249.99 | $249.99 | $0.00 | |
| SEL16F28 | $249.99 | $249.99 | $0.00 | |
| SEL1855 | $299.99 | $299.99 | $0.00 | |
| SEL50F18 | $299.99 | $299.99 | $0.00 | |
| SEL55210 | $349.99 | $349.99 | $0.00 |
Yeah I know, some rumors should never become truth!
doug
2 years ago |I bought my Sony Zeiss alphas two years ago, so I’m happy. And they haven’t given any indication that they plan to release more Zeisses, so I guess I’m done.
Jakob Røjel
2 years ago |Yep, I’m all done too, just waiting for a outstanding FF.
Ryan
2 years ago |Does this affect the price of cameras with kit lenses?
Arthur
2 years ago |Yes. If it has a lens, it will have a higher price.
1972
2 years ago |Has someone got an idea if the price increase is also going to take place in Europe (The Netherlands to be precise
?
klw10
2 years ago |These price increases are just nuts! Thanks Canikon for releasing lenses that are priced so high that Sony could not help but see they were losing money by having lenses so much lower priced.
Lonnie Utah
2 years ago |Don’t blame Sony or Canikon. Blame the US federal reserve for dumping dollars on the world to prop up the US economy.
klw10
2 years ago |That is another topic that I will not get into but I agree it does play into it.
Jakop.com
2 years ago |US federal reserve, One of the biggest organized criminals ever. Like everything in life nothing lasts forever. But we are paying for there crimes, I just hope we wake up before it’s to late.
Steve
2 years ago |There are rumors that Sony will begin to update its full-frame lenses. As noted here, they have a lot of work to do, if there are any plans to compete.
So, far history has told us that Sony is about electronics and releasing camera bodies and not about creating a system and supporting people interested in photography.
I guess, the plan for now is to see how much money can be Squeezed from the Minolta purchase and lens rebranding.
Mike Likes Sony
2 years ago |I agree with you 100%, hence why I moved away from Sony and towards Nikon. It wasn’t about lenses, it was about support. I wanted a semi-pro (nikon d300s) & a pro (nikon d700) with Live View for my night photography, and I could not get that with my a700, & the a900 did not offer this.
It isnt always about sensor this, or ISO that, but it is about the long run, even things like Tilt-Shift lenses for landscapes cannot be bought from Sony in either CZ or G version.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |Bleah, need to buy my 16-50 before they raise prices in UK. :/ Hoped to get it in June when it’ll fit my budget more nicely, but… well… >_<
Anthony
2 years ago |I come from Hong Kong, the new price already in effective from 1 Feb 12. So sad to hear this apply to US as well. ($1 USD = $7.8 HKD)
Oparts
2 years ago |Prices are increased in Finland already. One month ago I bought my 70200G lens for 1900eur and couple days later the new price was 400eur more!
Two days ago I noticed new price of 300F28G for 10 000eur(!?!) on sonys own web site..
I’m abit confused about this!
Bill
2 years ago |I’ve been waiting to buy an NEX 7 until a better zoom is released. This higher price scheme may tip the pricing scales and allow me to bite the bullet on the Fuji instead. Way to drive away customers Sony!!!
David
2 years ago |I still have a Sony 35/1.4G for sale in UK or EU.
It’s in mint condition with original box, receipt (still 9 months left on warranty), caps, hood etc.
If anyone is interested, leave a comment with an email address
kalpurush :)
2 years ago |Well, is Sony thinking they can match the price with CanNikon? Wrong.
Sony’s advantage was the low price IMHO, now that there won’t be much advantage in regards to price, why people will buy Sony camera/lenses??
Sony, make us believe…
SonyA77
2 years ago |Their bodies aren’t exactly cheap anymore either.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |nor is the market position, what doesn’t make a good mix.
Adi
2 years ago |Because they are BETTER ? I never chose Sony because price, but because I like what camera(s) have to offer.And second I don’t thing that for the same class (so compare apple with apples…) Sony cameras are cheaper than Canikon ones.
Matt
2 years ago |Agreed. In Australia Sony are more expensive than anyone else across their range – I didn’t buy into Sony because of their low price, not by a long shot.
Adi
2 years ago |Hey guys, there is no conspiracy here. The yen is very high comparing with the dollar, so sooner or later all Japan made products will increase in price. Sony and other can try to lower the price moving manufacturing in other countries which they already do, but many lenses are still made in Japan.
It’s not all bad, this may stimulate third party manufacturers to do more emount lenses for example as generaly many try to be under Sony prices ( see Tamron 18200 for example).If the price is to low they will not make lenses.
Vivek
2 years ago |Are they all “Japan made” ? Is Sony counting cash in Yen or Yuan or Baht?
Adi
2 years ago |No, some are made in Thailand from what I know. But a company is free to set their prices, and subsidise one product using another. You don’t really expect Sony to set lower prices for lenses made in Thailand than the one made in Japan ? The fact is that whatever they produce in Japan it costs them MUCH more than it cost a few years ago.A company is required to make a profit, and in general the market is self regulated, if the price is to high for the perceived value of your product ,nobody will buy your stuff. Don’t worry, if they really do not sell their lenses they will lower the price, and if the price does not make economic sense comparing with their cost (in other words they don’t make any profit on them) they will stop producing and close the bussiness.
I would also like to buy cheap lenses and cheap cameras (for free if possible) but this is not how the economy works, and I read all kind of fantastic interpretations here from all kind of experts here
Vivek
2 years ago |“You don’t really expect Sony to set lower prices for lenses made in Thailand than the one made in Japan ?”
I do. Especially while dealing with plastic.
Matt
2 years ago |You are assuming he is talking about different lens models, I think he was saying that assuming its the same model of lens it costs more to build on Japan, but couldn’t charge consumers more for the same lens.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |Didn’t Sony move all the lenses production back to Japan after Thailand factory flood?
Vivek
2 years ago |The Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN is made in Japan. Has all glass elements unlike the Sony E primes. It is all black. Much better build quality.
It is also the cheapest of all the E primes.
So, let Sigma make all the lenses. Sony can concentrate on making more NEX models in different colors.
klw10
2 years ago |Some are made in China as well.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |Yep. For example 18-70 used to be made in China (my first and last Chinese lens).
digitalia
2 years ago |If it makes you feel any better they also raised the cost of the lenses too and cut the employee rebate as well. Unlike when the Tsunamis and earthquakes hit Retailers jacked up the prices of product not the manufactures. The way I see it they want everybody to sell their used gear which also went up in value, and jump to nikon, pentax, samsung or whomever. Sony probably makes more money on their contract with Nikon than they do with selling to the public. Here in the states Best buy has such buying power that it is less expensive to buy at their cost than it is to buy direclty from Sony at cost. Sony may also raise the price because they may think they can get some market share @ the olympics and may put them on sale at a later date. Hopefully they will drop their SURE protection as well in my estimation it is sales prevention.
AG
2 years ago |Not a good strategy for Sony to copy Canon and Nikon. Does not bode well for execution.
The Dude
2 years ago |Seems to me that actual cost of these lenses hasn’t changed, only the gross margin so that Sony can make a better profit.
The Dude
2 years ago |Seems to me that actual cost of these lenses hasn’t changed, only the gross margin attached to them so Sony can make a better profit.
digitalia
2 years ago |lenses are extremly profitable no matter where they are made. But strangely they are not profitable for retailers to sell. They are just being a little too greedy
Frank
2 years ago |As sad as this is, I’m kind of glad that it was mentioned on SAR early. I was pretty much set on buying an A65 & SAL1650 soon™ but couldn’t quite push me over the edge.
Then the original post a month or something ago came up and did enough pushing. Thanks for spreading the word.
NEXfive
2 years ago |Looks like a simple harmonisation with European prices – e.g. the SEL-24F18Z is thousand Euro here and since prices here include usually 19 or 20%VAT this would become 1120 USD without. Same with the SEL-18200, which is 799 Euro here with VAT, which would become without nearly the same 899 USD as this is now in the US.
Of course, I’d preferred this harmonisation the other way round…
sergei
2 years ago |Thanks to your posts, I committed to buying Sony 16-50 and CZ135 before the price hike. Good info, THANKS!
spn
2 years ago |photo magazines In Norway has been complaining about the high prices on the Sony lenses! They are cheaper and not as good as canon/ nikon lenses!
The Zeiss lenses are really expensive, but at the same time, the Zeiss offers quality!
One more thing. The SAM edition is horrible sealed against dust, sand and outdoor use in general! Especially the 50mm 1.8.
Sony, To me the optics are more important then the housing and to be honest, for that reason i should have been using canikon.
Anyhow, i prefer the sony A 850 and the new A77. There are no camera in the same price rage that beats the A77. Thats why i stayed!
Anyhow SAR you are doing a great job here! A well created forum!
Rooru S.
2 years ago |Still asking 249.99USD for the SEL16F28??? That lens should be priced around 199.99USD or less given the quality of that lens and new introductions by Sigma of the 19mm f/2.8 and 30mm f2.8
Matt
2 years ago |OEM lenses are almost always more expensive than their 3rd party competition.
Jeff
2 years ago |At first blush this may seem off-topic but it is related:
As crude and fossil resources become both more scarce and in higher demand it will cause the prices of ALL products to increase on every level. Oil is used not only for transportation, shipping, and energy but in the manufacture of hard goods like the cameras we use. For this reason it would make good sense for all of us to ween away from using these resources for energy so that we can stretch them for the continued use of hard goods (plastics, etc.).
Photographers like Edward Burtynsky have brought attention to this. Perhaps we should heed the call.
Or just get used to watching things like lenses and cameras become increasingly expensive until none of us can afford them anymore.
Your choice.
Sky_walker
2 years ago |Nah, they can always return back to making them from metal. I wouldn’t mind.
Jeff
2 years ago |If those emoticons imply sarcasm I’m laughing with you, if not I’m laughing at you.
Sergei
2 years ago |Camera gear was not affordable before, my parents paid half a monthly salary to buy me my first SLR as a birthday present when I proved to be worthy of having one. Plastic is reused, metal too. Buy good stuff, it will last you a long time and recycle it after.
NEXfive
2 years ago |You’re mostly right, but there are surprises sometimes: Bought a battery recently for my old Canon A-1 that cost exactly the same price as 25 years ago.
Anyway, even after this Sony Lens Price Increase in the US, they’re selling most of their lenses, cameras and accessories still cheaper there than they do in Europe.
David
2 years ago |That’s because we had a European price increase around Christmas time. We got ours already. The US is just catching up
Sky_walker
2 years ago |So there won’t be any price increases in Europe after these in US anytime soon?
David
2 years ago |Haha, well I wouldn’t bet on it!
Arthur
2 years ago |Even old Minolta design lenses increased in price.
Tony
2 years ago |Well I guess that seals the deal for me to buy the D5100 instead of the A57. I know it’s closer in spec to the d7000 but the added cost to start my own cache of lenses isn’t worth the investment. I know enough people with Nikons to borrow theirs. Thanks for all the good info on this site.
David
2 years ago |The reason I originally turned to Sony was because of the lower price point and in-body stabilization. Now….there is little difference in price between Canon, Nikon, and Sony…so I’m selling all my Sony gear and jumping into Nikon….Sony has lost their minds…
Toné
2 years ago |@ David. vincytone@gmail.com 35/1,4g
Daniel
2 years ago |This is all identical to that of Canadian alpha lens pricing.