I just wanted to let you know that I just updated used prices on the FE list. It was interesting to see that over 11 months many lenses became a lot cheaper (especially Zeiss branded lenses but also most Sigma Arts) while many others stayed very stable.
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I have two hobbies: Photography and photographic gear. Both are related only to a small degree.
Latest posts by Phillip Reeve (see all)
- Review: Samyang AF 75/1.8 FE - April 12, 2021
- The FE-List now has 113 lenses on it - March 25, 2021
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Hi Phillip,
Is a review of the Sigma 24-70 DG DN in the works yet? I’ve had mine for a little while now and maybe I could loan it to Juriaan for a review(weekend)? Cheers to the team
With kind regards,
Jim
my impression of used prices always was: if there is demand and there is few options prices are high (obviously ;-)).
Like the early released Loxias. They were the only hi-quality option for Sony back a few years ago. But that has changed.
The Loxia 21mmf2.8 and 35mmf2 that started new in 2015 for 1450 and 1150EUR, now used 600-700 and 400-500EUR.
But also, if lenses have good/bad reviews the prices can plummet over the years. One example is the Sony 24-70f4 ZA that started new at 1200EUR in 2014 now used 300-400EUR.
Zeiss was very quick to the market and as you say there were few alternatives and therefore high demand. Same for Sigma where the very big DSLR now mostly have more attractive alternatives.
I wonder though what the low used prices mean for Zeiss’ future in E-mount. When you can get a used copy for half price you need to either lower prices (which Zeiss is doing by often offering rebates) or you will sell very few lenses. In both cases revenue should be way down and one wonders even more if we will see new lens releases from them.
I agree with your concerns about the effect of falling used prices on new development, Phillip.
As a way to keep new prices up, Zeiss could do “refresh”, but it would have to be a meaningful one. Some lenses (i.e. the 35mm Loxia) need improved optics, but mostly, Zeiss FE-mount lenses need better ergonomics such as a better way to grip the Loxias for attachment and removal from camera, and on the Batis, some real texture on the focus ring, and most important, addition of switches and a programmable button.
(For switches, there should be at least an AF/MF switch, and since MF (on an FE-mount AF lens) is usually focus-by-wire, it’d be nice to have a switch that allows choice between “linear” (repeatable) focus (perhaps even with choice of two or three different but constant focus movement per angle of rotation), and “non-linear”, where rate of focus change depends on speed at which the ring is turned. That kind of selection choice would be added value I’d be willing to pay something extra for — and not difficult for them to do electronically).
Oh yeah, any thoughts on the new Canon products from the team?
I think the 11/600 and 800 are actually quite unique and interesting, dunno if diffraction is much of an issue, otherwise probably great performer for the money.
Finally the R5/6 challanging the A7iii and A7riv.
I am not sure yet what to make of these f/11 lenses.
They mainly show that M43 lenses always were terribly overpriced, but it seems to me M43 is already dead anyway.
Canon may still attract some (former) M43 users with these lenses, as the M43 marketing was always “long reach in a small package (at really bad equivalent aperture)”
Already with the 100-400 and 200-600 you need really good light when shooting anything that moves if you do not want to bump up your ISO.
At f/11 this might become a really difficult endeavor.
Only time will tell if people can actually make good use of these lenses.
“Finding” your subject with a fixed 600 or even 800mm lens is also not an easy task, so I think there might be quite some people who will buy these lenses, but many may be displeased by the results they can actually obtain in the field.
yeah you should not expect too much from those lenses, but i think for many wildlife applications f11 is less of a problem than one may think (with a decent R6/R5 body).
Not quite sure if a $2000 Oly 300f4 MFT lens can outperform a R6 with 11/600mm. Would be sad to see MFT go down…
I don’t really get a f/11 tele prime but I really welcome the idea to offer slower lenses. As Bastian I think f/11 is very slow for a tele but then people have used f/5.6 teles for decades with film so quality should be good enough for many.
Olympus has some really interesting high quality yet tiny f/1.8 primes and f/2.8 zooms of which I would love to see equivalent f/3.5 primes and f/5.6 or even f/8 zooms. So far my impression was that the marketing departments didn’t dare to go below f/6.3. If Canon manages to sell their slow lenses this could change that.
Hi guys!
Any chance to see a review of the sony 20 1.8g?…
Thanks for the BIG work referencing all those lenses and your reviews…
If someone sends us one yes.
Otherwise not anytime soon as none of us is interested in buying one (we are all already invested into other options in this focal length range).
Thanks Bastian!
I hope a good soul will…
Hi Phillip,
Please update the weight of the Zeiss Batis 85mm. The correct weight is 452 grams (measured by myself, also the same weight on BHPhoto). The “official” weight listed in your excel, probably taken from Zeiss’ site, also includes the weight of the detachable hood.
thanks for the hin, updated!