Sony Europe (Click here) and Sony Japan (Click here) announced the new rugged 500mm f/4.0 lens. And that beast is yours for no less than 13.000 Euro!!! It will be in Stock by April. Those are the key features of the lens:
- Longest-ever focal length G Lens from Sony
- Bright F4.0 aperture for superior light gathering
- Nano AR Coating on optical surfaces for flawless still images and HD video
- Compatible with SteadyShot INSIDE featured in all α cameras
- New SSM drive circuit for quick, accurate autofocus
- Rugged dust- and moisture-resistant design: ideal partner for SLT-A77
- Enhanced handling and operability
Technical specifications
| Key Specifications | 500mm F4 G SSM |
| Min. aperture | F32 |
| No. of aperture blades | 9 (Circular aperture) |
| Max. magnification ratio | 0.135 |
| Min. focus | 4.0 m |
| Filter diameter | 42 mm (Exclusive) |
| Dimensions
(Diam. X L) |
140 x 367.5 mm |
| Weight (approx.) | 3460 g |
| Teleconverter compatibility | Yes (1.4x: AF and MF Mode, 2x: MF mode) |
| Dust and moisture resistance | Yes |
That’s one of those lenses I know I can never afford to buy 🙂
139 Responses
Admin,
You always use a dot or a point instead of a comma to indicate thousands. That’s wrong…
13.000 should be 13,000
In different countries the use of commas and dots are reversed than in the USA.
I understand the different uses between the countries, but to be consistent, shouldn’t it then be f/4,0?
As long as Andrea is consistent, I think that’s sufficient. Arguing over the finer points of punctuation isn’t the most productive use of anyone’s time.
Good Point 😉
Not a good point
Exactly Zyg
I am not in the USA.
I am a scientist and I am note sure if using a point is right.
4=4.0=4.00=4.000=4.0000.
Omg.
In some parts of Europe the . is used instead of , when it comes to writing down figures
Considering all of the bad English grammar on this blog written by native English speakers, this is a ridiculous thing to get excited about.
The price should be expressed as powers to the ten. 1.3*10^3
HAhahahaha! That would be cool! 🙂
Or how about in binary?
Wouldn’t it be 1.3*10^4 ??
I live in Austria and here it’s correct like this:
4.000 – four thousand
4,0 – four
And as far as aperture is concerned, a point is also correct, like f/1.8.
But I think it’s pretty irrelevant … don’t you?
Geeze that sucker is huge. Hey admin, just another tip for a possible rumor for the Sony e-mount “g” standard zoom we’re supposed to get this year. If you go to the SEL5018’s product page: http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666375271#features
and make it your bookmark, when you edit the bookmark name the default that will come up is: “NEX Interchangeable Lens | 16-50mm f/2.8 Standard Zoom Lens | SEL-50F18 | Sony USA”
Interesting, no? perhaps they are going to announce an e-mount 16-50 f/2.8 soon after all?
Here is an announcement of a wide zoom. It’s there for 6 month.
16-50 would fit in ..
http://www.mhohner.de/sony-minolta/lenses.php?comp1=e55-210f45&type=z&mount=E-mount&comp2=e_zoom_hp&lg=d#macros_e
13,000 Euro=$17,000 USD. WTF Is Sony crazy? That is more than twice the price of Canon or Nikon. I don’t know why Sony gets away with charging more for less on their Alpha lenses.
Except if you look at say B&H, the Canon isn’t even available yet. And the Canon is over 10k.
But that said, yes it is twice the price of the Nikon.
But then Sony will sell far fewer than CaNikon, so they need to charge more.
if you only care about focal length and image quality doesnt mean a thing, buy the 500mm f/8 instead and save $17,000
how can you complain against the canikon teles without comparing image samples???
Or buy the A77 with a 300mm lens, you’ll get 600mm with the smart tele-converter or cropping.
And with the A77 it becomes 750mm.
There is no way the SOny is twice the price better than the Canon or Nikon. I have used both and they are superbly sharp and beautiful image quality. Sony is out of their minds.
Where in the world do you get “more than twice the price”???
It will be cheaper in the USA than in Europe.
Just adding a +1 to this. Someone had too much time on their hands 🙂
well, if i start saving now, i can buy this lens in 30 years time….
Check the filter size. It cannot be 42 mm 😉
The filter goes near the mount, not in front of the lens.
Have you never encountered a lens with a filter drawer before? They are fairly common things in larger lenses.
Matthew – I looked at the source code and it showed the following
NEX Interchangeable Lens | 16-50mm f/2.8 Standard Zoom Lens | SEL-50F18 | Sony USA
Would love to have it ASAP, can’t wait for my NEX-7
Exactly! It would make the perfect combination! The only drawback to using the SAL1650 via LAEA2 is that it is slightly bulky due to the adapter. I can’t wait for this to be available to pre-order. All the funds I get from the NEX-7 kit lens are going towards this.
If only Sony would have Pro sports body to match. Especially when Olympics are this summer.
Wow, you can buy a brand new small car for that amount.
But can a CAR take pictures? I didn’t think so (btw, completely poking fun here, this lens is either meant for the absolute serious professional who happens to use Sony cameras, or a rich enthusiast).
If the car has a reversing camera, then kind of 😛
Can a LENS drive you??
Whenever one of my friends buys a new car I exclaim – “what a waste, for that much you could have bought a really nice camera with that!”
Well, I guess we know what Sony should do next – make a car that can take pictures.. It would give new meaning to “drive-by shooting”. Ha!
Yeah I have a digital back that cost more then my car 🙁
And still compared to Brodcast- or Cinelenses 17K isn’t expensive … 😉
I just thought about it. In combination with the FS100E it could be highly interesting for broadcasters and filmmakers as it should be able to bring superb results with nearly no light available while offering a huge amount of tele, and maybee even AF (with the LA-AE2?).
something wrong with the 42mm ? lol….
42mm filter is probably referring to an interchangeable filter inisde the lens, not the front lens filter.
Can’t afford it but sure would be nice to be able to RENT one of these puppies!
I agree, that sounds like a fun (if tiring) way to spend a weekend. How much do expensive lenses like this cost to rent?
As this lens won’t be rented a lot i expect it will cost quite much to rent, aswell. I expect it to be 200€ or more a day.
Perhaps, but for a special trip (Africa, Alaska) where I’m likely to get several frames I could sell, it would be worth it. Also still MUCH cheaper than purchasing one.
Maybee it would pay of, but talking rentals it will most likely serve if a client is willing to pay for it. Especially Larger Companies are very willing to pay rental fees if you make them understand the benefit from the rented equipment.
I will buy it immediatly in April for my Birhtday !! 😉
It is 3 years now, I am waiting for this baby lens.
I am a happy because Sony choose the white color.
Superbe, The Excellence from Sony !!
The Sony A99 is coming soon ! 🙂
Is this the big announcement? If so, as nice.as the lens is, I feel somewhat ripped off. FF me!
13k is about right. Nano coating in 70-200 Nikon and weather sealing made it go in the 2k range, by the way. Sony is the latest word in the 500mm tech. The camera body cost is way lower than competition, so it evens out when you get such lenses. Besides, these babies pay for themselves within 2 years of ownership if you charge good money for the work you can get with one of these
Wait so If I just buy a lens I can get work? WHAT THE HELL HAVE I BEEN DOING ALL THESE YEARS. I just needed a 500mm lens instead of my portfolio. I’m an idiot.
You starting to make me believe that you are.
If you know how to use one of these for profit you’ll figure it out. No need to rush and buy one and sit around waiting for work.
Expensive lenses I bought helped me achieve excellent results and eventually paid for themselves through the jobs I contracted.
Sergi, You rent them when you need them. about 90% of 600mmF4 lenses are in rental houses or News papers. Not owned by photographers.
Renting is a fair alternative:) those making a living from these may want to buy it.
When shall they announce sth affordable for us:
SEL1650 2.8G (same size or even longer than SAL1650)?
SAL50 1.4Za
A38 and A58?
I pre-ordered 4 of em.. I need some stylish legs for my new coffee table.
three legs are better for uneven floors than four, so you can send the unnecessary fourth one to me 🙂
Two legs are better for a coffee table to climb stairs with, so send the unnecessary third leg to me.
Gold plated legs is more stilish I could change any time 🙂
After a life long waiting, the spec is quit disappointing compare with Canon EF 500mm F4 II
Longer min focus, much heavier (even without IS). It falls in between EF 500mm F4 I and II
What’s really disappointing is that sony is slowpoke. I mean it’s kind of okay to release almost every year a new dslr, but wouldn’t it be good to deliver new glass? They are concentrating on e-mount forgetting about a-mount and if you run after two hares, you will catch neither. It’s stupid to trying catch up with canikon when your lense’s aren’t cover all the segments. And i will repeat myself saying that sony have all IP of monolta’s brighter days and not using them. http://s47.radikal.ru/i116/1202/86/1dda8c0a7ac3.jpg
http://i031.radikal.ru/1202/d5/7a2c8ecd5ce0.jpg
True, they are shifting their focus to E-mount. But I just wonder if it is correct to say they are focusing on E-mount lens, given the slow and vague lens launch and roadmap compare with competitors.
In 2012, mirrorless market is getting crowded. Sony should act fast.
Furthermore, Sony should better elaborate their development plan, so that their customers can plan ahead:
Focus on E-mount, or in parallel with A-mount
Whether there is a FF E-mount, or ride on A-mount for FF support
Whether SLT is a transition technology (Olympus has done a very good job for fast AF on contrast AF, removing AA filter)
The focus of development of future sensors
I understanding that i’m nitpicking but better never to begin than never to make an end.
not seriousn right? 30cm longer min focus and 250g heavier! On a device thats more than 3kg you won’t even notice a 250g difference.
By the way, the 77 is 150g lighter than the 7D and the A99 will be much lighter than D800 or 5DMkII because of the missing pentaprism.
The Japanese release only had landscape-type sample images. I think we really want to see people/sports and nature
The price gave me a heart attack.
And ijsvogel was right about the release-date 🙂
As I saw the price I was happy that I switched to Canon! Who’s going to buy this lens??
For professional photographers, Sony has no advantages and now they release a lens the cost twice as much as those from the competition!
Hahahahaah.. $13,000 Euro for a 500mm F/4 *without* image stablization!!!
Without optical image stablization, your view through the viewfinder will be shaky, you won’t be able to properly line up the AF points and what the camera takes a picture of of when you finally release the shutter button will be different that what you saw in the viewfinder as the Sony in-body shake reduction only goes into effect after the shutter is released unlike with optical stabilization where the stabilization goes into effect when the shutter is held partially down.
Sony digital imaging (Camera division) is a real joker!
And SonyAlphaRumors, didn’t you say that this lens was delayed because it was going to be announced with a new Sony Full Frame camera? Where is the full frame camera? The Nikon D800?
This is why you don’t have Playstation and walkman experts building tools of digital photography for artists*
(* disclaimer: I own several Sony DSLRs. Both APS-C and full frame. But I’ve got to admit that Nikon has blown Sony out of the water with their new D800 using Sony semiconductor’s own sensor to do it)
The image stabilization is in the body I believe. All lenses get it without having it in the lens.
So are you saying former Minolta engineers invented the walkman and playstation? Wow, you must have good sources.
Photonut, are u dumb? who uses such lenses handheld? what shake are you talking about. It tells, you don’t have a clue…
yeah rofl.. at least use a monopod. You don’t walkaround with a 4kg lens which is that long
As for Nikon blowing Sony out of the water.. what a surprise – their brand new camera beats the 4 year old Sony cam. What a huge shock and horror!!!
Then why the hell are you still here if you love Nikon so much that you have a Disclaimer… sell your gear already and go to Nikon! or maybee you don’t have alpha cameras + lenses after all and just wanna piss us off. Well that shows that we are Blown away with Nikon users’ Crap Talk
Relax. Just ignore him. Internet is “under the bridge” you know?
How about the factory that Made the FF camera was repurposed to make the camera’s that actually keep them in Business first. It Does mean a FF is coming though cause if its not what waste.
Also the price is the MSRP nothing sells for the MSRP.
We didn’t see any Sony response yet, there is no new generation Sony FF body to compare with. In general D800 has blown any previous DSLR camera…
By the looks of your photo, you’re probably the kind of person who I shouldn’t trust about this kind of things.
Why it is not in silver with orange ring?
Sad
The price makes no sense, you can buy a similar Canikon lens including a pro camera for that kind of money.
Hope that Sony through some marketing money after en first couple of hundred sales (which is going to take a while)
But hopefully a sign of a new body.
/Jakob
Already want one :), never gonna get one 🙁
Incredible lens, this show the real future commitment of Sony with PRO photography, so expect more awesome things to come. For now i just want the A99. 🙂
Nice lens, the price will most likely go down and I guess the US version will be $13000 as the Americans always seem to get more stuff for the money :).
However, my 400/4.5 suddenly feels like a reeal bargain for 1600 euros.
I’m looking forward to see the A99 announcement (even if I bought a A900 a few days ago).
A bit off topic, but Sony New NEX road map from their CP+ page (in Japanese)
http://www.sony.jp/ichigan/evolution/e_roadmap/
Apparently 4 more lens coming in 2012 and 4 more lens in 2013.
The G zoom lens has moved to 2013. A pancake lens also appears on the roadmap for 2013………
Nothing interesting for 2012…….
NEX lens Per the “NEW” Roadmap
2012:
Wide angle Zoom
Super Zoom (another one?)
Standard Zoom (another one?)
Fast Standard Prime (35mm f1.8?)
2013:
“G” standard zoom
Mid Zoom (16-105?)
Tele prime lens
Pancake lens
What is the difference in this picture between the blue and the grey lines? Any idea?
I tried Google Translate, but it’s an image, not live text. And I don’t know any Japanese… 🙁
Grey refers to announced one? (3 more lens for 2012) Blues are newly added one?
Said that they defer the 1650 F2.8G to 2013
The CZ 24mm is already announced and available and that’s a blue one.
The only thing I could make up: CZ is blue, others are grey. But that would mean that we will see a lot of CZ lenses this year… That would be wonderfull, but is that realistic?
Seems the Blue on the CZ is a bit different to the Blue on the new lens.
I agree with Simon_P. The Grey lens are those annouced in the previous roadmap last year and the Blue lens are the new ones added in this Roadmap.
To me the revised NEX lens roadmap is still not very interesting. Most of the stuff people want (ie G lens, pancake) would not be released until 2013.
Why would we want another standard zoom and super zoom? Unless it is ultra compact like panasonic’s 14-42 x lens or is very fast (fixed f4?).
I just hope the fast prime is a 35mm f1.8 and small in size……else I wouldn’t be buying any new E mount lens this year….
LOL this is like the Sigma SD1. they made it just to say we can but on one will buy one (ok they might sell 10(might)). For that kinda of money it would be far better to get a nikon or canon body and pick from there line up.
It’s WHITE!!!
To be honest, I actually liked the silver/orange look. Don’t go telling anyone, though.
+10000
What no poll of ‘who will buy this lens’? where are all the sooks complaining that Sony don’t offer professionals tools? Where are all those who have been screaming about missing A-Mount lenses in the lineup? Aren’t you all clamouring for this lens? No? Oh that’s right, you are just a bunch of whinging little cry babies who have a whinge regardless of what Sony release:
It’s too big…
It’s too small…
It’s too expensive…
Why would I use big lenses on such a small body…
High ISO performance is bad…
Sluggish…
Pro shooters NEED…
Too expensive….
We don’t need more bodies we need lenses…
OVF is better…
EVF is better…
xxMP is too much…
Pro shooters like me NEED…
E-Mount is crap…
Pro shooters NEED…
Sony really need to…
As a pro I really NEED…
We need a70 with 5n sensor in a77 body…
We need a NEX-6 with 5n sensor in NEX-7 body…
Professionals NEED…
When are Sony going to beat CaNikon…
When are Sony going to realise…
No x No sale!…
Well I came to a realisation today, every single time a camera product gets announced every ‘expert’ in their basement comes out of the woodwork and the general vibe is ALWAYS negative. ALL the manufacturers always get it wrong all of the time according to these people. There is always something better that they NEED or that someone else has. It isn’t just here, people bemoaning the OM-D, or Canon and their 24-70L II, or the K-01, or this, or ANYTHING else. Those who sit around whinging on a site like this are generally the ones who aren’t going to buy anything anyway.
Well, they don’t have a 400/2.8…..uh oh, now I’ve done it!
@ MATT ‘THATS WHAT SHE SAID….’ lol
Yes but complaining is universal across all brands.
It’s part of the human condition.
😉
Most active writers never showing any their photo because they didn’t have a time for photography. Did you know statistics that more than half of members which lumping around forums didn’t have any photo camera?
To be fair, though, so many people here are so negative that even Ansel Adams himself would have gotten his photos criticised.
Why unstabilised lens without CZ mark on it cost more then CaNikon lenses???
We have to wait for the Sony street price, but if Sony 500/4 = Canon (or Nikon) 500/4 + DSLR (7D or D400…), we will see a 300/2,8 SSM destiny again…
Even if it will cost 13000$ in US it is much more then lenses from competitors. It also heavier then the opticaly stabilized lens from Canon.
Sounds like some kind of joke. Interesting move. And what about 50/1.8 OSS? Already february…:(
Canon and Nikkor are 3,8KG
Canon 500/4 L IS II -> 3190g.
why is final version white and not silver?
Another stupid move – to build 70-400G silver and the to return to white color for primes. It looks like Sony don’t know what the next step will be.
White reflects heat better than silver, but yeah, Sony obviously have no idea what they’re doing. **rolls eyes**
sony pro telephoto? bhuauahaha i hope in zeiss for sony, not in sony
You don’t know good Sony lenses that are not Zeiss?
@bas076 – thats Lagranzi under a different name, dont worry he’s our pet incontinent troll. Yo! Lagranzi!! “bhuauahaha i hope in zeiss for sony, not in sony” – another cracker there my friend! Not quite up there with your greatest efforts but certainly enough to raise a smile amongst those of us who can actually string a sentence together:-)) – High-five little fella!! 🙂
Don’t arty about the price.
Things in Europe always cost more. I assume most of SAR is American.. it will be cheaper for you.
What? You think whis starting price 13K EUR in Europe it will be less then 13K USD in US? No chance!
For starters European pricaes includes VAT which is atleast 19% , depending on country.
why not silver!
Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
+100000000000
i will buy it!! to prop the door of my house… (*W*)b
once you’ve coughed up the necessary 13K I dont really think Sony care if you prop your ar&e open with it…. although there may be the odd warranty implication or two
500mm + 2x TC + 1.5X crop = 1500mm 12FPS bazooka!!!!
jsut add remote viewfinder and shoulder mount+trigger and i think that would really be a good way to use it
would love it but i know its never going to be at my house (my best bet is the old 400mm 4.5
Good…., finally Sony is releasing this lens that it’s been hauling to trade-shows for the last few years but never would release and now we know why; it’s very expensive!
Recently we have started to see sizeable cost increases in lenses; Sony a few weeks back started sending out signals to dealers of a big price jump. I paid about $1,500 for my 24-70/f2.8 from B&H Photo back in 2009 and today the same lens now sales for just under $1,800. Canon a few days ago announced that its updating its 24-70/f2.8 and the new version will cost $2.300; I expect that soon all three, Nikon ,Canon and Sony will one day cost about the same price………………WOW.
The same it true for the other “standard” highend pro lenses like the 70-200/f2.8.
Do the math, the new full-frame Nikon D800 camera with the standard basic three lens kit (14-24/f2.8, 24-70/f2.8 & 70-200/f2.8) will cost you about $10,000 USD. The same will be true for Canon with its 5D replacement. Maybe, Sony will be a little cheaper…but not that much.
This stuff is getting way to expensive!
I think I need to update my insurance policy 😉
Let me tip you more on this lens:
First of all Sony is merely “announcing” this lens. You cannot buy it though.
Secondly, you can expect that each lens that is ordered during availability will be built-to-order.
Not putting in optical image stabilization in a lens that costs this much is a real rip-off. Like others have said, for the price of this lens one can buy the Canon or Nikon equivalent along with their respective flagship APS-C cameras and still have change left over to replace your key Sony lenses with Nikon/Canon equivalents.
I myself have the Sigma 500mm f/4.5 and I paid so little for it. On the other hand I barely use it because of the heft and requirement for tripod. So I find myself sometimes just using the 500mm AF mirror lens which is very compact and hand holdable.
Photobutt Why don’t you go look how much a Contax 300 f2.8 cost. With no lens stabilization. Again EVERY camera this can go on has in camera stabilization.
It’s good thats Sony do this 500mmf4, but it’s a bit expensiv not?
It’s certainly needed in their lineup if the want to go after pro sports photographer and maybe birders with a lot of money, but it’s hard to believe that many Pros go for Sony. The A-900 was certainly a pro class body, but not really for action photography. Then the A-850 came out, outstanding value for money, but more amateur/enthusiast level. Since then nothing, the A77 is good, but not really pro level either. Sony need to be much more consistent and do regular updates if they want to compete with high end Canon and Nikon bodies.
“flawless still images and HD video”. It’s got to be a bad idea to shoot video with this thing.
It looks like Sony is going to offer a prototyoe of a new FF this March.
Who would want to use this lens? Put it on a 24mp full frame A99 and get 12+ frames per second. Maybe it will convert some sports photographers.
There can cost € 13,000. Because one of the competitors II Canon 500 f4 is better price and more complex lens.
Only if sony does not want market share.
hanging in the old Minolta does not last forever! Wake up Sony
13 thousand Euros comes to about 17,200 US Dollars. For an F4? That sounds ridiculous. I believe the Canon 500/F4 goes for $5,300 US Dollars.
it is $11,000.
It will be cheaper in US. Most everything is cheaper in US in comparison to European market.
I think the MSRP in US will start at 11000-13000$.
As much as I would like to say that “I would drool over this thing”, I will not. If I have the money to spend on this, it’s definitely going towards a car or something that is useful.
It will not cost any more than Nikon’s or Canon’s lenses. I don’t think any of Sony’s lenses cost more than their competitor’s equivalent lenses. I bet this will hold true with this lens as well. It does give me some hope about some new FF’s. Because as someone mentioned earlier, finally coming out with a 500mm lens (which is way overdue for Sony) almost ensures the release of new FF bodies. Since they discontinued the 850 and the 900, I can only imagine someone with a professional FF will want to drop this kind of coin on this lens. Therefore, there has to be new FF bodies before the end of the year. I just wish we could get some updated info on these. I would think that Sony would get some info out before the release of the new Nikon to stop possible Sony jumpers or people considering getting into photography like I did a couple years ago when I got my 850.
The executive in Sony has finally lost reality.
WTF sony? I can get Nikon 500mm and D4 for the same price as this. Maybe it’s time to change….
do soccer moms that use the a55 really need this?LOL
i switched to Nikon last year and never looked back.
cya Sony, it only took 5 years to get this to market at a price 1% of Sony users can afford.
Hello my delicious Nikon D800…..
Check out youtube video of this lens on an a77 at a Yokohama trade show at the Sony booth, upoaded on 10 Feb 2012. youtube.com/watch?v=h6tb-UA-lLY
While the price may seem high to us let us consider a comparison to Nikon. Do I want a Nikon? Do I want the Nikon quality or the Sony quality. Do I think Nikon is better? I don’t know about you all but my Sony gear just does not fail or break on it’s own. I know dozens of Nikon and Canon shooters that have a plethora of problems all the time with their cameras breaking down. Nikon is talking of selling parts only to certain vendors. Yikes. Would not even be able to buy a small part form a local camera shop???!! Do you want that kind of service? I get a lot of flak from N & C shooters but the silence could be cut with a knife the other night at camera club when the new 500 mm was shown as “New gear” funny.