A rumored possible FE mount roadmap.
AP reports that Sony will cut jobs in five Japanese factories. One of them makes compact cameras and some interchangeable lenses.
I read some comments on forums saying that this could affect or reduce the interchangeable lens production. I can tell you what I heard from my trusted sources is quite the opposite! Sony is trying to increase their lens production capability. The job cut news has nothing to do with their future lens strategy.
I hope Sony can find a way to increase their lens production without compromising the production quality. We really need so many lenses for the new FE system and obviously also the A-mount system lacks of some important lenses (primes for example). I am pretty sure Sony doesn’t make a lot of money on the cameras itself. They make more money on lenses and accessories. Less cameras and more lenses…that should be their motto 🙂
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Oh great. Just when you thought the Sony lens situation couldn’t get any worse, it does.
Read it again – what part of “The job cut news has nothing to do with their future lens strategy.” don’t you understand?
The lens factory was already slated to close because they’ve already opened a new facility in Taiwan. In fact Sony is beginning to push more production to Taiwan/China in order to reduce their taxes, decrease labour/production costs in order to increase profitability.
I’m pretty sure there are already Zeiss, and G-Series (NEX) lenses produced in Taiwan/China.
The “trusted sources” are wrong. This will make Sony’s high end lenses even more scarce. Sony’s camera division is losing money and they’re going to concentrate more on the low end gear.
Actually the A-Mount, and E-Mount are making money. It’s the Point and Shoot Cameras that are losing money.
Same old same old. Plenty of cameras but not enough native lenses. Shame really.
Actually its been a great year for A-Mount lenses.
Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina really launched some excellent third party solutions for Sony’s Alpha system.
Sigma launched the 35mm F/1.4 Art which was excellent and blew the Sony’s over priced/under performing 35mm G-Series out of the water.
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM providing best in class performance, all A77 owners should be happy.
Tokina is now producing an AT-X PRO 11-16mm f/2.8 DX II for APS-C, which will be excellent for A77 owners.
Tamron pushed out a 24-70mm, and a 70-200mm for full frame cameras.
Who really wants Sony’s overpriced under performing Zeiss solutions anyways. I think i’m becoming a Sigma fan after handling the 18-35mm, and 35mm Art lens. They’re on the top of list this year.
Please elaborate!
Sigma’s 35mm F/1.4 is a razor sharp lens that is underpriced for the level of performance it offers. Sigma’s 35mm also outperformed the Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4 (Nikon Mount) by a wide margin in multiple reviews. The 35mm Sigma received DxO Score of 34, which makes it is the highest performing A-Mount lens to date.
http://photographylife.com/reviews/zeiss-distagon-35mm-f1-4-zf2/4
http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Sigma/Sigma-35mm-F14-DG-HSM-A-Sony-mounted-on-Sony-SLT-Alpha-99__831
The Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM is also a winner judging by all of the latest reviews.
http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2013/11/lens-test-sigma-18-35mm-f18-dc-hsm
http://photographylife.com/reviews/sigma-18-35mm-f1-8
I can’t wait to see how the next Art lenses perform.
“Less cameras and more lenses”
It should also be “more Jobs” so more people can afford all the cameras, lenses and accessories.
Yeah, just what is needed, hire people for no reason, just welfare so you can give out money. What planet do you live on?
A 35/2.8, then a 35/1.4, followed by a 35/2 OSS. Rrrright, totally believable…..not.
The 135/2 and the 50/1.2 make me think it’s somebody’s wish list.
it is
I stopped reading when I saw Zeiss primes with oss…
I thought the same, a 35mm lens with OSS? Seriously doubt that.
I was gonna say, I though the 85/1.8 and 16-35/4 were the last slated Zeiss FE lenses…. not that I would complain about a zeiss 35/1.4 or a 21/2.8 in FE but I suspect those will come directly from zeiss as manual focus lenses
In the words of Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy ‘DON”T PANIC’…
I think Sony knows exactly what it’s doing…Looking forward to more releases this year.
Sounds like they’re consolidating – makes sense given that the compact and tv business is dead in the water…
‘I am pretty sure Sony doesn’t make a lot of money on the cameras itself. They make more money on lenses and accessories. Less cameras and more lenses…that should be their motto ‘
Obviously not. Otherwise they’d be trying much harder to sell us those accessories. How many of those Sony NEX commercials show you the possibility of changing lenses? Almost none. They must already be making good money with the basic kits. And even CaNikon sell less than 2 lenses per body sold.
Actually, I find the super limited EOS-M lens range more interesting than the NEX lens lineup. 22mm pancake and 11-22mm UWA with decent performance and decent price? No way you’ll get that for NEX (You can get both those lenses and a body for the same price as the Sony 10-18…). The only lens I in the NEX line that I find interesting is the 50 1.8.
If the sensors weren’t that crappy and the body less ugly… for WA I wouldn’t even care about crappy AF.
Oh right, I only have 2 options, the super expensive G lenses, and the super expensive Zeiss lenses lmao.
I think Sony is moving the production of cameras and lens to Thailand….even some new Zeiss lens are made in Thailand
I just canceled the order A7R not agree to mount a telescopic 24-70, 16-35 expect to see, I hope it is of quality.
i doubt if e-mount large enough to make a 50mm F1.2
Congratulations on the most silly comment of the day
That makes no sense. the mount is large enough for a full 35mm image circle – that is the only thing that matters o whether or not a 50/1.2 can be made. They won’t make one, but not because it isn’t possible.
I am sure Sigma and Tamron will produce what Sony can’t. F4 zooms, Jeezz
@Andrea, this ridiculuous wish-list-fake-roadmap shall not be shown again…
Taking the existing lens range into account, and what we have been waiting for eversince the NEX7 was released such bollocks is hurting my eyes.
If Sony wouldn’t have made the A7, we’d still be waiting for HQ standard zoom and telezoom (E-Mount 2470Z and 70200G).
Admittedly there’s enough good choice up to 50mm for NEX APSC users – 24Z, 35/1,8, 50/1,8 and the 1018.
But anything beyond is missing or mediocre (18200 or 55210).
+1 Let’s make a proper wish list. Here are a few ideas.
The upcoming lenses we know a little about:
16-24 f4 Z (better to be short and small)
85mm f2 Z
100mm macro f4 G
16(-18)mm prime f4 Z
21(-24)mm prime f2.8 Z
35mm f1.8 at some later point
50mm f2 macro at some later point
135mm f2.8 Z
MUCH more realistic. What would be *awesome* is if that 135mm f/2.8 was STF like the Minolta lens. The catch would be on the FE mount (using contrast detection) it could still use autofocus. It can’t on A-mount because traditionally those cameras relied solely on phase-detection which is thrown off by the gradiented lens elements.
THAT would be lens some people would buy into the system to use. The STF lens is still very unique in the Sony/Minolta lineup.
Why won’t phase detect work with STF lenses? What reasons?
You’ll need a counter weight, and a M-Type focusing screen.
2015 will not be E-mount and A-mount
35/1.4 ZA
Yeah, right.
There’s no 50/1.4 to keep the size down, but we’re supposed to believe a 35/1.4.
That moronic roadmap again. It’s not even a proper wish list.
+1
Three 35’s? Must be from the Department of Redundancy Department.
Comact cameras are dropping in popularity.
This is probably heresy here but lenses can be had from 3rd partys.
New cameras are essential.
You wont buyva lens unless you have a camera to put them on.
Sony has not produced a new A mount camera for a long time.
Of course lens sales are suffering.
They have launched a camera recently called the A58. Last May which is practically new in the camera world. However it’s junk.
100mm 2.8 macro!!! : )
Increase the lens production of FE lenses? Not a single A-Mount on this roadmap!
Well it is an FE road map, so it is not so surprising, is it?
I dare say that the closure will create less disturbing vibrations than the A7 shutter.
A big problem I see for Sony is pricing.
The a7/a7R are made in Thailand and the factory cuts are in high-cost Japan. Sony may have to trim costs by continuing to shift production to less expensive markets. Sorry for Japanese workers. I feel for you but this world economy continues to suck and Sony’s losses in all areas except, surprisingly, a financing arm are well known.
I get “G” glass is premium and all manufacturers offer crazy priced lenses but replacing an already expensive 70-200mm 2.8 lens at $1,999 with another one at $2,999 is not a road to increased sales revenue. We keep saying pros will buy over-priced stuff like this but have you checked the median salary of photographers in the U.S.? It’s like $14/hour. I’ve been reading a lot of lens reviews on Dyxum and elsewhere and it’s not uncommon to read new Sony lenses are over-priced.
As always, 3rd parties are under-cutting Sony lenses by a bunch and as we’re seeing both Tamron and Sigma are upping their game realizing people don’t want big compromises in performance for budget glass. Tamron’s new 150-600mm is a perfect example of innovation and competitive performance at a mere fraction of the cost of anything Sony offers. How much longer can Sony afford to throw away that business without offering anything remotely competitive?
When I look at the high prices of Sony’s lenses and read about factory cuts, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize they’re having volume problems. I’d be interested in knowing how much of the $12,999 cost of their 500mm is material/labor costs and how much is covering development costs/overhead because they only sell a couple a month at that price to hedge fund managers, corporate/government accounts, and the rare rock star photographer.
Canon’s 70-200 2.8 II USM is 2499.00. The older one is 1499.00 still being sold. That’s quite a hike as well. Although, they offer a F4 (hint hint Sony) for I think 1300 or less. Price isn’t what gets me with Sony so much as OPTIONS.
Yeah but they (Canon) don’t offer a A7r, to go with that 70-200 F/4. I recommend A7 users scout out a minolta “beer can” for a F4 in that focal length on the cheap.
With the money you save you can buy allot of beer
I believe that this roadmap is purely somebody’s fantasy. Somebody just made it up and should probably be rated SR1. Certainly some of those lenses will be made but overall I think it’s just somebody’s pipe dream. And you can probably add 3 to 12 months across the board and cut about a third of the lenses out completely to get to something that has even a remote chance of being realistic. We are already 3 months late to the roadmap on the 24-70/4 and the 70-200 is nowhere in sight even though on this roadmap it is imminent and nothing on the next two lenses has even been hinted by Sony even though they are supposed to be here in 2 months. This roadmap has no credibility and should be rated as such.
It should be rated SR0. I don’t understand why Admin puts it as “a rumored possible roadmap”.
Yes rumored and possible = somebody made it up 😉
If Sony releases an FE 35 f/2 G or FE ZA 35 f/1.4 before an A mount version of either, I will pitch a fit, swear for an hour, but probably still keep my a99 and full ZA prime line up. Come on Sony, what gives on this point. I have been holding off from purchasing the new Sigma, the old Sony 35 f/1.4 or the Minolta 35 f/2 for sssssooooooooo long. Just want a ZA 35 f/ 1.4 to round out my line up, and would settle for an f/2 ZA or G at 35mm. Maybe by the end of the year?
Have you tried Sigma’s 35mm F/1.4 Art yet. It is a stellar performer, and its unlikely that Sony will be able to produce, an equivalent.
I have not been able to try it as yet, and was ready to look at getting it when the ZA 50mm came out. I spent the extra money on the ZA due to weather sealing and SSM, the weather sealing for New York winters, as now, and the SSM which I read is faster than Sigma’s HSM and also configures with the A99’s OSPDAF which works well for me. Won’t be in the market for another lens for awhile but definitely will consider the Sigma 35mm if Sony doesn’t produce one in next 18 months, and will move my feet due to the narrower angle of view.
I’ve given-up on Sony releasing a 35mm F/1.4 Zeiss or new G-Series. I’ve used the current G-Series, and still can’t understand why Sony even sells it. Its F/1.4 IQ and sharpness is junk, and its ancient screw driven AF speed bl@ws.
I hope they (Sony) do sell a 35mm F/1.4 (Zeiss or G-Series) that is weather-sealed, and has a SSM motor, because I’ve been using the 24mm F/2.0 on the A77 every time I want to use the 35mm focal length, which isn’t ideal but It does the job nicely.
I can’t wait for it so I going with the Sigma.
I too have been hoping for a ZA 35mm F/1.4 so I’ll just keep using what I have until it appears.
Strange rumored roadmap. 3 35mm primes in 2 years? No way. 135mm/2.0 is also VERY unlikely, too big for the system. BOTH 24 and 21 mm? I doubt it, but either one very possible.
35mm is the new 18-200!
Sony may be saying they will increase lens production, but unless they have put in a new line of robots their actions are speaking louder.
Decreasing production capability is the exact opposite of increasing production.
Given the price of some of the newer lens from Sony, this is not at all surprising. There are plenty of alternative systems to photo hobbyists costing much less.
They are cutting jobs in only one camera factory, which apparently mainly makes compact cameras. That hardly contradicts an increase in lens production.
Sometimes it’s necesary to reoganize things – to close old factory’s to build new ones to become more efficient. Every cent counts in manufactoring – that’s the sad truth.
The compact business is going down – those people move onto system-camera’s or smartphones – It’s as simple as that.
The fact they’re doing this – means there’s a will to survive – although it’s sad for the ones working in those places, i do hope they’ll keep the Minolta knowledge alive.
Does the roadmap that Sony put out includes the lenses that manual focus lenses that Zeiss plans to make or does it only include AF lenses that Sony will manufacture?
200mm Minolta macro needs to be brought back into the Sony lineup.