I don’t know how much we should trust this but Sigma Bielorussia is the first Sigma site that unveils the pricing of the new 50mmf /1.4 ART lens. it should cost around $790. The lens will ship in May. $790 would be a super low price for a lens whos aim is to almost match the Zeiss Otus lens ($3999) performance!
Link found via Sigma-Rumors.
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US$790.00 would be a good price ( is that the same as the stated “790 y.e.” ? ), I hope Sigma starts delivering the Sony A-mount concurrently with C & N!!
Y.E abbreviation stands for baseline currency. It is usually either a dollar or a Euro, depending on the store/region. It is a common tool that merchants use in Eastern Europe to make price shopping easier (too many 0’z in local currency and not easy rounding with exchange rates fluctuations). I find it funny, as you still need to pay using local currency (ruble, hrivna, etc).
“Many prices (such as airline tickets) are stated using an abbreviation y.e. in Cyrillic, pronounced oo yeah:-) One y.e. is one American dollar. Spend all hryvnas before leaving the country as you can’t take them out.”Source:http://www.go2kiev.com/view/money.html
“It’s illegal to make purchases in any currency other than roubles. When you run into prices in dollars (or the pseudonym `units’, often written as ye – the abbreviation for uslovnve yedenitsy, standard units) in expensive restaurants and hotels you will still be presented with a final bill in roubles.”
BTW, Belarus is the correct naming of the country. LInk to their currency and exchange rates here:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/belarus/practical-information/money-costs
Thanks, very enlightening!
Still expensive as hell for probably the most common and easiest to design lens ever made but a good price if it gets close to the otus. I wonder how it compares to sony’s 55mm 1.8 since that lens is close to the otus.
I’d pay more for a weather-sealed version.
Expensive compared to the old name brand lenses of yesteryear but not that expensive compared to the new round of premium 50ish mm lenses. The new Sony Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 was $1498, the Nikon 58mm $1698, the Sony Zeiss 55mm FE is $998 and only a f/1.8, even the Fuji 56mm is $999, but a f/1.2
The Fuji is APS-C only – equivalent to 85/1.8 on FF, so not really comparable.
Was the aim really to match the Otus? This lens was announced within weeks of the Otus launch. No way they designed a lens in that time with the specific intention of matching the Otus. I think Sigma’s marketing department got a little bit carried away.
The Zeiss 55mm 1.4 was initially announced in 2012 and Zeiss showed it off at photo shows. It was later named “Otus” in 2013.
Fair enough, but were Sigma aware at that time of how the Otus would perform? Anyway, the Otus seems to be pretty much flawless, so Sigma will need to pull off something special to match it at the rumoured price point.
I expect it will be more like the Sony SEL 55 f/1.8 in that it will perform very well but not quite match the Ottus. Center sharpness might be as high but it will not keep that sharpness in the corners wide open like the Ottus does.
The 55/1.8 also has LoCA at wide apertures, which is absent in the Otus.
And it costs under one tenth of the Otus.
Some people might need that absolute best possible performance but the Zeiss Otus is still overpriced no matter how you look at it.
One tenth? What lens are you talking about?
Nevermind 🙂
It’s better be flawless, for the price they’re asking!!
I would imagine that insiders are probably somewhat more aware of what their competitors are up to than we are. Either way, it’s a good bit of marketing from them. Lens consumers will feel like they are getting a bargain.
If this lens comes in as the 2nd best 50mm (after Otus) but with AF for less than half to a quarter of the price than they will almost certainly have a hit.
Sony should try to license these designs from Sigma, because its apparent their current partner (Zeiss) is unable to produce quality lenses for a rational price point.
I’m pretty sure that Sony sets its pricing for Sony Zeiss lenses. From a marketing standpoint, Sony brands & prices the “Sony Zeiss” line-up just as Canon does for its “L” lens line-up. Whether it was Zeiss branding on the barrel or something else, Sony would offer a high-priced, premium lens line.
Lens inflation has gotten out-of-hand the last 5 to 7 years in general. For instance, I sold a Canon 24-70 2.8 (first version) less than a year ago for $1,100. I originally bought that lens in 2006 for $1,160 (and there may have been a canon rebate that I’m not including). The MSRP on that lens went up after I bought it, and then Canon doubled the price with the version II.
The Sony 70-200 2.8 II is probably the most egregious example of lens inflation – and there is no Zeiss name on it.
I wonder what Zeiss receives in royalty payments for each Sony Z series lens sold. Wouldn’t it make sense to design a lens line in-house in order to avoid royalty payments.
Sony doesn’t really have a choice because they have totally devaluated the G series leaving them with no in-house brand.
I’m curious, how did they de-value the G Series? Except for the abysmal SAL35F14G from Minolta days, I don’t know any other lens in the lineup, that is bad.
I have the 35F14G, (I bought it used) and use it exclusively on a Full Frame camera where it produces very good results. However its performance on a APS-C camera is horrible.
If it was updated with a good half dozen of these new FLD elements the lens would provide exceptional results. I’d buy a 35F14G2.
I’ve tested this lens on my A65, being afraid that Sigma 30/1.4 would have focus issues, like quite a few Sigmas do, and the Sony was awful in the corners wide open, but OK in the center. Many reviews back it up, and its actually quite worse on FF in the corners when wide open. I’d say you got lucky, if results are as good as you say they are.
But what you’re saying, makes my original point even clearer. Which was a question to “gintony”, about what he/she meant by “Sony devalued the G series”, because SAL35F14G was the only lens out of the entire G series, that is a not so stellar lens based on any review out there. Be it kurtmunger, photozone, slrgear or dxomark. Yes yes, i know that reviews are not indicators and whatnot, but what I saw backs up those reviews.
My question still stands: How did Sony devalue the G series?
He’s complaining about that 18-105G F4 for the NEX or any of the NEX “G-Series”. Apparently they’re all horrible performers.
Oh! In that case I stand corrected. I completely forgot that G series is now available in E-Mount as well. 🙂
He’s referring to the E-Mount G-Series, and definitely not the A-Mount series.
The SELP18105G is a recent example. G branded lens with excessive distorsion in the long end. Yes, priced very low for a G lens but puts Sony Top in-house lens brand in shame.
I wish they would de-value the 70-200 G II.
The Minolta Blue colour rendition is far nicer than any of my Zeiss lenses, which is why many of them are collecting dust.
Apparently you’ve never used the Minolta 17-35mm, 28-70mm, and 85mm f/1.4 (d) G-Series lenses, because they’re all exceptional performers on full frame Sony cameras.
Sony’s top lens priority should be updating, and re-releasing these G-Series for FF Alpha (A or E) users.
They really need to shake up the G series and raid the Minolta back catalogue (it’s a big asset). Give us an updated beercan and secret handshake and a solid range of G primes. My guess is zeiss is the possessive type rather than the trophy wife…
Seems like a mutually beneficial arrangement. Sony gets the prestige of the name, lens design consulting, lens manufacturing quality control and the optical coatings. Zeiss gets a ton of business from Sony (and probably gives Sony preferential pricing).
The CZ 24-70 and other Sony zeiss lens availability is one main reasons I switched from Canon to Sony (though I still shoot with Canon for my main client which has in-house 1dx and other bodies/ lenses).
Last post rumor awhile back had this at 1300.00. I doubt they’ll charge 790.00 and claim it’s Otus quality. That’s just silly- 1300 sounds more respectable if your gunning for a next generation optic.
If it really is 800 then I’ll sell my zeiss 50mm 1.4. To much money for what it is although I like it a lot. I think I may have gotten carried away with that one.
Apparently Sigma’s lenses are now using FLD glass elements, which is why they’ve experienced has a massive jump in performance. Does any one know much about this technology?
Yeah. Its been used at Sigma for a decade.
FLD glass seems to only have been used by sigma since around 2010. (http://www.dpreview.com/news/2010/2/20/sigmafldglass)
There is also ELD and SLD which are not quite up to that level.
(http://www.sigmaphoto.com/faq/ive-recently-seen-a-reference-to-fld-glass-being-used-in-sigma-lenses-is-this-different-from-eld)
It’s complicated!
I guess I couldn’t post full links…
Yep, it’s around $790 US dollars if you do exchange, not Euros. It is available for preorder. Min focus distance 40cm. Sony mount as well. 13 elements in 8 group. 77mm filter diameter. 470g weight. 85.4×99.9mm dimensions.
$790 for a 50mm f1.4 is not cheap….it will only be a bargain if its performance does indeed rival the Zeiss Otus
minipixels.net | Automotive Photograph + Design
Is that may release for all mounts or the typical canon in May and Sony in May 2015?
Zeiss Otus performance? Sold.
I don’t see a rating on this “rumor” (?)
2 days ago on fujirumors – “Fujiflm Bangladesh says: ‘Fujfilm might release another X System MILC very soon’.”
Now they are blowing smoke in Belarus, and we WANT to believe it…
(However, $1,499 in Australia – posted in “news” – is likely closer to the mark.)
With this price I would expect to have a zoom! /s
If it can match the Otus and it’s $790, then I’d be very tempted to get it! If it’s $1,400, then I’ll have no choice and I won’t be able to get it…but I’d probably go with Sigma’s older 50mm 1.4 (which is still not so old). I’d pay more for higher quality, but there is a limit. So I hope it’s (relatively) cheap but with great optics! And it looks like my wish may come true!
I would sell my Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZA SSM if it comes with weathersealing for that price.
Now this page has additional notification in bold red: “Previously stated price of 790 y.e. was a mistake, exact pricing will be known after april 11th.” I would definitely consider this lens, but am not willing to pay more than 700$. This 50mm f/1.4 weights 800g!