The Sony 500mm f/4.0 lens just got tested by the DxOmark team (Click here to read). They write: “Overall, the Sony looks promising but it’s a pricey option.” Note that this is the first time DxO tests a super-telephoto lens and that’s why it’s hard to draw a conclusion with no competition scores.
Only thing we know for sure is that you have to sell your car to buy a lens like that. Check the price at [shopcountry 11116].
46 Responses
How did the Canon get a 0 in distortions 0.o
Never seen that before
Luke
5 hours ago | Reply
How did the Canon get a 0 in distortions 0.o
Never seen that before
It is possible. I have the lens with distortion 0.000 %. But not tele lens.
http://homepage2.nifty.com/akiyanroom/redbook-e/ultra/ultra&green.html
Generally the narrower the angle of view, the less distortion is a problem. It is easy to design a 500mm lens for a small camera with no measurable distortion (pincushion or barrel).
Who cares no client will be able to tell you a difference between a 0.0% distortion and 0.2% distortion.
Some of DXo marks reports regarding Sony have been questionable in my opinion.
Kind of surprised at the low effective MP rating and high chromatic aberrations. I thought for the money/weight both would be better.
See my comment above. Not sure what is going on with them but it seems to me that something is amiss with them. They only give the a99 a high iso rating in the 1500s which is very low and not correct IMHO.
Wait people care about DXOMark?
deference FL is too large, why not compare 500mm/4 vs 500mm/4 ?
I agree.
+1 Agreed, I’m wondering why they compare Sony 500mm F4 G SSM with Canon 300mm F2.8!! Did I mess that Sony had 300mm F2.8 G SSM I & II, they could test this lens to compare with from the start. Also it goes the same situation with Canon 500mm F4 to compare with Sony 500mm F4!!!!!!!
I only could say what the hell is this!! they are different focal length.
They haven’t tested lenses ‘longer’ than 300mm. They have nothing to compare with, that’s why they use 300/2.8 and 300/4.
useless comparation
Even if this the case, they should not release any comparison like Sony 500mm vs Canon 300mm from the beginning. To be more pros they should wait until they test the rest then release what ever you got ” Sony 500 vs Canon 500 vs Nikon 500 & Canon 300 vs Nikon 300 vs Sony 300″.
Note: I’m not pros, but this comparison is useless in my opinion.
*what ever they got* 😛 typo mistake.
Sorry folks, I do not accept DXO virtual MPixel rating system. It claims to note highest perceivable quality, but completely disregards the nature of those who pursue such things. The virtual MPixel rating does not account for the plasticity of files produces from real Megapixels, which can handle sharpening, noise reduction, enlargement, and extreme professional grade treatments much much better than a perceived rating. These ratings do not account for the extreme nyquist extinction resolution of a850/900 files, which, with no false colors, can be bent and crafted far beyond their “natural” state, without breaking up at all. There’s a lot more juice in there, should you decide to squeeze it. Most others have already been squeezed to the near maximum. That’s why I like Sony files so much. They can be molded like clay.
I am less and less inclined to patronize testing facilities based purely on math… even less so virtual math. Digging out the devil requires real photographers shooting real subjects far afield from test charts. There are few out there with the long toothed experience necessary to make informed comments, in relation to legacy offerings.
Highly recommend Carl Garrard at Photographic-Central for meaningful information.
Well stated.
Dude, you wrote exactly what I think. 😀
I don’t like DXO, but it could be fun to see how much it scores with the A99 (since the good old A900 is not available anymore) against a Canon 500 and a 5DMKIII, for example: to have some tests that make more sense than a 500 against two 300 all of them on “old” cameras… Damn DXO…
Take care
The screw up test because they tested it indoor ,may be forgot to calibrate it, so the lens is not sharp either it is front focus or back focus .I own both the Sony 500mm and Minolta 600mm.I called Sony they advised me to calibrated the lens by micro adjustment.It is as sharp as the Minolta 600mm , in some situations I think the 500mm is sharper and better BOKEH.
How does this change anything? it’s $13,000. No one who isn’t a true professional is even gonna look twice at this thing, and I assure you, anyone who can afford it is going to be doing thorough research. They are not going to be looking at DXOmark’s review and say “Ah damn, DXOmark only gave it a 20? Well that’s proof enough for me…”
As CTPhotographX stated, I also have found numerous times when their “perceptual megapixels” is utter BS. Sorry, I don’t trust them. Conflicting reviews on lenses often tell a much different story, and they have the pics to back it up.
They should have used the A99 for this test. Not the A900….
I’m quite sure people buying the SAL500F40G get their hands with the lens before ordering one themselves. If I had 13000USD better know what I’m getting.
+1
Once again: overpriced junk from Sony!
So typical for this company: crap thing for the premium price. No wonder they are losing sales 🙂
bla bla…
Comparing different FL, one can say that Sony 500 is as good as their 70-200 G.
Well, it’s not. If you actually shot with one instead of blindingly staring at DXO.
LOL
DxO does everything right, it’s not about your beliefs but reality. Instead of judging on combine score see at certain parameters, such as sharpness, vignetting, CA, etc.
Which one is better, Sky?
500 f4 on my crappy sony 99 !
The a99 is not crappy!
Or buy a Nikon FF and 500mm instead…
Sony, give us poor fellows with less money to spend an upgraded version of the 500 Reflex.
…or Vectis 400mm with OSS! In E-mount, of course.
I think you made a typo here: In A-mount, of course.
Pray tell why you need a 500mm lens on your dainty Nex? Taking pictures of your food at the local Chilis?
MAJOR BIT OVERLOOKED IN THE REVIEW
Sharpness score is a slightly disappointing 16P-Mpix, 30-percent below the 24P-Mpix potential maximum that could be achieved on the Alpha 900. But that’s a collective function of the camera sensor and lens, and a more efficient sensor may have produced a higher result.
So, if they’d have set the test up properly with proper micro adjustments & on an A99 body the score would have been………………………..way better than what we are seeing here!
I tested the 70-200g on my A77 & it was out resolving the sensor it was so sharp! WTF are DXO doing?
DXO mark is a vapourware website & thats got nothing to do with wether I’m biased to Sony or not. It just makes me mad that the usual naysayers will then go ,’ooh sony lenses aren’t very good’
IDIOTS!!
DXO boys with nothing to do again. Testing a new 500mm lens on an “old” discontinued body and then comparing it to 300mm lens – get real DXO this report shouldn’t have even been published.
This brings back memories of the Sony/Minolta 500mm f/8 cat lens — the only mirror lens ever made with automatic focus. I may be the only one here that wants Sony to put that lens back into production. With improved image quality at higher and higher ISO settings available, it is a lightweight gem for wildlife photography. If Sony added the latest in lens coating technology to a renewed production of this lens, sales would undoubtedly be brisk.
Not only you, add me into account :P.
Cat lenses do not have a diophram.
Only nd filters.
Lower f number means lower depth of field with no way ti stop it down.
Be carefull what you wish for.
Put this lens on a 56 megapixel full frame nex9 hmp.
That would be a wildlife photographers dream come true.
Better yet square full frame 84 megapixels.
Either can be done by scaling up the nex9n sensor with no loss of quality.
Thats how to get full value for the high cost of this lens
I like this
I use Sony 500F4&A900 making razor sharp pictures as with Nikon 400F2,8&D4. I have no experience with Canon 300F2,8 lens and EOS-5D camera but if they are as good as DXO says… I’m ready to sell all my Sony & Nikon lenses/cameras to buy a Canon complete system!!!
p.s. Dear Sony, I’m still waiting an high-end, ovf, FF-A mount camera to take more advance from your last excellent tele-lenses.
I think DXO boy’s fid the test indoor and didn’t calibrate the lens . My Sony 500mm is as sharp as my Minolta 600mm after calibrated outdoor.
The minolta 600 was a very good lens, the sony 500 as well. Maybe the shorter 300 lenses are even better than the longer ones?