I don’t speak Chinese but Hong Kong readers sent me two link to Sony lenses that just have been discontinued! If the “rumor” is correct Sony will stop selling the DT 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 and the 300mm f/2.8 G lens! As usual take that info with a grain of salt. I didn’t hear anything from my sources about possible successor for those lenses.
Take a look for yourself:
– Sony Hong Kong SAL18250 product site
– Sony Hong Kong SAL300F28G product site
33 Responses
And when a new version of 85mm 1.4g with SSM???
And what about a 24mm 1.4?
I shoot weedings and I need it right now!!
you are in luck!
nikno already sells a 85mm and a 24mm both with f/1.4
Carl Zeiss opted for a 24mm F/2.0 for better all around quality vs F/1.4s
and not that Soft at F1.4, meager at F2 type of primes that cost $4k. The Zeiss is affordable, and it outperforms its competitors at F2 and on. Can’t go wrong with this. Besides, just add more natural light sources to your scene like candles if you are really that depressed on available light.
The 18250 will be replaced by a new 18270 (SAM or maybe SSM as Tamron will release a PZ one also). Sony is replacing slowly but surely all SAL type lenses with SAM and SSMs.
and neither Nikon lens is as sharp as the CURRENT Sony version. I’ll take sharp at f/2 vs not sharp at f/1.4 on the 24mm, thanks. And you don’t need SSM on the 85mm. Nice but wholly unnecessary. And I shoot plenty of weddings with both the 135 and 85. Never have I needed SSM. The quality of image is top line and that’s what matters.
Super fast autofocus like Sigma would definitely be an asset, and I’m sure many people wuold love that. 😛
yeah, I agree… there’s no reason for the 85 or the 135 to be ssm. They’re already super fast on the a900/a850/a700.
oh no! If this true than the Sony 300G will be a hot cakes!
omg, keep replace those nice n expensive lenses. what happen to ppl that just need a basic lens =.=”
How about some NEX lenses? Still not good lenses for that mount. 🙁
I understand that these are just “rumors” but if true WOW….
First, a rumor about the 50f/1.4 that has changed little since I got mine with my Minolta 9000 in 1986 and now talk about two more lenses being discontinued.
I can’t use the DT lens family with any of the cameras in my bag and would have no use for any f/3.5-6.3 lens anyway, but that big bright 300mm f/2.8.
I never used one, and I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen one in use, and I don’t even know if it was any good, but I always wanted it, just didn’t have an extra $6,299.00 to by one.
I understand replacing the 50mm and I understand getting rid of the SAL18250, but any camera maker that plans on selling to the professional market needs a lineup of high quality fast glass, and a big fast 300mm lens is a necessary part of the professional product lineup.
If these rumors are true then big changes are comming to the Sony A-Mount product.
And if the rumors about this new dream a77 camera body are true Sony will also need new glass as part of the package.
No 300mm prime means Sony is not intereested in the pro sport shooter or birders. Not the king of signals people like to see.
what about the 500mm F4 G? i don’t think they are ditching the market. You could be right, but i’d give it 60% chance theres a replacement on the way, and 30% that they are low in production, and 10% that they are ditching.
I just checked B&H and can’t seem to find the 500mm f4. :O
And where the heck is a 300mm f4? That would be popular.
common… they’re not shoe sizes. If you’re gonna get a 300mm, then why not just get the 2.8. I mean, you can achieve a f4 with a 2.8 as well.
It’s not like nikon or canon that make 13 kinds of the same lens. Quality over quantity.
The 18-250mm is actually old news (at least 6 months), but I never really cared about it.
As for the 300mm F/2.8 – it was “discontinued” after the 18-250 and before the 50mm F/1.4
The current uk Sony lens catalogue lists the 300G as “built to order”
Please, tell me it’s a fake! But, just in case, any news about a NEW 300mm?
i guess it’s just a mistake for HK Sony technicians.. at least for 300/2.8G
this is not the first time… A900 was “discontinued” too last year…
Repeat after me: SonyStyle is not Sony. SonyStyle is not Sony. SonyStyle is not Sony.
Yes, you are right, SonyStyle is not Sony, it is a part of Sony. Can you shop anything (or at least camera things) directly from sony (not SonyStyle)?
Hong Kong’s official Sony webpage usually makes mistake, so please don’t trust the info unless it is confirm by the Japanese or US websites. Please believe me as I am a Hong Konger, and I saw it happened for a few times!
to the owner of this blog, you can go to sonystyle hk and choose ENGLISH to get translation. why is this considered as rumour?
cause the English translation would say discontinued!
If the rumor is correct, I think Sony is planning a major overhaul to update all the current lenses at least with SAM drive and SSM on all G/Zeiss lenses just to cope with the AF-Driveless NEX system and as well as preparation for the future bodies without AF/MF switch, which is obvious unseen on the rumored A77. Well, that’s just my wild guess anyways. =P
This is all part of THE PLAN! Generate Hype, Speculation, drive the fans nuts.
Just thought I’d mention that the SAL 500 f/8 reflex telephoto lens is “no longer available for purchase” at SonyStyle US. http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11039029
That’s nothing new. It was already discontinued last August.
Like others have said it might be that the 300mm is not selling very good…and it is outperformed by lenses from Canon or Nikon which cost less…it’s got softer edges than most of the other 300mm lenses …so a new one is in order to be developed. I’m sure they haven’t got a replacement for now, but will work on it in the future. Maybe a good 300mm with good weather sealing and very good performance across the frame even on FF.
They will do so after replacing cameras that would be likely to make a pair to such lenses.
Much of you would hate to admit so, but the 18-250 is rather poor . They are doing the same that has been done with the 18-70. There will surely be a better one out soon.
From time to time even lenses need a refreshing. But that time has not come for the 85 and 135. They are very well built, they are sharper than Canikon, and in my opinion the 85 Zeiss is much better than the Sigma which is HSM. It’s visible better on FF, but the interesting thing is in my opinion that it has better contrast(Zeiss does a little bit of magic with the T-coating) and colors.
They are just a bit noisy, but fast enough to focus, not superfast like the 24-70 ssm, but that’s for other aplications. I wouldn’t miss ssm if I wouldn’t make a comparison to the 24-70..but really, they don’t need to be changed for that alone, they are very good for portraits so there’s no requierment for blazingly fast autofocus in suchg lenses
We keep getting all worked –up over rumors from the Hong Kong SonyStyle website.
I think the person who said this is likely a mistake is probably correct.
I for one would really like Sony to put some of its massive resources into additions and updates to its A-Mount lenses.
There is no reason that Sony with Zeiss can’t make the finest lenses in the world for A-Mount cameras.
And that would sell a lot of camera bodys and make money for Sony.
There is one silly little thing that bugs me about Sony’s long-lenses is the color(s); white, black, silver………… what the deal with that……….Pick a color and run with it Sony!
You’re right..they should put more effort into more Zeiss lenses as well as G lenses I would say.
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