The Canon 35mm f/2 IS is currently being sold for $789 with free shipping.
I've been told this is a temporary price drop and may not last. Original price $849.00.
I could be interested, but not until I get some good reports on color and contrast. Which are hard to come by, because it seems like not many people have bought and used the lens.
splathrop wrote:
I could be interested, but not until I get some good reports on color and contrast. Which are hard to come by, because it seems like not many people have bought and used the lens.
And thus the price drop. I don't think this lens at it's high price is selling very well.
What is "this sort of lens"? If you refer to the original 35 f2 non-USM, it is a totally different lens. The new one has USM, 4 stops IS, 8-blade aperture, and excellent optics, all the way into the corners.
And I cannot believe how much angst this lens seems to generate among potential buyers. I got it as a replacement for my former favorite, the 35L, and I'm very pleased with the new 35 f2 IS. I even paid the full retail for it, just after it was available, and I have never looked back
Here is a comparison review, look e.g. at the MTF chart with the old 35 f2:
phuang3 wrote:
This sort of lens used to be around $350. I'd add another $100 for its IS mechanism. Other than that, it's overpriced.
I just sold my old EF 35 2.0 for $225. It was a jim dandy optic for 1988 but wasn't cutting it for me. AF was just too funky in low light. FTM, IS, ring-USM and less flare and more sharpness around the sides is worth a mitt full of benjamins to me. I suppose Canon could use micro-USM, loose the IS and manufacture offshore to keep the price down, but then most of us wouldn't be interested in paying less for a lessor product. And then you want something a little better, you normally have to pay a lot more! Realize primes are a speciality item with very limited appeal even among advanced amateurs--almost a luxury product--so we're lucky to have the choice even at 8 bills. I can wait a little longer as there are plenty of other toys to buy and play with...
I wish Nikon would bring out a new 35/2. I love my 35/2 (I'm on my second one, having lost my first copy), and would almost certainly never own a 35/1.4 for size reasons, but it needs an update.
Gochugogi wrote:
I've seen the 24/28 IS going for $629 to 699 so eventually the 35 IS will drift downwards.
I've got a 24 IS last month and I am very happy about it. The 35 IS is on my radar, I am just waiting to see the price going down a little more. This first price drop seems to be a good signal in that direction.
