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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Pre-order June 13th: Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS ($12,998) | |
rdcny wrote:
From an interview at DP Review published today (11 June):
https://www.dpreview.com/interviews/1348083745/sony-interview-600mm-f4-200-600mm-launch
Who do you see as the target market for the new lenses?
"Compared to the 400mm, the 600mm is more targeted at high-end amateurs. Photographers that shoot birds, wildlife, aircraft. Maybe 70-80% will be wildlife photographers. That’s why the market is bigger for the 600mm than the 400mm."
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These products (200-600mm zoom and the new 600mm F4 GM) use technologies developed for the 400mm F2.8 - how has that product performed in the market?
"The sales have been much higher than we expected - more than double. We thought at the first stages of development for the lens that there were only a few people who would shoot sports with our products - for example only Alpha 9 users, or photographers who shoot smaller small sporting events. But after we launched the 400mm, we have seen demand from many of the top sports photographers working at large events."
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Do you have a sense of how many professional photographers are using that lens, versus enthusiasts?
"Almost 70% of the [customer base] for that lens are professionals. Availability is still capped - there is a long waiting list."
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What are the specific differences between the two new lenses that account for the difference between ‘G’ and ‘GM’?
"With G Master lenses we always include the latest, innovative technologies. We never compromise. Always the latest technologies. With the 200-600mm, there are some compromises, for example in the materials, or the body. We didn’t use magnesium-alloy, or the [newer XD linear autofocus] actuator.
"Affordability is also important for the G series, to expand the size of the market. And sometimes it’s practicality. We don’t actually need to use the XD linear actuators with a small focusing group for example [like the one in the 200-600mm]."
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What were the major priorities for the design of the 600mm?
"Basically we’re targeting the best of the best. Without compromise. Every time we plan to make a G Master series lens, we aim for 'no competition'. Which means the highest spec. We don’t compromise on anything. Autofocus, image quality, light weight. What I mean by that is we develop new technologies every time. So there’s not a particular standard for G Master, we just include innovative technologies every time. Technologies that didn’t exist before.
"We’re always listening to our professionals. And after we launched the 400mm, a lot of professionals told us they wanted a 600mm. We also consider camera bodies that will come in the future as well. The key concept is ‘future lenses for today’.
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So when you’re designing a lens like this are you planning for even more focus calculations per second and faster frame rates than the a9 can achieve, for example?
"Yes."
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If we assume that this is a lens that will be used by a lot of a9 photographers, what kind of camera do they want next?
"They always request more speed, less weight, greater usability. I think that every professional photographer wants something different. We gather all those voices and we use that feedback to plan what we should do."
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How would you summarize the competitive advantages of these new lenses compared to existing products on the market?
"If you shoot seriously, the 600mm is for you. The spec of the lens itself, its weight and its resolution is perhaps almost the same [as the current best competitive alternative]. But the integration with our camera bodies is much better than our competitors, I think. So if photographers want to maximize the performance of their camera body, they should use this lens. At this moment, there is no competition to the Alpha 9. Its performance is the best."...Show more →
That was a great interview. I only worry about one statement in that interview and that is when he says A9 users want "less weight" in a future camera....NOOOOO....they do not....we need a larger camera, not another dinky toy body.
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