p.7 #1 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
Maybe the ZA gets a price drop? A guy can dream!
The thing is, if Sony delivers I don’t think price is going to be an obstacle. A smallish, pleasantly rendering (with SA under corrected a bit like the 85 GM), 35 will stay bolted to my camera. Expectations are sky high. And we know that 35 seems to be a hard lens to design while minimizing compromises.
nehemiahphoto wrote:
I am assuming they will continue, which is why I think it will go from 1.6 to 2.1k
Dec 07, 2020 at 01:42 PM
Steve Spencer Online • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
p.7 #2 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
nhsonyshooter wrote:
Probably will be right in-between the 24GM and the 35mm Zeiss. And I'd be OK with that as long as it renders like the 24 Question is what is the price going to be
I don't think they can charge much if anymore than the Sigma 35 f/1.2 DG DN which costs $1,499 new.
p.7 #4 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
Steve Spencer wrote:
I don't think they can charge much if anymore than the Sigma 35 f/1.2 DG DN which costs $1,499 new.
Why? The GM is more expensive than the Sigma 85/1.4, the 135GM more expensive than the 135 Art and so on. Only because the Sigma is a 1.2, that doesn't mean it sets an upper limit, isn't it? I think 1599 to 1699 Euros is realistic.
p.7 #6 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
The Sigma 35 1.2 is so good that even if Sony were to cut its comparative weight in half with their f1.4, if they price theirs above $1700 it will flop hard. Even at $1700 it feels like they will be converting much of their potential buyers to Sigma, as then the Sigma will still have the f1.2 and price advantage, and it's unlikely the GM will be any sharper or render in an appreciably more pleasing way. The biggest advantages for a potential 35 GM would probably be size, flare performance, and maybe a slight AF improvement, and I just don't think they could get away with charging $500 more than an excellent f1.2 option that is incredibly sharp with beautiful rendering.
p.7 #7 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
Surfnsun wrote:
They know they can price it at whatever they want and we'll all make some rediculous justification to convince ourselves that it's worth it.
On the one hand, if it really is the lightest and (at this point, probably) the best 35 1.4 they can charge what they want and: a) they know they have the best product, and b) they know Can/Nikon/Panasonic are going to release ~$2.7k 35mm 1.2s and you're not going to have anything to complain about there either.
Dec 07, 2020 at 03:14 PM
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p.7 #8 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
Holger wrote:
Why? The GM is more expensive than the Sigma 85/1.4, the 135GM more expensive than the 135 Art and so on. Only because the Sigma is a 1.2, that doesn't mean it sets an upper limit, isn't it? I think 1599 to 1699 Euros is realistic.
The Sony GM 85 f/1.4 came out before the Sigma 85 f/1.4 DG DN was made for digital so certainly they didn't consider the price of that lens that wasn't even designed yet when they set the price for the 85 f/1.4 GM. There was the old Sigma 85 f/1.4 DG, but it was a lot larger and in several ways a much worse performing lens, so yeah they could charge more than that lens. And much they same could be said about the 135 f/1.8s. In both cases the Sony when it came out was smaller and better and designed for digital. The Sigma was bigger, had inferior IQ, and was designed for DSLR camera. In that situation sure Sony can charge more for the smaller lens with the same aperture.
In contrast, for this lens they are bringing out the 35 f/1.4 GM after the Sigma 35 f/1.2 DG DN has been out for awhile to rave reviews and that lens is a half stop or so faster and has exceptional IQ. No doubt the Sony 35 f/1.4 GM will be smaller (and hopefully quite a bit so), but that is about the only advantage it will have. It will be slower (i.e., a smaller aperture) and I doubt it will have superior IQ and this time the Sigma is built for digital. So it is not the same thing at all as when the 85 GM and 135 GM came out. Charging more for a slower lens just because it is smaller rarely leads to strong sales. They might charge especially at introduction even $1,699 but I wouldn't expect it to stay there for long.
p.7 #10 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
Steve Spencer wrote:
The Sony GM 85 f/1.4 came out before the Sigma 85 f/1.4 DG DN was made for digital so certainly they didn't consider the price of that lens that wasn't even designed yet when they set the price for the 85 f/1.4 GM. There was the old Sigma 85 f/1.4 DG, but it was a lot larger and in several ways a much worse performing lens, so yeah they could charge more than that lens. And much they same could be said about the 135 f/1.8s. In both cases the Sony when it came out was smaller and better and designed for digital. The Sigma was bigger, had inferior IQ, and was designed for DSLR camera. In that situation sure Sony can charge more for the smaller lens with the same aperture.
In contrast, for this lens they are bringing out the 35 f/1.4 GM after the Sigma 35 f/1.2 DG DN has been out for awhile to rave reviews and that lens is a half stop or so faster and has exceptional IQ. No doubt the Sony 35 f/1.4 GM will be smaller (and hopefully quite a bit so), but that is about the only advantage it will have. It will be slower (i.e., a smaller aperture) and I doubt it will have superior IQ and this time the Sigma is built for digital. So it is not the same thing at all as when the 85 GM and 135 GM came out. Charging more for a slower lens just because it is smaller rarely leads to strong sales. They might charge especially at introduction even $1,699 but I wouldn't expect it to stay there for long....Show more →
I am not sure regarding the IQ of the hypothetical GM. The Sigma is great, we have two. But it has some weaknesses, too, like strong flares, it is super large and heavy (although I didn't experience it myself some people complain about issues regarding AF at f1.2), what about the T-stop and vignetting ...? It is really not that easy making something much smaller and additionally keeping sharpness, aberrations etc. on a similar level. Being an engineer, I therefore don't buy the argument that this is a minor thing and only advantage of the GM, because we don't know about performance yet.
p.7 #11 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
twentysevenone wrote:
Maybe I'm being naive, but my guess is closer to the 24GM. So no more than $1500.
That's my guess as well.
It's not a "world's first" like 12-24GM, neither is it ultrafast and it does have a strong rival in the Sigma. So, unless Sony goes crazy small&light, I expect them not to go crazy with the price either .
p.7 #12 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
1399 I like glazed donuts thank you very much.
No matter what the FE 35 1.4 was a epic fail. I went through 5 of them and I know how to test lenses that was no fluke. This one is the we failed make up lens. They also need to send me a free one for all my time and money I put into it.
Dec 07, 2020 at 04:21 PM
Steve Spencer Online • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
p.7 #13 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
Holger wrote:
I am not sure regarding the IQ of the hypothetical GM. The Sigma is great, we have two. But it has some weaknesses, too, like strong flares, it is super large and heavy (although I didn't experience it myself some people complain about issues regarding AF at f1.2), what about the T-stop and vignetting ...? It is really not that easy making something much smaller and additionally keeping sharpness, aberrations etc. on a similar level. Being an engineer, I therefore don't buy the argument that this is a minor thing and only advantage of the GM, because we don't know about performance yet....Show more →
We'll see but my point is that I do not think the 35 f/1.4 GM, which by the way what I expect to get instead of the Sigma 35 f/1.2 Art, is going to be optically superior. I think in order to justify a higher price, given that the GM is about a half stop slower, it would have to be optically superior--not just about the same optically. If it is only equivalent optically and it is slower, then it is hard to justify a higher price just based on size. I don't think that is going to work, but that is just my opinion. We will see soon what the price will be and then over time we will see whether that price is competitive. My view is that the lens won't sell well unless it is about the price of the Sigma 35 f/1.2 Art (not more than $100 to $200 more and perhaps even $100 less). Keep in mind the the 24 f/1.4 GM retails at $1,399, so $1,499 for the 35 f/1.4 GM (matching the Sigma's price and $100 more than the 24 f/1.4 GM) is not like they are holding the price way down to match the Sigma.
p.7 #15 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
Steve Spencer wrote:
We'll see but my point is that I do not think the 35 f/1.4 GM, which by the way I expect to get instead of the Sigma 35 f/1.2 Art, is going to be optically superior. I think in order to justify a higher price, given that the GM is about a half stop slower, it would have to be optically superior--not just about the same optically--to justify a higher price. It is only equivalent optically and it is slower, then it is hard to justify a high price just based on size. I don't think that is going to work, but that is just my opinion. We will see soon what the price will be and then over time we will see whether that price is competitive. My view is that the lens won't sell well unless it is about the price of the Sigma 35 f/1.2 Art (not more Thant $100 to $200 more and perhaps even $100 less). Keep in mind the the 24 f/1.4 GM retails at $1,399, so $1,499 for the 35 f/1.4 GM (matching the Sigma's price) is not like they are holding the price way down to match the Sigma. ...Show more →
Over the old unit which was not part of there glass polishing system that I believe came out on the GM 85 which kills the onion ring effect which the old 35 was really bad at. So I’m expecting this alone maybe worth whatever price. Seriously I can still say this even after 5 failed lenses and outside the onion ring issue it was heck of a lens at the time. This new one should smoke it. One thing I hope as I never shot the new Sigma but we still need a incredibly speedy AF system as this focal length is typically a major used lens for people shooting. I know for me it’s a very big people user. So let’s hope it’s got the goods. I’m interested for sure
p.7 #17 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
This will be a tough one for me...regardless of cost. I have the 24 GM & CV 40 already, at first I'd say this lens could replace both of those, but the 24 is too damn good at landscape as well as environmental portraits, I'm not sure I'd want to trade it for the 35mm focal length. Plus I really like the CV 40 for it's size/rendering/sunstars/etc. My 35 right now is a sharp copy of the FE 35 2.8, which I'd keep no matter what for convenience.
I say all this but then watch me pick up a Sigma 24 3.5 & the 35 GM anyways, especially if it really is that small....
p.7 #20 · Pre-order: Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM ($1,399)
So if SAR is correct in saying that in terms of weight the 35 1.4 GM will be somewhere between the 35 1.4 ZA and the 24 GM, and not much heavier than the 24... how much more do y'all think we're talkin?
Question is what is the price going to be
