2010 Sports Illustrated cover story

[Big Mike]

Good point.

So do you think that we will start seeing more and more, high quality F4 or F5.6 lenses?

 

[Derrel]

Nikon just announced the world's first stabilized full-frame capable wide-angle zoom, the 16-35 f/4 VR-G, but it is expensive. Nikon's 70-300mm f/4.5~5.6 AF-S VR-G is also a very high-quality yet smaller lens--good enough for use on the D3x, but it's more expensive than the prior economy model G series and more costly than the 70-300 ED model. Nikon's 85mm f/3.5 macro is a pretty good-quality macro, which is pretty small and light, although f/3.5 is faster than f/4. But as to the question, "will we start seeing more high quality f 4 or f/5.6 lenses"...hmmm....I think that is the aperture range the higher-end consumer lenses are headed as ISO performance gets better and better.

The problem as I see it is that as we get into higher-resolution sensors, like Canon's new 17.8 MP direction, the need for HIGH-QUALITY lenses starts to become more and more important...but will consumers of $599 Rebel bodies and $599 Nikon bodies be willing to actually PAY FOR high-quality, yet slower-aperture zoom lenses? I think they will--but only for a selected segment of lenses; lenses that have high utility to go along with moderately high price.

 

[itznfb]

Good point.

So do you think that we will start seeing more and more, high quality F4 or F5.6 lenses?

Check out the first 3 posts...
Nikon Rumors

So, yes. I certainly hope so. 24-120 f/4

 

[Destin]

@Derrel

Based on our recent discussions regarding the evolution of high ISO, I thought you might like to see the resurrection of this thread from 2010.

Happened to find it when searching for something else on the forum.

The day is now here, where the "pro level" ISO performance of the D3s is available in consumer level bodies. Hell, I paid $1600 for my D500 body, and it's a crop sensor that's as good or better than the D3s

 

[Derrel]

Looks like my prediction of more higher-end consumer lenses of f/4 and f/5.6 has come true; as ISO performance god better and better, the ,arket was made ripe for lenses like the 200-500mm f/5.6 from Nikon, as well as Tamron and Sigma's long, super-tele zooms with slowish max apertures. And it only took like, what? Six years was it?

 

[Destin]

Looks like my prediction of more higher-end consumer lenses of f/4 and f/5.6 has come true; as ISO performance god better and better, the ,arket was made ripe for lenses like the 200-500mm f/5.6 from Nikon, as well as Tamron and Sigma's long, super-tele zooms with slowish max apertures. And it only took like, what? Six years was it?

You guessed it would take 7 in this thread haha. Good call