What new lens is yet to come? Wheres the R&D now ?

[icassell]

Canon has a 400mm F5.6L that is only $1250.
I don't know much about it though.

It's an outstanding optic and considered by many birders to be the best lens out there for birds-in-flight (most consider the IQ to be far superior to the popular Canon 100-400). Unfortunately, they haven't updated it in years and it could use IS.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Canon has a 400mm F5.6L that is only $1250.
I don't know much about it though.

It's an outstanding optic and considered by many birders to be the best lens out there for birds-in-flight (most consider the IQ to be far superior to the popular Canon 100-400). Unfortunately, they haven't updated it in years and it could use IS.

i would expect it to perform better than a zoom.

 

[usayit]

Canon's 400mm Diffractive Optics is an f/4 lens, not an f/2.8, and it has not been a big seller. Same with their 70-300 DO, which is a slow seller according to a salesman I buy from at a large B&M store--it's expensive,and the 70-300 range at that f/stop is not attractive to consumers.

No kidding!! When I worked retail, we couldn't drive up any interest. The focal lengths in that line are very crowded... You had the

70-300 IS (consumer)
75-300 III (consumer)
70-300 DO
70-200 f/4L
70-200 f/2.8L
70-200/f/2.8L IS

Its even more crowded now with the addition of the 70-200 f/4L IS, the markII version of the 70-200 f/2.8L. You couldn't sell it! EIther people gravitated towards the 70-200f/4L or spent little $$ on the 70-300IS. Customers interested in the 70-200 f/2.8 wouldn't even consider it. The 400mm DO was in the same boat... most opting for either the faster f/2.8L or the slightly slower 400mm f/5.6L or the 300 f/4L.

I don't ever recall one actually sold... although I did see a 400mm DO in the used section of another store recently.

 

[usayit]

Canon/Nikon/Major player R&D folks - what do you think their main project is now? -

At least for Canon, I'd place a bet that 100-400L Mark II is in the works. It sells well but hasn't been updated since it was introduced more than 10 years ago. I believe it was one of the first lenses with IS and it is due for an update. Canon..? Listening????

I also bet that their might be R&D for a new L super zoom.... the current one being really too outdated to be considered an option. Something for the moving journalist who needs something of a wide range.

I'm also predicting the return of mirror lenses.... but that is more of a long shot. I do thing Sony has one.

 

[icassell]

Canon/Nikon/Major player R&D folks - what do you think their main project is now? -

At least for Canon, I'd place a bet that 100-400L Mark II is in the works. It sells well but hasn't been updated since it was introduced more than 10 years ago. I believe it was one of the first lenses with IS and it is due for an update. Canon..? Listening????

.

Well, that'll really screw me up. I'm in the final throws of deciding on my next long lens and waffling between the 400/5.6 or the new OS version of the Bigma. If Canon re-designs the 100-400, that will have to go back into the pool of possibilities.

 

[TiCoyote]

Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I'm building a lens in my garage. It's a 15-800 f/1.2 IS w/Macro on a universal mount. It weighs 6oz, it's half the size of a beer can, the IQ is unparalleled, it has a lightning-fast focus, and it's indestructible. Also, it shoots in infra-red, it glows in the dark, it travels through time, and it makes coffee and causes you to appear more attractive to the opposite sex. I think I'll market it for $50. Hood not included.

 

[icassell]

Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I'm building a lens in my garage. It's a 15-800 f/1.2 IS w/Macro on a universal mount. It weighs 6oz, it's half the size of a beer can, the IQ is unparalleled, it has a lightning-fast focus, and it's indestructible. Also, it shoots in infra-red, it glows in the dark, it travels through time, and it makes coffee and causes you to appear more attractive to the opposite sex. I think I'll market it for $50. Hood not included.

I'll take two.

 

[MrLogic]

Canon/Nikon/Major player R&D folks - what do you think their main project is now? -

At least for Canon, I'd place a bet that 100-400L Mark II is in the works. It sells well but hasn't been updated since it was introduced more than 10 years ago. I believe it was one of the first lenses with IS and it is due for an update. Canon..? Listening????

.

Well, that'll really screw me up. I'm in the final throws of deciding on my next long lens and waffling between the 400/5.6 or the new OS version of the Bigma. If Canon re-designs the 100-400, that will have to go back into the pool of possibilities.

Let me get this straight:

1. You're not considering the 100-400L (Mk. I), but are considering the Sigma 50-500 OS.
2. The Sigma, while technically a 500mm zoom (or 470 or whatever) only provides empty magnification over the Canon. Fact.
3. The Sigma doesn't provide better IQ. (I'd say worse, barring sample variation)

So... what am I missing here?

 

[eric-holmes]

I think that a 24-105mm F2.8 L IS would sell well.

If Nikon had one of those, I would be all over it.

 

[icassell]

At least for Canon, I'd place a bet that 100-400L Mark II is in the works. It sells well but hasn't been updated since it was introduced more than 10 years ago. I believe it was one of the first lenses with IS and it is due for an update. Canon..? Listening????

.

Well, that'll really screw me up. I'm in the final throws of deciding on my next long lens and waffling between the 400/5.6 or the new OS version of the Bigma. If Canon re-designs the 100-400, that will have to go back into the pool of possibilities.

Let me get this straight:

1. You're not considering the 100-400L (Mk. I), but are considering the Sigma 50-500 OS.
2. The Sigma, while technically a 500mm zoom (or 470 or whatever) only provides empty magnification over the Canon. Fact.
3. The Sigma doesn't provide better IQ. (I'd say worse, barring sample variation)

So... what am I missing here?

You're missing the fact that Sigma has re-worked the Bigma in addition to adding OS. I have not seen enough about the new version to know yet whether or not to eliminate it. I don't consider 500 mm empty magnification over 400 IF it is good out at that end (remember that many consider the 100-400 soft at the 400 end as well). We don't know yet if the new Bigma only goes to 470. Juza has reviewed the new Bigma, based on one lens and what appears to be a bad copy of the 100-400. I'm waiting to see other opinions

As for sample variation, I have several Sigmas which have served me well. I won't write them off so soon.

I have yet to see a bad review of the 400/5.6. That is my frontline contender at the moment. It is clearly ahead of the 100-400 Mk I. Obviously we know nothing about a Mk II version. I'm just not certain yet how the new Bigma compares to those two.

 

[MrLogic]

You're missing the fact that Sigma has re-worked the Bigma in addition to adding OS. I have not seen enough about the new version to know yet whether or not to eliminate it. I don't consider 500 mm empty magnification over 400 IF it is good out at that end (remember that many consider the 100-400 soft at the 400 end as well). We don't know yet if the new Bigma only goes to 470. Juza has reviewed the new Bigma, based on one lens and what appears to be a bad copy of the 100-400. I'm waiting to see other opinions

As for sample variation, I have several Sigmas which have served me well. I won't write them off so soon.

RE: Bigma. I see. Well... according to Juza, "the image quality [is] the same as the previous "EX" version." I assumed that meant it featured the same optical formula. In any case, his test results look very familiar.

I have yet to see a bad review of the 400/5.6. That is my frontline contender at the moment. It is clearly ahead of the 100-400 Mk I. Obviously we know nothing about a Mk II version. I'm just not certain yet how the new Bigma compares to those two.

And you won't find a bad review. The 400/5.6 L will invariably be better than a potential 100-400 Mk. II at 400mm. And a hell of a lot cheaper, too. I don't know what's stopping you.

And a 10x zoom -- a new design or not -- won't come close to one of Canon's best primes. It's like comparing a new-and-improved 18-200 lens to a 200L.

 

[icassell]

And a 10x zoom -- a new design or not -- won't come close to one of Canon's best primes.

That is true, but 500 AF with IS is very appealing to me as a bird photographer and the 400 won't AF with my 1.4X TC. As I said, I'm waiting to see ... not spending anything yet. Given a choice between the current 100-400 and the new Bigma, though, I'd probably lean towards the Bigma. If Canon put IS on the 400/5.6 or they came out with a 500/5.6 that was affordable, it would probably be no contest.

 

[ottor]

Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I'm building a lens in my garage. It's a 15-800 f/1.2 IS w/Macro on a universal mount. It weighs 6oz, it's half the size of a beer can, the IQ is unparalleled, it has a lightning-fast focus, and it's indestructible. Also, it shoots in infra-red, it glows in the dark, it travels through time, and it makes coffee and causes you to appear more attractive to the opposite sex. I think I'll market it for $50. Hood not included.

Sure, there's always a catch ..... No hood, huh? - I'll have to go with the Sigma clone then == the only problem is. that one makes you appear more attractive to the 'same' sex....

I think they make an adapter to get around that little issue though ..... in carbon fiber....

 

[Big]

Canon/Nikon/Major player R&D folks - what do you think their main project is now? -

At least for Canon, I'd place a bet that 100-400L Mark II is in the works. It sells well but hasn't been updated since it was introduced more than 10 years ago. I believe it was one of the first lenses with IS and it is due for an update. Canon..? Listening????

.

Well, that'll really screw me up. I'm in the final throws of deciding on my next long lens and waffling between the 400/5.6 or the new OS version of the Bigma. If Canon re-designs the 100-400, that will have to go back into the pool of possibilities.

I was actually thinking about this today and many times in the past. I'd really love a 100-400mm f/4L maybe? It would also be nice to have the conventional twist zoom design versus the push/pull. This is one lens they could make a lot of money back on by updating. I hope they got something brewing for this lens!

 

[altitude604]

At least for Canon, I'd place a bet that 100-400L Mark II is in the works. It sells well but hasn't been updated since it was introduced more than 10 years ago. I believe it was one of the first lenses with IS and it is due for an update. Canon..? Listening????

.

Well, that'll really screw me up. I'm in the final throws of deciding on my next long lens and waffling between the 400/5.6 or the new OS version of the Bigma. If Canon re-designs the 100-400, that will have to go back into the pool of possibilities.

I was actually thinking about this today and many times in the past. I'd really love a 100-400mm f/4L maybe? It would also be nice to have the conventional twist zoom design versus the push/pull. This is one lens they could make a lot of money back on by updating. I hope they got something brewing for this lens!

me three! i'm finding for a lot of my aviation work that my 55-250 is just a little short for some of the shots i'm trying to get.

i'd love the 100-400 but a constant f/4 IS version would be killer especially with a twist zoom.