Why does this cost $25,000?

[Senor Hound]

http://www.adorama.com/SG200500DNKA.html

I don't get it. I've seen telephotos go for about 8 grand, but 25 grand? Is there something special about it?

Just curious.

 

[ScottS]

Did you look at the specs!?


Haha but dont worry, shipping is free!

 

[tirediron]

Considering you can get faster Nikon primes to cover most of that focal range (and well above it if you use a doubler) for less $$, I don't know why you would want it. Aside from that, the colour and design would get you arrested in most third-world countries (and a lot of others as well) because people would think you were toting a rocket launcher!

 

[Overread]

ahh but if you had primes you would have to be forever swapping them on camera - and then just think of the shots you would miss in that time!
Its attraction is its zoom - the lesser quality than a prime is always a case when comparing zooms to primes (of similar costs).
I wonder if the collection of primes is lighter or heavier than that sigma?

 

[caspertodd]

What a great lens for the zoo! :lmao:

Here is a pic of it attached to a camera body:

http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/artikelen/51/sigma-lens.jpg

 

[skieur]

When you read the specs, you realize it is the state of the art in current lens technology. No expense was spared in its production. The extremely low dispersion glass would be extremely expensive alone and the motor was probably created just for this lens too.

Is it worth the money? YES, if you do the kind of shooting where you could maximize its use. It would help needless to say, if you were a very well paid pro.

skieur

 

[Overread]

casper forget the zoo - this is safari kit!
works well as you would need a jeep to move this around for a day!

 

[rmh159]

I'd like to see someone try to use that lens in Washington DC and watch how quickly they would get arrested.

 

[skieur]

I'd like to see someone try to use that lens in Washington DC and watch how quickly they would get arrested.

Yup, they would think that it was a rocket launcher, for sure.

skieur

 

[Alpha]

Not to mention f2.8 at 400mm is pretty sweet.

 

[tim.bennett]

17400 euro in good old holland! But thats without rockets and advanced targeting system.

It has it's uses and they wouldn't have made if they didn't have a market for it.

 

[Overread]

they might have though - sigma can make lenses as good as canon and nikon when they choose to - thing is that thier budget lenses tend to get bought first - and as they are budget they give a poorer view of sigma to newer photographers.
Something like this might be a big showoff move as much as it is a move towards a lens that the big producers don't make.

 

[Rachelsne]

Its environmentally friendy-anything organic or GREEN is going to be more expensive

 

[usayit]

Because there are very few lenses that provide the same features. I'd say the R&D went into that lens also cost a lot. Products with a small market often require a high price tag.

BTW... the 1200mm f5.6 Canon goes for almost $100k used.

 

[Mullen]

I wanna see the price tag on this.. http://www.canonfd.com/mirrorlenses/pages/page10.html