Sony's lens Roadmap - Only map, no road?

I saw this feb 2012 release from Sony promising lot of NEX lenses.

Right now(without the adapter) there is the 18-55, a couple of primes, a 16-50 collapsible lens + the  SEL18200 + 55-210

I am wondering have there been any updates to the roadmap. The roadmap was talking about 2013. We are almost there, but there has been no concrete announcement from Sony about more lenses.

Being a recent 5N buyer, I feel sony is not doing much for the NEX platform yet. Yes the 16-50 collapsible lens is a welcome step, but sony should work at developing collapsible lenses for longer focal lenghts also. Right now, if you go zoom, it becomes an awkward looking setup with very big lens, and very small body.

Hopefully, sony will announce something to cheer us up before the year is up!

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Tanveer
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Perhaps this will cheer you up?

http://snapshooter.jackarlens.com/eng/pageOverview.php

Are you saying you want a pancake zoom that can extend to 100mm or more? I don't know of any such lenses on any system. Is it possible to make a collapsible zoom that's significantly longer than 50mm?

High-quality zooms are something the NEX is lacking, but the road map does include a "Standard Zoom" with G branding which is Sony's designation for premium lenses. As far as longer zooms go the 55-210 are solid but not spectacular. I suppose that could be something for Sony to put on the map.

Next year's three Zeiss primes could be considered Sony lenses since if they follow the path of the 24mm it will be Sony manufacturing them.

I feel like the system is growing out nicely myself. There's lots of nice primes with more on the way. A year ago it was deficient, but now I'd say it's still young but definitely suitable. Obviously that's a preference thing as I've figured out I'm not really interested in zooms. I have the 55-210 but wouldn't be interested in something higher end.

One thing I'd really like would be a versatile pancake prime. Mirrorless cameras are begging for small lenses and the only one we have is a wide angle? I'd pay good money this second for something like the EOS M's 22mm kit.

Sold!

If you're referring to this roadmap - http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/reminder-the-sony-nex-roadmap-four-lenses-to-come-in-2013/ - Sony promised and delivered the lenses they placed on the roadmap.

Next year, they are planning on at least 4 new lenses.

• Telephoto prime -> 85/1.8 OSS
• Pancake prime -> 35mm equivalent pancake prime?
• Mid-Magnification zoom -> 18-70, 18-105 OSS or thereabouts
• G-series zoom -> 18-55/2.8?

Even with these 4, there will still be some notable holes (telephoto, macro), but it's filling out. If there's anything to go by, their A-series lenses should provide clues about their direction.

Hopefully, third party support will also pick up, but I feel they're playing a waiting game and seeing how the market plays out.

It does seem like a cobbled together mess at the moment.

I went with NEX but I really tried to talk myself into Fuji X because their lens map makes so much more sense. Their lenses overall seem to be much better quality than Sony. And their zooms are faster. They seem to get it. I do like that Sony is including OSS even in their fast primes though.

Sony should just start over, copy Fuji's roadmap, but include OSS in all the lenses.

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Scott A.
A few pics

Hmmm. That lens looks very interesting, and the price is very attractive. They are shipping free worldwide, and I am seriously tempted to get this for myself as an early Christmas present.

jpr2

You are very optimistic  I expect a slower telephoto prime and a variable, not constant, aperture G zoom.

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Cheers,
Henry

For me the problem is that sony has 2 lenses that are more or less duplicated. Yes, there are differences, but for me they are too similar:

1650 vs 1855

and the 2 18200.

The 1650 vs 1855 is all about compactness. People asked for this and sony delivered.

Between the two 18200, The first one was more for video, for the VG line, while the new one is more for photo. But for me they are too similar and unnecessary to have 2 lenses.

So this year we have 4 lenses, and sony delivered what they promised, but 2 are very similar to old ones. That is a pity for me.

Another thing that you have to know is that while the roadmap talks about year (2012, 2013) most lenses are announced at years half, and availability is generally at the end of the year. For instance, the new 18200 zoom I think it was available at mid year, but the wide zoom and the new kit has been available for the last month, and the 35mm is still not available, and probably will be on December  So if you expect to have the 2013 lenses by January  February of next year, think twice. They will come at the second half of next year, some earlier, and some more at the end.

No lens in the roadmap is another collapsible lens, so dont count on that, and there will be 2 zooms and two primes, one a pancake.

For the ones that are expecting premium lenses, I doubt you will get many from sony, I think that you will receive them from Zeiss. I think the zeiss lenses will be great for the nex and fill the gap that many people look for, but for a price.

http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/zeiss-announces-three-prime-lenses-for-the-sony-nex-and-fuji-x-system/

2.8/12, 1.8/32 and 2.8/50 macro.

Im still looking for something fast at a more tele size, for portraits. But these lenses should be very good (and expensive, there is no such thing as a free lunch).

so, altogether five short[ish] primes of [expected] reasonable quality: 12/2.8, 24/1.8, 32/1.8, 50/1.8 & 59/2.8 ? so...

• ​WHERE are G-class zooms ???
• WHERE are G-class longer primes?

on a side note, it would be nice to have the new Sigma 35/1.4 AF in E-mount too

jpr2

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Comments and critique are always welcome!
~

That's just silly and will never happen. Plenty of strong lenses in the current roundup: 24 1.8 Zeiss, 35 1.8 OSS, 50 1.8 OSS, and 10-18 zoom for starters. Factor in the third-party Sigma, Tamron, and Zeiss offerings and the E lens system is shaping up rather nicely. No complaints from this quarter.

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Harry Lew 'Buying gear is easy. What's hard is paying for it.' http://harryjohn.smugmug.com/

One of the best predictors of what Sony could put out would be their A-lens stable. They've been slowly but surely taking those lenses and adapting them for NEX.

I've realized that Sony's lineup differs from what I'm used to (an 85/2.8 is a bit unusual when the norm is 1.8), but in essence, looking at what the A-mount has today is a reliable predictor of what will come tomorrow.

• 50/1.8 -> 50/1.8 OSS
• 35/1.8 -> 35/1.8 OSS
• 30/2.8 Macro -> 30/3.5 Macro
• 24/2 CZ -> 24/1.8 CZ
• 18-55 -> 18-55 OSS
• 55-200 -> 55-210 OSS

They have an 85/2.8 and a non-G series 16-50/2.8 in that lineup. I'm betting that both are going to make their way over.

@tsk1979 - The Roadmap is speaking of 4 lenses this year: High-Mag (18-200LE), Standard Zoom (16-50), Wide Zoom (10-18) Large Aperture standard (35mm) and has delivered, or the 35mm is in the shops before Christmas.

I don't understand, do you think Sony has promised us something and not delivered??

The NEX has now 11 lenses and two adapters. Next year we will see four more lenses.

@TiagoReil - thanks for posting the roadmap. When you talk about premium lenses, what do you mean then? Are you missing more expensive lenses or are you missing weather sealed ones? The 24, new 35 and 50 can most likely satisfy most professionals. The OSS on the 35 and 50 performs handheld like a f1 but lack the ultra shallow DOF of such lens, on the other hand they AF faster and are much more compact then what a f1 lense would have been.

So on paper the Fuji XF lenses look really good, and they also are, but the NEX lenses have qualities that make them more useful in some situations. I already mentioned the nice primes, but the new 1650 is an amazingly useful lens. If you want a cheaper and slighty faster lens on most FL's then the 1855 kit is available. So it is not all bad, even though the lenses does not look as exotic on paper as the Fujinon XF for example.

At first I also thought that it was a little lame to intro the 18200LE. But I ended up picking one up as my local shop was selling it for around $500 which is a bargain compared to the original 18200. Now I think it is okay with this alternative, I wish Tamron had made a different zoom though, but then sony might not have been able to rebadge it as some rumors say they did.

@Donkey914 - I would love an 85/1.8 OSS for the NEX, not sure if we will be that lucky though

• WHERE are G-class zooms ???

Are we already in 2013? I thought we were still in 2012. The roadmap says 2013, and as you know (I know you are not an idiot) and read what I have said, wont happen till late next year.

• WHERE are G-class longer primes?

Again, I dont consider yourslef an idiot, and Im sure you've seen the roadmap already, so, not 2013. Maybe 2014, 2015? Who knows, until sony updates its roadmap, we dont know, but for sure, we know not 2013.
So, I said, I don't consider you an idiot twice, but I will say, I consider those two questions you made a bit idiotic, specially coming from someone who knows, and has all the information.

Jefenator, it's all your fault I liked the sample images and the lens design/specs, so I just ordered this lens. When I receive it, I'll be sure to post some photos.

Strike that. Canceled the order after some thought, haha.

Yea, the 85/1.8 OSS was a wrong call on my part. I didn't realize that Sony's standard 85mm offering was a f/2.8, versus the 1.8 that Canon and Nikon offer.

Given that, a 85/2.8 OSS is more likely, priced around $550-$600 if the A-mount pricing is any indicator (roughly double).

I only informed people whats going on and what to expect. I'm not making a judgement, or complaining anything (I don't think I did, maybe only on the 2 repeated zooms), I only tried to state facts, so people don't have unrealistic expectations (like G primes for instance), and know what to expect, and when to expect it.

As a matter of fact, I don't miss expensive lenses, I cant afford expensive lenses, I only want a tele lens for portraits. I have the LEAE2 and 2 long lenses for that (a sigma 70mm macro 2.8 and the sony 85mm 2.8) but I would love something smaller amd lighter that that package (and faster!!!). that's why I would love to have one. Specially if it is faster. A 70mm f2 would be ideal for me. But this is my preference, and I know not everybody needs that. I'm very curious of what the tele will be, and what will be available in 2014.

Stop thinking about lenses, lenses, bodies and lenses, and start taking more photos with the gear you have..

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NEX-6 + SEL50F18 + Canon FD50 F/1.4 S.S.C + Sigma 30mm F/2.8 + Giottos MTL9351B

The upcoming Zeiss 12mm, 32mm and 50mm macro ought to round out the e-mount system rather nicely IMHO.