Sony: We Could Make f/1.0 Lenses, But Photographers Don’t Want That
Compared to companies like Canon and Nikon, which produce f/1.2 and even f/1.0 full-frame camera lenses, Sony’s E-mount lenses max out at f/1.4. But it’s not that Sony can’t match the faster lenses on the market — it just doesn’t see a need to.
When asked whether Sony could come out with an f/1.0 lens on the E-mount, Tanaka states that it’s possible from a technical point of view but unwise from a business point of view.
“Yes we could, but there is no market demand,” Tanaka says. “Maybe some demand exists for an f/1.2, but an f/1.0? Technically we could produce an f/1.0, but it would not make business sense.”
This statement from Sony’s camp comes just days after Nikon went on the record to say that its giant Z-mount could technically accept lenses as fast as f/0.65. But as with Sony’s view on f/1.0 lenses, there’s presumably near-zero demand for a Nikon f/0.65 lens and the size, weight, and cost that would undoubtedly come with it.
And Sony isn’t impressed with Nikon’s oversized lens mount, despite Leica’s recent claims that Sony’s smaller E-mount wasn’t originally designed to support full-frame lenses.
“The diameter of lens doesn’t matter,” Tanaka tells Amateur Photographer. “Honestly speaking it is very difficult to create a small size mount. But the quality of our new 400mm f/2.8 is better than the competitors. That means the diameter of the mount is not critical for our foremost lenses.”
Nikon, on the other hand, says its Z mount is designed to be futureproof for the next 100 years of photography and that it opens the door to wider-aperture lenses such as the upcoming flagship NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct.
(via Amateur Photographer via sonyalpharumors)
