I just switched to Canon from Nikon because I’m sold on mirrorless and Nikon didn’t offer the lenses I want, like the RF 70-200, and the ultra-light 400 IS III. This issue is about the 400, and Canon's possible future plans. Help me decide whether to keep it or to send it back.
If I were an earning pro the easy answer is to buy the best and use it. I’m an undeserving amateur so this is an optional luxury purchase, a rare and special personal hobby indulgence justified in part because I'm in the industry as an optics specialist, and that I intend to give decades of service with nature photos, kids playing sports, and scenic creative photography. For me, it’s the ideal pair to the RF 70-200 because it provides a nice step in focal length, and leaves hunger on the long end for nothing more that TCs and my Questar telescope collection can’t handle.
The anxiety is that in a short time (say two years) they will release a dedicated RF version of this lens that I’ll really want and agonize over. This will preumably be discounted to $9999 by then, the new RF will be $12k, and Ebay or Adorama used buy-back might net me $7000. That’s a $5000 "rental" for a couple years, which doesn’t pencil out for my hobby, and the most expensive hobby purchase ever by a large factor.
If I knew that would happen, I’d not buy (I’d actually send back what I already have and love, during the evaluation period endiong in late February). Then, I might watch for a used $5000 IS II on Ebay that I could resell in two years for say $1200 loss (ugly given the 8% sales tax, plus 13% sale commission even if the lens doesn’t lose value – one reason I decided to buy new – Ebay just sent a bill for $1100 for selling my Nikon gear, and that doesn’t count PayPal).
Canon could solve this problem and overcome my hesitation a couple ways:
So, here’s the question I’m asking for your predictions on: How likely do you think it is that Canon announces in the next three years an RF 400mm that will make me regret buying the EF, without an appealing conversion option that eases the regret? Am I an oddity whose needs Canon is unlikely to address, buying a pro lens for mirrorless?
Thanks for your thoughts, and begging forgiveness of those who would be more capable than I at using this wonderful lens that I look forward to growing into.
If I were an earning pro the easy answer is to buy the best and use it. I’m an undeserving amateur so this is an optional luxury purchase, a rare and special personal hobby indulgence justified in part because I'm in the industry as an optics specialist, and that I intend to give decades of service with nature photos, kids playing sports, and scenic creative photography. For me, it’s the ideal pair to the RF 70-200 because it provides a nice step in focal length, and leaves hunger on the long end for nothing more that TCs and my Questar telescope collection can’t handle.
The anxiety is that in a short time (say two years) they will release a dedicated RF version of this lens that I’ll really want and agonize over. This will preumably be discounted to $9999 by then, the new RF will be $12k, and Ebay or Adorama used buy-back might net me $7000. That’s a $5000 "rental" for a couple years, which doesn’t pencil out for my hobby, and the most expensive hobby purchase ever by a large factor.
If I knew that would happen, I’d not buy (I’d actually send back what I already have and love, during the evaluation period endiong in late February). Then, I might watch for a used $5000 IS II on Ebay that I could resell in two years for say $1200 loss (ugly given the 8% sales tax, plus 13% sale commission even if the lens doesn’t lose value – one reason I decided to buy new – Ebay just sent a bill for $1100 for selling my Nikon gear, and that doesn’t count PayPal).
Canon could solve this problem and overcome my hesitation a couple ways:
- Offer an RF model soon. Unlikely, though I predict they will do this for the 300 IS III as it gets the lightening treatment of the 400. I predict that future big white models will have removable de-converters to enable them to mount to EF bodies, or maybe they’ll just build them so they can put either mount at the rear for two stock numbers and factory convertibility.
- Offer a future bolt-on conversion of my lens for maybe $500-1000. I’m fine with that.
- Most cleverly, immediately (soon) offer an EF-RF adapter (“converter”) with these features:
- Color and contour match to lens – get the white right and all diameters.
- No easy external detach – avoid hitting the wrong button as I do time and again. I’d rather have a converter for each lens of the few EF lenses I regularly use, and have to demount the combo from the body if I ever wanted to remove the converter. Or at least require a tool or stylus to demount externally.
- Don’t add much weight compared to dedicated RF lens. I paid a $4 per eliminated gram premium for this lens.
So, here’s the question I’m asking for your predictions on: How likely do you think it is that Canon announces in the next three years an RF 400mm that will make me regret buying the EF, without an appealing conversion option that eases the regret? Am I an oddity whose needs Canon is unlikely to address, buying a pro lens for mirrorless?
Thanks for your thoughts, and begging forgiveness of those who would be more capable than I at using this wonderful lens that I look forward to growing into.