UPDATE: This has now been confirmed by Canon themselves via their website. They also confirmed the 1DX is delayed until mid-June. Why can’t they figure out timelines recently ? The 5DIII launched on time and in impressive numbers, it seems that was a huge exception.
Disappointingly (and once again) one of Canon’s most anticipated new lens releases seems to have slipped down the time line. Initial reports had it shipping on April 17th but upon inquiring to my local camera store about CPS pricing, the local Canon rep informed the store that this lens will not ship until July!
A couple of months back I had the chance to have some hands on time with this lens and it appears to be one fine piece of glass that I’m very excited to add to my kit, despite the very high price. If the July date turns out to be true it does seem odd that so close to the anticipated date, the lens could slip a full quarter year but Canon has had a habit of doing this recently. I’m still waiting for my new 500mm lens some 6 months after it was supposed to be on the market.
Might have been asked before, but why did you pick 500mm as your preferred focal length for the long glass?
Well the 600 is physically quite a bit bigger which makes it harder to carry up the mountains where I like to take a lot of photos. Also the performance of the new 500, according to the MTF charts, is off the scale even with the 1.4x teleconverter. So I think the 500mm is a good compromise for me. If a higher percentage of my work was motorsports I might pick the 600 but in reality it’s only part of it.
Fair. I would be using it for football/baseball/soccer and the occasional other assignment, so 600 (especially the Nikon) is just fantastic. Did like 500 when I shot with it a few times but when you’re at the endzone and shooting 50 yards, you’re under-lensed a little at 500. But first things first is the 200-400 Nikon. I just need the versatility over the 300.
I’ll look forward to seeing your shots off the 500.
Canon, I am disappoint.