Nikon SWM
- Thread starter Mudpool
- Start date
- Status
Hi
Actually i think Darren already answered your question.
Until recently, Nikon does not know / cannot know / does not want how to incorporate such technology into their other lenses cheaply.
My guess is now, either they
1) Bow to market pressure and decide to follow Canon's lead in putting USM / SWM into their consumer grade lenses
2) Finally saw the light and discover how to do it cheaper
3) Finally discover how to do it
Of course this is independent of whether USM / SWM is really needed. I don't think that's what either Canon or Nikon are thinking.
Afterall, they are giant marketing engines. They will put watever technology into their offerings to make you buy them
Originally posted by Red Dawn
are u sure Nikon lenses are generally cheaper than equivalent Canon ones? i dun think so
Correct. Nikon lenses are generally more expensive than their Canon equivalents (in particular the consumer ones). But there are some Canon Ls which are more expensive than the Nikon counterparts, so it works both ways.
But one thing's for sure, which no one understands : Why the hell are Canon's lens hoods SO EXPENSIVE!? Because of expensive velvet and the shape? ;p
Regards
CK
Edmund,
As I said I have seen both USM and SWM units out of the lens side by side and it's my opinion that the USM unit is not as well constructed as the SWM. This is in part based on a lifelong involvement in electronics and electromechanical tinkering (since age 4 when I built my first valve radio from scratch) and also on a well informed service technicians evaluation of the relative merits of each motor and it's design.
It should be noted that Canon did not develop piezo-electric motor technology, it merely adapted it for camera use. From memory the patents are held by Shinsei Kogyo, a smallish Japanese manufacturer who holds the key patents for piezo-electric motors and who had their technology lifted (read stolen) by Canon etc though eventually some form of royalty payments were given.
Mudpool.
Learn to have patience child. Some of us have businesses to run.
I see. That is interesting. Are you aware of any lab/real-world tests that pit the technical merits of the two motors together? It should make for an interesting read.
Having said that, and guessing that SWM units are possibly more expensive to build, I can't help but wonder if that's the main reason Nikon hasn't put them into its consumer lenses (not that the consumers need it, market forces decide this part). Your thoughts?
I'm not aware of any real quantative testing of the two motors side by side, given that to perform a real time evaluation both motors even if taken from the same lens configuration (eg: 300/2.8) has many pitfalls due to different design criteia centered around opto-mechanical layout of the lens and described performance criteria etc. Then there's the minor problem of finding someone who's willing to shell out for the motors, has suitable experience in devising a test criteria and proceedures, let alone the lab required to produce such an evaluation. In all honesty it's well beyond the capabilities of any photographic magazine and would require the use of an accredited testing authority laboratory which doesn't come cheap.
As stated in my original post, I have little doubt Nikon will incorporate SWM motors in to more lenses over time, though to be fair it's not a technology that is needed if a photographer is competent with manual focusing methods. :devil:
I believe Canon and Nikon develop have very different marketing strategies.
New technologies in Canon are usually introduced at the consumer level, before it is refined, and pushed up to the professional level.
Examples include USM, IS and their DSLRs.
Nikon however, introduces their new technologies at the professional level, and then gradually drifts it down to consumer level.
Examples would be AF-S and their DSLRs.
New technologies in Canon are usually introduced at the consumer level, before it is refined, and pushed up to the professional level.
Examples include USM, IS and their DSLRs.
Nikon however, introduces their new technologies at the professional level, and then gradually drifts it down to consumer level.
Examples would be AF-S and their DSLRs.
- Status
Similar threads
