It’s funny… here I’m sitting with the 135mm lens in front of me, after using it while out and about for hours, and the rumor starts spreading that it will soon be replaced by an updated lens.
I purchased my 135mm lens used and I’m glad I did… you have no doubt heard how amazing the lens is. Wonderful color, sharp, and can capture some pretty nice low light pictures…
I don’t doubt that the new 135mm lens will have image stabilization. Sony’s latest 135mm lens includes image stabilization and I get the impression Canon is finding it more and more important that they not get outshone technologically by Sony.
Other than that though… I’m not so sure.
I’m not so sure the new 135mm lens will even be a direct replacement for the current one. Considering that the current one is most likely a very high margin lens for Canon… I can’t help but be suspicious. They may very well introduce an f/1.8 or f/1.4 to get new sales while not cannibalizing sales of the current f/2. Or maybe it’s not an aperture change and it’ll be a different optical formula that’s focused on being lightweight and small.
Perhaps it’ll be a direct competitor for Sigma’s 135mm Art lens… A f/1.8L priced at only a small premium to Sigma’s so as to take back the ‘shiny, new, and sharp’ crown from them.
Who knows…
Anyways, with the design being quite old now and a rumored update to the 135mm coming in the first half of 2018 whether or not you should purchase the lens is a judgement call on your part…
Perhaps skip the 135mm for now and buy the 200mm f/2.8… It can be a wonderful lens if you’re willing to bend how you photograph a bit… and at $750 it is absolutely worth the money.
Maybe the $200 you’ll save by purchasing the 200mm instead of the 135mm could go to the purchase of the new 135mm when it comes out… or maybe even the old version which will undoubtedly have a small price drop.
Food for thought…