These three new lenses are oddballs, but they’re outselling traditional optics in Japan as a 25-200mm zoom, 1.4x macro, and an unusually affordable f/1.2 lens top sales charts

From left to right, the Tamron 25-200mm f/2.8-5,6 Di III VXD G2, the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM, and the Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM

(Image credit: Tamron / Future / Canon)

November was a fantastic month for new lenses – but the lenses topping the sales lists in Japan all have unusual features. Japanese retailer Yodobashi has shared the sales data for lenses for the second half of November, a list that’s topped by unusual optics.

The top three lenses for the retailer are all new launches with relatively unusual features: the Tamron 25-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2, the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS, and the Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM.

Tamron 25-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2

As the G2 in the name suggests, the Tamron 25-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III VXD G2 isn’t exactly a first of its kind, but I would still call the lens a bit of an oddball (in a good way). All-in-one zooms aren’t hard to find, but the Tamron 25-200mm packs a lot of capabilities in a single lens.

First, the lens gives photographers the ability to shoot at a bright f/2.8. Yes, that’s only for the widest angle, but the capability is there for when lighting is limited. Second, there’s the 200mm reach on the long end. But the biggest improvement from the earlier 28-200mm is that the all-in-one also has half macro.

Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS

The Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS isn’t just the first macro for the high-end GM series – it’s also a 1.4x macro, growing above and beyond the usual 1:1. That gives the lens the ability to enlarge tiny objects beyond lifesize. The lens is also compatible with teleconverters for up to 2.4x magnification.

I had the chance to test the new macro, and the sharpness and stabilization are impressive, living up to the standard that I’ve come to expect from the high-end GM optics.

Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM

The Canon RF 45mm f/1.2 STM isn’t just one of the most popular lenses in Japan in November – it’s also on US retailer B&H’s list of the most popular lenses for the YEAR. So why is the lens that Canon only just announced on November 28 already so popular?

Bright f/1.2 primes tend to be pretty pricey, but that’s where the new Canon is a bit of an oddball – it’s just $469 / £479.99 / AU$699.95. While Canon’s pricier primes have features like weather-sealing that the new 45mm does not, it’s a move towards making ultra-bright apertures more accessible to more photographers on limited budgets.

More top 10 lenses

While the top three on Yobodoshi’s list for the second half of November are brand new oddballs, that doesn’t mean more standard focal lengths are falling by the wayside. Rounding out the rest of the top ten list, the list includes:

Comparing two weeks of data from Japan to the trendiest lenses of the year at a US retailer is like comparing apples to oranges, but it’s interesting to see a few lenses pop up on both lists, including the Canon 45mm f/1.2, along with the Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 and the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 S II. Seeing a medium format lens on the list may be a bit of a surprise, but less so considering how well the Hasselblad X2D II 100C has been selling.

If the November sales data from Japan is any indication, photographers aren’t afraid to buck the usual focal lengths and go for a lens that’s a bit more unusual.