But the Canon 1200 mm used to cost around $85000. I remember my friend showing me a website about it last year.
Yes, but lens construction and optics have come a long way since that lens was designed. Look at the price/performance of the Nikkor kit lenses. Until you go doing weird elements or nanocoating, you're in a pretty good place.
And unlike the Canon, this lens is a zoom lens. If you add the TC to it, it'll be a 1000 mm f/5.6 lens, which is almost as long as the Canon (at that focal length, it would be a minimal difference, really). But I think the ability to zoom is the big reason why it'll cost a lot. A lot of glass in there will have to move, and they needed to develop a system to do so.
In general, you're moving the smaller elements to focus, and they developed the lens prototype over a year ago, so they've obviously gotten things squared away. The only thing that changes with size is the gearing and the durability of the construction. If you look at lenses like the Nikkor 200-400VR, you can see that optics manufacturers have come a long way (even though that's a relatively small, light lens.)
I guess you could be right, though. They may want to sell a few of these rather than just display them at a museum or something.
They'll likely sell a good number of them at any price less than $65,000. If they do indeed come in between $10,000 and $12,000 I'd guess there'd be a year or so wait time on getting one in pretty short order and they won't be sitting on shelves waiting for buyers.
The included 2x TC isn't going to do much to move the price, it's all about the main elements, especially the large protective front elements and the SLD/ELD elements.
I wonder what they're getting for battery life...
