[JohnR]

Wow, I'm so excited!! The Post Office is holding a lens for me, which I won't be able to go and get until NEXT WEEK! because of my work schedule. Which one is it?? (OK, I confess, I bought not one, but two lenses on eBay in the past week........)

Why? Well, I figure, if you buy a good lens now, it will last a decade or three. And that will be about it for me anyway. Bodies (new, digital) - two, three, maybe five years, and they're on eBay for peanuts or in the landfill 

Anyone else here thinking like me?

JohnR

[RooX]

compared to modern digi bodies, yup, should last way longer.  Modern lens lasting for 30 years though? I dunno, i guess if it doesnt have any chips or motors in it.  And thats assuming the mount type doesnt die out  

i have a few leitz lens from 80'ish years ago.  Only useful for certain subjects, but i assume they will still work in another 80, assuming i dont drop them in the ocean/off a cliff/ into a volcano etc etc.  How useful they will be after films demise... well, i guess they will look nice on a mantle.

[JohnR]

OK, let's assume that manual focussing is OK and it's done physically and still works if the motor/whatever burns out

Film will never die! Look at vinyl...!

[SET Man]

Why? Well, I figure, if you buy a good lens now, it will last a decade or three. And that will be about it for me anyway. Bodies (new, digital) - two, three, maybe five years, and they're on eBay for peanuts or in the landfill 

Anyone else here thinking like me?

JohnR

Hey!

    Absolutely!

    Case in point. My boss still using his old manual focus Nikon prime lenses. I think some are nearly 30years olds.. maybe more with his new D300. Still with excellent result. Despite the fact that some says that modern lens have better coating designed for digital. But to me if that old lens was a good lens back than, it is still a good lens today.

   This is a good thing with Nikon because you can buy older MF lenses and use it on current DSLR... without AF of course.

compared to modern digi bodies, yup, should last way longer.  Modern lens lasting for 30 years though? I dunno, i guess if it doesnt have any chips or motors in it.  And thats assuming the mount type doesnt die out  

    Yes, some AF lenses have IC and motor in it. And yes it is possible that the motor could die.

   As for the IC chips. I have some old Minolta prime lenses from mid to late '80s... first one came out in 1985 with IC chip in them and they are still work fine with my new DSLR. There is no motor inside so it should last for years to come.

    With that said I still do have some prime lensed... new and older models... that I'm still lusting after. 

Take care,
Buddy



   
   

[nathanm]

If I ever get the 8x10 camera I want I will definitely be getting some of those old brass lenses from the 1890s. So beautiful!

[Levi]

Which lenses did you get?

[brj]

This circle is bad for me... it makes me want more toys!

I'd have to agree - I tend to view full-frame lenses as a long-term investment and digital SLR bodies as a higher-turnover component.  I also miss the split-gradient center circle of my old Nikon N2000, which is what you'd want to use for focusing in order to continue using an AF lens after the motor/sensor died.

Congrats on the new lenses, and keep us posted, John!

[SET Man]

This circle is bad for me... it makes me want more toys!

Hey!

   Yeah, I know what you mean. 

   To make it worst Audio+photography = big hole in your wallet!

Take care,
Buddy

[mjosef]

Agreed...lenses are forever. What can go wrong with finely grounded multicoated glass... I got all my old Tamron/Tokina lenses dating back to the early 80's. Some are long zooms, and are heavy like a barbell. 
A few years back I picked up a two very excellent lenses for about 600$, originally retailing for over 4K. It pays to stand back and catch the Digital upgraders old equipment...

[Levi]

Lenses are great investment until you drop them.  My Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 costed $200+ to have the barrel replaced.  Luckily it is not the servo motor. 

[JohnR]

Which lenses did you get?

Levi -



(Wide open, hand held at 1/50 sec, ISO 1600 - it's getting dark!)

The other lens, well it's going back to the seller. Lesson #241 of eBay - never buy anything that is described as "mint"...!

[goldlizsts]

Which lenses did you get?

Levi -



(Wide open, hand held at 1/50 sec, ISO 1600 - it's getting dark!)

The other lens, well it's going back to the seller. Lesson #241 of eBay - never buy anything that is described as "mint"...!

Levi,

That should be a collector's camera, all the lettering was done in reverse.  Or was it a print from a "negative" and the negative got reversed?

[Levi]

Nice John! 


Everyone who sells lenses should use these guidelines.

NEW  As packaged by manufacturer. Manufacturer’s USA warranty. Never used or owned by a consumer.

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NEW DEMO  As packaged by manufacturer. Manufacturer’s USA warranty. Never owned by a consumer but used as demonstration equipment. May show various stages of wear including slight dings or pecks.

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LN  "Like New" Perfect. Includes original box and instructions and any manufacturer provided accessories.

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LN-  "Like New Minus" 97-99% of original condition. Extremely slight wear that can only be seen upon very close inspection. Box and accessories not included.

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EX+  "Excellent Plus" 90-96% of the original condition. Shows moderate wear. May have slight marks on finish. Glass very clean.

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EX  "Excellent" 80-89% of the original condition. Shows moderate wear. May have small dings, pecks and slight finish wear. Glass may have some dust, but no marks.

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BGN  "Bargain" 70-79% of original condition. Shows more than average wear. May have dents, dings and a goodly amount of brassing and finish loss. Glass may have marks that should not affect picture quality.

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UG  "Ugly" Very rough looking. Multiple impressions in metal, excessive finish loss and brassing are likely. Glass will have marks, fungus or haze that will probably affect picture quality.

Shek, that was a self portrait through a mirror.

[JohnR]

The lens I'm sending back would be "bargain" by that scale (KEH?). It is actually in great condition except that it had some of it ground off so it would fit on the seller's camera, and one of the locking switches removed (presumably for a similar reason). If the cost was at the level of the 105/2.5 I wouldn't care but at over $1k it's more of an issue...! (The lens is the 85mm PC macro.)

[Levi]

That's a KEH scale.  I am sure there are many more out there.  Happy hunting.

[goldlizsts]

That was YOU behind the camera?  Are we sure of that?

[JohnR]

No, it's me...