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Photography Question 

BetterPhoto Member 		 

Nikon N75 lens: Quantaray vs. Nikon


Wolf Camera is offering a package deal for the N75 with a 28-90 Quantaray lens for $250 after rebate. The camera body alone costs $200, so basically the lens is only $50. Alternatively, I could spend $130 on a Nikon-Nikkor 28-100 lens. Is there enough of a difference between the two in quality to justify an $80 difference in price? Please don't respond with "you should really get 3 different lenses for $600" - spending this much is a stretch to begin with.


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December 09, 2004

 

Bob Cammarata 		  I'd stay away from those "package deals" when they include off-brand lenses.
If you're interested in high quality in your photos,...go with the Nikkor,...you won't regret it.
You would probably make out better in the long run, by getting a used camera body and putting most of your investment into a really good lens.


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December 09, 2004

 

Todd Bennett 		  Your photos will only be as good as the glass you shoot them through. Go with the Nikor. May cost you more money; but, your photos will show it.


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December 21, 2004

 

Chase Sewel 		  Avoid local camera stores. They are good to look at stuff and get a feel for the camera or lense but order out of New York. You can get a N75 with a lense, bag and tripod from 17th Street photo (17photo.com) for about $250. The body alone you can get it for $160 or so from bhphotovideo.com. Also, like the others say, stay with Nikon. Third-party lenses have poor quality control and tend to have more wrong with various lots.


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February 16, 2005

 

Michael H. Cothran 		  I've been a Nikon shooter for 35 years, so it grieves me to give this advice: Nikon's 28-100 is a cheap, all plastic,
third-world-made lens, just as the Quantaray is. While Nikon is still considered a 'pro' line, they have joined the consumer world, and offer quite a few of these 'consumer' level lenses, just to compete in the world market.
Normally, there would be no argument from me as to which to buy. But based on the fact that Nikon 'farms out' the manufacturing of their cheaper consumer lenses, including the 28-100, it may well roll off the same assembly line as the Quantaray, and be no different in quality.
Michael H. Cothran
www.mhcphoto.net


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February 16, 2005

 

Bob Cammarata 		  Wow Michael!...This information is a bit scary. (I've heard of this happening with other "name-brand" products as well.)
As a long time aficionado myself, I thought the Nikon/Nikkor name was a safe bet, and was synonymous with high-quality components and workmanship.
If what you say is true, is there any way to distinguish these "farmed out" versions from lenses actually manufactured by Nikon?...(some sort of secret code, perhaps?)


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February 16, 2005

 

Ajay M. Ukidve 		 
 
 
I was saddened to rad the response from Michael C about the nikon 28-100 G type lens. I have this lens with me on my D70s DSLR for the last 1 year. I have found it to be exteremly sharp, having beutiful contrast and excellent color rendition. This without any visible distortion at both ends. Yes it is plastiky, has a plastic mount but for the price under$100 it competes with all the prime nikon lenses. Yes due to the 1.6 crop of my digital I get an effective focal length of 42 mm on the lower end. So for indoors I change to the superb but much maligned Nikon 18-55mm another so called cheapy dinky. It costs under $160 and is better than most of the ED primes for distortion and sharpness. Yes these g type lenses are plastic, designed for DSLR;s with 1.6 crop factor and without aperture rings. In any case these are not required on Later series Nikons and The Nikon DSLR's.Further I use another cheapy Nikon 70-300 mm for outdoor and wild life photography.Cost under $100. The only thing is it is very light so I always use it on a light tripod or a monopod to avoid shake and the results are terrific. It is a bit soft fully open at 300(effective 450mm on digital) so all I do is use it at 290mm and set aperture between 6 and 11. An 80-400 VR costa $1000!It is easy to critisize a lens but I think your need and how we use it dictates the results.Some photos with the 3 lenses.


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September 05, 2006

 
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