I just bought another old nikon lens..

[Derrel]

Check out the Ken Rockwell site reviews of older technology Nikon afd lenses. One length you might like it is the 180 mm f / 2.8 AF or AF-D.... I own an AF-D and at one time I also had the nearly identical AF model... I believe that the D-chip was implemented in 1993.

In my opinion you should pay no more than $65 to $75 for these older lower end consumer-grade zooms... and it pays to buy condition, meaning an extra $10 or $15 for an excellent Plus or Mint is well worth it. A zoom lens described as good or very good is typically not what you want to buy, you want to buy a lens that is rated at Excellent or better condition. Large vendors such as KEH or MPB are in my opinion the safest place to buy older used lenses, even though you might pay somewhat more. Robert's Camera in Texas often has some really good deals.

 

[Photo Lady]

okay heading there now ..thanks Derrel would this one be good for me... just saw it on ebay Nikon E Series 50mm f1.8 lens

 

[Photo Lady]

Nikon E Series 50mm f1.8 lens

Check out the Ken Rockwell site reviews of older technology Nikon afd lenses. One length you might like it is the 180 m m f / 2.8 AF or AF-D.... I own an AF-D and at one time I also had the nearly identical AF model... I believe that the D-chip was implemented in 1993.

In my opinion you should pay no more than $65 to $75 for these older lower end consumer-grade zooms... and it pays to buy condition, meaning an extra $10 or $15 for an excellent Plus or Mint is well worth it. A zoom lens described as good or very good is typically not what you want to buy, you want to buy a lens that is rated at Excellent or better condition. Large vendors such as KEH or MPB are in my opinion the safest place to buy older used lenses, even though you might pay somewhat more. Robert's Camera in Texas often has some really good deals.

Thank you for this advice..

 

[Derrel]

I do not advise asking people what about this lens? Before getting it. There are not that many people who have actually used the lens you want to get, such as the 70-210... it was described as quote heavy, but I would disagree with that characterization.

Another thing is the price. For example if you were to ask me what do you think of this lens at $50? I might say yeah go ahead buy it but if you said what do you think of this lens at 225 dollars? I would likely say don't buy it, look for something else so any recommendation should include a price and a condition. For example if a lens is rated as ugly, it is often a good sharp lens that has been used a lot or carried a lot. One of the best used lenses I ever got was a 135mm f/2 AF defocus control Nikon that was used by a daily newspaper photographer. on one side it had a good amount of its finish worn off, and yet it was a good shooter. On the other hand I once bought a 35mm f/1.4 AI-S in Immaculate condition and it was a piece of garbage. I kept the 135 for over a decade, but I returned the 35 mm the very next day.

 

[Photo Lady]

wow I am learning so much... I quess I should have asked these questions much earlier on...but haha I did not know what to ask... I just saw this lens in very good condition for $50 NIKON DX AF-S NIKKOR 55-200mm f4-5.6 G ED VR AUTO FOCUS ZOOM LENS...what do you think...I see the price for this lens is all over the place..

 

[Designer]

The prices for this lens are all over the board, but I actually found mine on Amazon! Strange, yes, but I had been looking for some time, and was not feeling it for any of the bay offerings, so on a lark, I looked on Amazon. To my surprise and pleasure, I found one advertised as "mint" for a very good price and bought it. It was absolutely pristine!

Anyway, here are the search results for the 180 f/2.8, which is an excellent lens.

nikon 180mm f/2.8 af | eBay

 

[Derrel]

I have owned a couple of 50 mm F 1.8 series E lenses. I have never been very impressed with them- they are much more prone to flare than a lens that was designed for professional use. I do not think the Series E lenses are all that great. I think it would be better to buy a 50 mm F 1.8 AF than a manual focus, especially a series E 50...

The E-Series was the "economy" series and was made to accompany the very low priced piece of crap EM, introduced in 1979. There are a good number of people who are happy with the E-Series 50 millimeter, but it is not nearly as good as the Nikkor.

It is not a measure of sharpness, but a matter of flare suppression and build quality. The E-Series was not nearly as well-built nor as well-coated as the full-sized Nikkor lenses. The last run or two of the Nikon 50mm Nikkor series was basically the E-Series rebadged. The last time I used one of the 50mm E Series lenses that I have acquired was around 2004. I was shooting photos on my back deck and the lens flared quite badly just from reflected sunlight off the back side of my house. In other words quite a bad performance. One would not think that Nikon would make this bad a 50 millimeter lens, but the Canon EF plastic 50 F 1.8 "Nifty fifty" is equally bad or worse. A good 50 millimeter lens should be able to be shot right into the sun, but this was not a concern with the E Series: these lenses were built for a price point, and not for performance. For example I owned the 135 mm F 2.8 Series E... it was not that good wide open and needed to be closed down to f/4. The 100 F 2.8 had a good reputation, but the 105 mm F / 2.5 is perhaps the best medium telephoto Nikon ever made, and I see no need to go second-rate when the 105mm f / 2.5 AI-s is so spectacularly designed and built and works so supremely well. the 100 mm is a good lens yes, but the 105 is perhaps the best manual focus lens Nikon ever released in terms of operational excellence. the 105 mm f 2.5 is quite possibly the single most important lens in the rise of Nikon in the 1970s. By the time the lens went to the AIS version, it was perfected.

 

[Designer]

wow I am learning so much... I quess I should have asked these questions much earlier on...but haha I did not know what to ask... I just saw this lens in very good condition for $50 NIKON DX AF-S NIKKOR 55-200mm f4-5.6 G ED VR AUTO FOCUS ZOOM LENS...what do you think...I see the price for this lens is all over the place..

For $50, I guess you can get one, but this is a "kit" lens that was bundled with an entry-level D5000. It's not bad, but since you already have some lenses, I think you should go more for the excellent lenses.

 

[Photo Lady]

I have owned a couple of 50 mm F 1.8 series E lenses. I have never been very impressed with them could they are much more prone to flare than a lens that was designed for professional use I do not think the Series E lenses are all that great. I think it would be better to buy a 50 mm F 1.8 AF then a manual focus especially a series E 50...

The E-Series was the "economy" series and was made to accompany the very low priced piece of crap EM, introduced in 1979. There are a good number of people who are happy with the E-Series 50 millimeter, but it is not nearly as good as the Nikkor.

Thank you again... I think I will wait now and have fun with the old new lens that should be here in a day or two...and ...now that the tamrons are posted up for sale.."if they sell " I will have money to buy better excellent to mint... so yes forget the E series..

 

[Photo Lady]

wow I am learning so much... I quess I should have asked these questions much earlier on...but haha I did not know what to ask... I just saw this lens in very good condition for $50 NIKON DX AF-S NIKKOR 55-200mm f4-5.6 G ED VR AUTO FOCUS ZOOM LENS...what do you think...I see the price for this lens is all over the place..

For $50, I guess you can get one, but this is a "kit" lens that was bundled with an entry-level D5000. It's not bad, but since you already have some lenses, I think you should go more for the excellent lenses.

I think so too...waiting until I sell two of my Tamrons...one I am keeping (18-400mm} its new and everyday easy...thank you

 

[Designer]

I did read up on the lens but it is a little confusing that Nikon made several types of the same type but I am getting the hang of it and I love reading about them...just don't want to buy and get one that I won't use..

If by "type", you mean the focal length, then re-arrange your thinking over to image quality. Yes, Nikon has made many different versions of some focal lengths, but that is where the similarity ends. To get the utmost in image quality, you have to do some research and select only the one model that gives the best IQ along with fast focusing, sharpness, color rendition, contrast, etc. In some focal length groups, there may be half a dozen different designs, but only one worth buying.

 

[Photo Lady]

The prices for this lens are all over the board, but I actually found mine on Amazon! Strange, yes, but I had been looking for some time, and was not feeling it for any of the bay offerings, so on a lark, I looked on Amazon. To my surprise and pleasure, I found one advertised as "mint" for a very good price and bought it. It was absolutely pristine!

Anyway, here are the search results for the 180 f/2.8, which is an excellent lens.

nikon 180mm f/2.8 af | eBay

yes going to wait until I have more money so I can get a keeper..

 

[Photo Lady]

I did read up on the lens but it is a little confusing that Nikon made several types of the same type but I am getting the hang of it and I love reading about them...just don't want to buy and get one that I won't use..

If by "type", you mean the focal length, then re-arrange your thinking over to image quality. Yes, Nikon has made many different versions of some focal lengths, but that is where the similarity ends. To get the utmost in image quality, you have to do some research and select only the one model that gives the best IQ along with fast focusing, sharpness, color rendition, contrast, etc. In some focal length groups, there may be half a dozen different designs, but only one worth buying.

I am into image quality above all else of course...good reason to ask all these questions to you all...and I appreciate all of you helping me sort this out... this is exactly what I was trying to say..even Ken Rockwell mentions many times do not be fooled into thinking that the lens are the same...back to the reading board...lol

 

[Derrel]

The first year or two of the 180 m m f 2.8 AF the lens Barrel was finished in smooth slippery black plastic. There is one example shown in the link above and the lens is being sold for $170. This is often called " early ", as a way to differentiate it from the later versions which were sold with Nikon 1990s style Pebble metal Barrel finish.

 

[Photo Lady]

The first year or two of the 180 m m f 2.8 AF the lens Barrel was finished in smooth slippery black plastic. There is one example shown in the link above and the lens is being sold for $170. This is often called " early ", as a way to differentiate it from the later versions which were sold with Nikon 1990s style Pebble metal Barrel finish.

Wow some beautiful photos on your link Derrel..well I have decided to continue reading and looking at different lenses..but before I do anything I will run it by you.. just to make sure...thanks Darrel