Need some more Advice on a lens

[NikonNewbie]

Many of you have helped me tremendously already...so I'm not going to get that 35-80, but my husband found this lens on CL..and I'm wondering what anyone here thinks about it. I keep reading about purple and blue fringing...and that the Sigma APO eliminates that...Ive never seen any pics from this lens so I dont know if it's a big deal or not..it's a great price and it's local...Im using a Nikon D40, I know it wont work on Auto Focus but I'm gonna try to broaden my horizons...what do you think of this lens?

"A 70-300 Quantaray Lens for sale for only $55. A great price for this well-taken-care-of lens. I have used it for my Canon Digital Rebel XTI. Fits all Canon models and other Digital SLRs. Serious enquiries only please. Can shoot MACRO as well. Great for portraits, close-ups as well as flowers and wildlife photography. "

 

[Dao]

I assume you have a Nikon camera, so the Canon version should not work. (As least in fully auto mode without adapter)

 

[NikonNewbie]

right...Nikon does say that after market and "other" competetors lens will fit and work..however you lose the Auto and the other custom features that come with the Nikon Lens's.

I'm wondering if anyone has used this lens and if it's worth spending 55 bucks on it.
I almost mistakingly bought that 35-80 for 40 bucks but was wise enough to join this forum and ask advice...glad I did (thanks everyone ) so now this lens seems a bit better. I did also look at Sigma that someone told me to check out..that one is only 150 and I can find it cheaper used...but this len's here (posted above) is local to me so I can try it out...but I'm concerned about what I'm reading about purple and blue fringing...I've never encountered any fringing so I dont even know what it looks like.

 

[Dao]

By the time you find an adapter to mount the lens on your camera, you may as well buy one that fit your camera (physically).

For consumer grade and especially those budget lenses, they usually low in optically quality. So, do not worry about it too much about the purple and blue fringing. Technically, it is called Chromatic Aberrations (CAs) . In general, higher cost lens usually has less CA (there are exceptions).

If you find a lens you like, you can search around for lens review sites. For technical review sites, you can check out sites like photozone.de and slrgear.com

 

[Boomn4x4]

Maybe someone will correct me, but its my understanding that there is an adaptor to put a Nikon lens on a Canon body... but not vice versa. The distance between the lens and the image sensor is the issue. You can space the Nikon lenses out further to make them compatible with a Canon body (you will lose all CPU information, metering, focusins, and aperture control), but it is possible. But you can't "space in" a Canon lens to work on a Nikon body.

Its my understanding that the lens you have posted cannot possibly function, even attach, to your Nikon camera body. Regardless of what the Craigs List Ad says.

 

[Dao]

Maybe someone will correct me, but its my understanding that there is an adaptor to put a Nikon lens on a Canon body... but not vice versa. The distance between the lens and the image sensor is the issue. You can space the Nikon lenses out further to make them compatible with a Canon body (you will lose all CPU information, metering, focusins, and aperture control), but it is possible. But you can't "space in" a Canon lens to work on a Nikon body.

Its my understanding that the lens you have posted cannot possibly function, even attach, to your Nikon camera body. Regardless of what the Craigs List Ad says.

I could be wrong, but I read that some photographer use Canon super telephoto prime lens with their Nikon body in the past.

I assume it is like using the Canon FD mount lens on a EF mount body. The adapter need optic components to make that work. (To be able to focus to infinity)

 

[o hey tyler]

right...Nikon does say that after market and "other" competetors lens will fit and work..however you lose the Auto and the other custom features that come with the Nikon Lens's.

Where did Nikon say that?

 

[Overread35]

Quick info cause I think few messages are getting mixed up;

1) 3rd party companies like Sigma, Tamron and Tokina make lenses in a variety of lens mounts. So there will be (for example) a sigma Canon 70-200mm - a sigma 70-200mm nikon - a sigma 70-200mm olympus etc... The lens is the same optical design, but the mount and inner workings differ to suit the different brands.
These should offer all the same features as Nikon lenses - but check the specifications (esp the AF) to make sure you know what features you are buying.


2) A straight up canon mount lens (or a lens type ofany other mount) won't fit to a Nikon body without an adaptor. These can lower the optical quality because they need glass in them to ensure the lens works correctly. Also you will often lose almost all controls with these setups - and a good quality chipped adaptor is going to be costing you more than the lens you are looking at.
In short its not worth it at the budget end of the market.

 

[NikonNewbie]

right...Nikon does say that after market and "other" competetors lens will fit and work..however you lose the Auto and the other custom features that come with the Nikon Lens's.

Where did Nikon say that?

It was either in one of the first pages of the manual or from one of the manual for the Nikon from that Rockwell guy (I think that was his name)
I will check it in a minute and see exactly what it says.

 

[NikonNewbie]

Quick info cause I think few messages are getting mixed up;

1) 3rd party companies like Sigma, Tamron and Tokina make lenses in a variety of lens mounts. So there will be (for example) a sigma Canon 70-200mm - a sigma 70-200mm nikon - a sigma 70-200mm olympus etc... The lens is the same optical design, but the mount and inner workings differ to suit the different brands.
These should offer all the same features as Nikon lenses - but check the specifications (esp the AF) to make sure you know what features you are buying.


2) A straight up canon mount lens (or a lens type ofany other mount) won't fit to a Nikon body without an adaptor. These can lower the optical quality because they need glass in them to ensure the lens works correctly. Also you will often lose almost all controls with these setups - and a good quality chipped adaptor is going to be costing you more than the lens you are looking at.
In short its not worth it at the budget end of the market.

Ok now that makes sense to me...so I'd also have to buy an adaptor? Im sure glad I asked you guys...I'd have been screwed.

 

[Dao]

This one could be the Nikon version. But I think it will not Autofocus with your camera (Nikon users please chime in).

You can see more used lens in here

 

[DirtyDFeckers]

I wouldn't do it... I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for. I think it would be worth it for you to save up some $ and get a decent lens. Budget lenses and third party lenses aren't the way to go... that's just my opinion, and I'm not saying that Tamron and Sigma don't make quality products.

 

[Overread35]

Ok now that makes sense to me...so I'd also have to buy an adaptor? Im sure glad I asked you guys...I'd have been screwed.

You'd have to get and adaptor and might lose AF, accurate metering and aperture control plus for the price of lens + adaptor you could get a nikon fit lens (eg the sigma). Go for a nikon mount lens it will make your world a lot easier.

 

[NikonNewbie]

Ok..it seems I've combined several sources to get my information...and this must by why I thought it was ok to use any lens...but upon further reading...
This is From Ken Rockwell..."My D40 only autofocuses with the latest AF-S lenses, and also with the Older, professional, AF-l Lenses.
Youll have to focus manually with Traditional Af lenses, which means forget about older lenses except macros and fisheyes and ultrawides"

"Every AF lens made in the past 20 years meters and exposes perfectly; it's just the autofocus which wont work"

that was from his "manual" for this camera....
but Nikon says nly Nikon brand accessories certified by NIKON specifically for use with your NIKON digital camera are engineered and proven to operate within its operational and safety requirements. The use of non-nikon accessories could damage your camera and may void your Nikon warranty.
Then there is a paragraph that says :
Incompatible Non-Cpu Lenses and Accessories
The folloing non-CPU lenses and accessories can NOT be used:
TC-16A AF Teleconverter
Non Al lenses
Lenses that require the AU-1 focusing unit (400mm f/4.5, 600mm f/5.6, 800mm f/8, 1200mm f/11)
Fisheye (6mm f/5.6, etc)
Old model 21mm f/4
K2 rings
200-600mm .....and it goes on and on...


Then...seeing Ebay and CL posts and other forums...everyone says they are interchangable...I'm lost.

 

[NikonNewbie]

Ok now that makes sense to me...so I'd also have to buy an adaptor? Im sure glad I asked you guys...I'd have been screwed.

You'd have to get and adaptor and might lose AF, accurate metering and aperture control plus for the price of lens + adaptor you could get a nikon fit lens (eg the sigma). Go for a nikon mount lens it will make your world a lot easier.

Ok...so a Nikon mount lens? I will go and see whats out there...Im getting frustrated now...maybe I'll wait until the first meeting of the photoclub and have someone explain it to me in simpleton terms...my attention problems prevent me from retaining information that I read.
grrr