Manual older lenses more resilient than newer lenses?

9 years 5 months ago #407889 by Chris Briggs
I was talking to a "Tiberous" (I think that is how is name was spelled) yesterday, who had a D700 camera but all his lenses were older manual lenses.  I asked why and he started talking about how the older manual lenses were simply built much better than newer lenses.  "Yes you lose autofocus, but these lenses will last you much longer than any newer lens".  I didn't question him at the time, but had the night to think about this and just can make sense out of this.  

The only way I can possibly see manual older lenses being more resilient would be if you drop two lenses to the ground.  One is older with no autofocus motors and a newer one with autofocus.  The newer one has more stuff in it... so has more things that could get knocked out of place.  I know this is a stretch, but are there any other things or better yet, is my assumption right?  


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9 years 5 months ago #407917 by effron
Someone should check his meds, and someone else should stop talking to clueless people. Apples to oranges, of course. I have some forty year plus old lenses that are robust and haven't developed mold yet, but I wouldn't take any of them into some of the foul elements I'd take my 24-70 2.8. Snow, blowing rain, etc. Dropping them isn't a good idea no matter how old they are. Why have a modern camera if you're not going to fully utilize it? .......:unsure:

Why so serious?
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9 years 5 months ago #407986 by garyrhook

Chris Briggs wrote: I was talking to a "Tiberous" (I think that is how is name was spelled) yesterday, who had a D700 camera but all his lenses were older manual lenses.


"Tiberius"? As in James Kirk's middle name? Grain of salt, anyone?

I know, that's really unkind. Sorry.


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9 years 5 months ago #408015 by Roy Wilson
:blink:  Well I could go one of few ways with this.  Perhaps from a very high level, he does have a point.  I'm speculating only, I have never made it a point of dropping a lens to test.

Canon 5D Mark II, 30D, 40D, 50 1.2L, 16-35 2.8L Mark II, 24-105 4L IS, 24-70 2.8L, 70-200 2.8L IS, 85 1.8, 4 x 580 EX(II)
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9 years 5 months ago #408225 by Joves
:agree:
If he is speaking strictly from a mechanical view point then he is correct. You older MF lenses will given the same heavy use last longer, since they are more mechanically simple. That only applies to primes, as any zoom lens adds in more things to screw up. But as for over all they are about par, if they are at the same level quality wise. Also an old style AF lens will probably last longer over an AF-S only because of the motor being the weakest link in the equation, but again it does not make it more resilient. The guy is mixing in some easy truths to justify his flawed view point. I love my old MF lenses, but my newer lenses have had just as much abuse, and are still here.


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9 years 5 months ago #408240 by Chris Briggs

garyrhook wrote:

Chris Briggs wrote: I was talking to a "Tiberous" (I think that is how is name was spelled) yesterday, who had a D700 camera but all his lenses were older manual lenses.


"Tiberius"? As in James Kirk's middle name? Grain of salt, anyone?

I know, that's really unkind. Sorry.



LMAO!!!  I know, I was thinking about that irony while talking with him!  Full disclosure... it wasn't till mid way through my talk with him that I remembered where I knew that name from!  Beam me up Scotty! 


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9 years 5 months ago #408274 by effron
Umm.....Tiberius was a first century AD Roman Ceasar, me thinks. Step son of Augustus and related to Nero the fiddler? (Son maybe). James "T" Kirk I BELIEVE is/was a fictional character?......:P

Why so serious?
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9 years 5 months ago #408365 by Screamin Scott
While I have many older manual focus lenses & though they might be somewhat more "durable".... I'd never limit myself in this fashion.... They are all tools , to be used to their strengths

Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/

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