Furthermore, Nikon right now makes about three different grades of lenses. There are the pro-grade lenses like the AF-S 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED and the bottom-line lenses like the AF 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G. In between would come a lens like the AF 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6D or the AF 28-100mm f/3.5-5.6G. Notice that by FAR the most expensive of these lenses is the one with the smallest zoom ratio (28-70mm). That's also by far the biggest and heaviest. If you wanted a single lens with which to do everything, it would not be a good choice at all.

Tamron also makes multiple grades of lenses. Quantaray isthe Ritz camera house brand name for Sigma. Sigma makes multiple grades of lenses, but none of the top grade lenses are sold branded as Quantaray.

And-- I'll let you in on a secret...

***YOU PROBABLY HAVE *No Need* FOR THE HIGHEST GRADE LENSES ANYWAY!!***

Why not? If you are like most people, you are probably going to shoot hand-held, without a tripod, and make mostly 4x6 prints, with an occasional 8x10, from a convenient one-hour lab. Is that you?

If so, buying the sharpest lenses is a waste of your money, unless possibly shooting with REALLY fine lenses makes you pay more attention to your photography. To benefit from the very best lenses, you need to put your camera on a sturdy tripod, and get the best possible custom photofinishing.

Anybody who does all THAT with a Quantaray lens will probably get better looking prints than somebody who tries to hand-hold their camera at 1/125 and gets cheap photofinishing, even if the second person has a $1000 lens.

Yep. The nut just behind the viewfinder is the most important component.

RE: Tamron vs anything else. As with the other manufacturers, there's quite a variation in quality among Tamron zooms. Their first 28-200mm autofocus zoom was a very popular lens, but it was not as good at any point in its focal length range as a prime lens. It also had very limited closeup capability. Recent versions have improved, but they definitely save their best glass and best designs (wide fixed apertures, better barrel construction, etc) for their line of pro zooms.

However, this hasn't stopped a lot of people from taking excellent photos with a Tamron 28-200mm zoom and being quite please with the results.

For some interesting lens comparisons, you might want to check the lens tests posted by photodo.com.o

I own 2 Tamron lens, the 28/105mm and the 75/300mm lens both are great, by adding recently a 2x tele converter to them I now have all the reach I need and get excellent photos from both.

I use a Canon Rebel 500n (G) and two lenses: A Canon 28-90mm and a Tamron 28-200mm LD. The Canon lens gets the most work, as I seldom need to go above 90mm in the type of shooting I do, but I must say the Tamron is impressive. But my real love is my Canon A-1 with a group of Canon prime lenses and a 28-85mm Tokina AT-X. But, as above, the camera itself is just a platform on which to mount good optics and insert good film.

yes you are rite about a sort of dark view finder, but it is not really that bad, but I use it in the manual mode and I do get really nice photos from it. I only use the 2x when necessary , my main lens is the Tamron 28/105 it is a very versatile lens and gives me very good quality photos, but then I am more or less a amateur in the game but am learning very fast. I do appreciate any and all tips I receive.

Follwo up: Never went to China due to SARS scare. Went to Germany, France and Italy from Sept 29-Oct 22. The cheap Sigma lens was great with one exception. Shooting into the sun, even at an oblique angle, despite the computer designed lens shade, was impossible. The lens is an absolute flare factory. But with the sun over my shoulder or behind or on overcast days, the lens produced some very nice pictures.

First off-- you can't GET Carl Zeiss lenses for Nikon SLR cameras, unless you have them adapted.

Second-- Where did this 2003 thread come back from, anyway????

Third, as those of us who posted originally pointed out, most lens brands offer several different grades of lens. Even Carl Zeiss. People tend to forget that Zeiss used to make box cameras, and ultra cheap folding cameras, and cheap 35mm cameras, along with making advanced-amateur and professional equipment. And even in their better lenses, there were diferent grads. A Zeiss Tessar is a good four-element lens, but it is not the equal of a Zeiss Planar. Today, the Zeiss name is put on anything that Kyocera ( that is, Yashica) builds which is high-quality.