Which lens to go with- new or used?

[greaper]

I need new lens' for my Maxxim 5. I have Sigma 28-80 and 70-300. Both are now bad. I found that I could get the same focul length in either new Tamron, or used Minolta for a good price.

Of course, the big difference is the warranty. The Minolta lens' are both the D type so they will work with the enhanced flash, the Tamron lens' are not D type.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

G

[paulnj]

First question is WHY ARE THEY BAD??

are they broken? Is the "image quality " the problem?

(IMHO) all 28-80 F3.5-5.6 are ..... THE SAME!! tamron, nikon, canon, minolta, pentax, sigma, tokina... the same!

all are built "poorly" compared to more expensive lenses, but "CAN" produce GREAT IMAGES.


To really suggest 28-80/ 70-300 range lenses(or there abouts) we need a budget($200? or $600?)

What are your subjects and shooting styles?

If you plan to chase a 3 yr old/ moving subject/ poorly lit subject..... a more expensive lens MAY be a better option to get more in focus moments on film

[Clemmie]

Well, as a Minolta user with all-Minolta lenses (8 of them, so far, for Maxxums - plus 5 for the S-1 kit), I feel like it's the consistent image quality of the Lenses that really MAKE the Minolta system. Therefore, I don't recommend any third-party lenses.

Minolta's D lenses are not optically different from their non-D counterparts. They simply add a distance encoder, which is useful with certain flash units on the Maxxum 7 & 9 (so far). So the D lenses will make no difference in operation of your current Maxxum 5 - but will be a nice feature to have already in place, when you upgrade cameras in the future.

One eBay seller, Moonbuzz, is currently offering a batch of Minolta 'refurbs' with 6-month Minolta warranty - the 28-80, 28-100 D, and 75-300 D.

I got one of the 75-300 D from them - $96, as compared to B&H's New price of $169 - and it is Mint-Excellent. This one has also scored favorably against higher-priced third-party lenses in several recent reviews.

I'll also recommend the 28-100 D, which I obtained from a different source as a refurb. I use this one as the 'base lens' on my Maxxum 7. Good coverage for general 'walking around' shooting.

Both of those lenses use 55mm filters - which will save you having to buy multiples of Polarizers, etc.

Among my 13 lenses, I only bought ONE new - the rest have been refurbs or used, and all have been excellent. There are many great values on Minolta refurbs in the marketplace. Don't be afraid to take advantage of them.

[Photo-John]

Paul's question is a good one. What's wrong with the two lenses you have? Lenses don't usually just go bad. They can get broken but they don't usually deteriorate with age. If it's the optical quality of the lenses that you're unhappy with, then you should consider buying a better lens. If it were me, and the lenses are variable aperture zooms, I'd replace the 28-80mm with a pro 28-80 f/2.8 lens. That would be an excellent photographic investment and you'd see the quality difference immediately. You will have to spend considerably more, though.

As far as buying used, I've bought a lot of used lenses. Since I started to have a little bit of money I've been buying most photo equipment new. But I did recently buy a used macro lens. And I've never had a bad experience buying a used lens. Just be careful who you buy from, try to get some sort of guarantee, and test before you buy - if you buy locally. Don't buy anything from anyone who says you can't return it. It's not worth the risk.

[ram]

Manual of Maxxum 5 page 93 thro 95 describes that " high accuracy of camera flash is achieved by ADI flash metering in combination with newly developed 'D' series flash units and lenses........flash metering is less influenced by background condition...." .
I feel the "D" type lens, with Maxxum 5 also, will make the differene in flash photography with builtin or externa HS (D) flashes of minolta as compared to non D series lenses of minolta
ram

Well, as a Minolta user with all-Minolta lenses (8 of them, so far, for Maxxums - plus 5 for the S-1 kit), I feel like it's the consistent image quality of the Lenses that really MAKE the Minolta system. Therefore, I don't recommend any third-party lenses.

Minolta's D lenses are not optically different from their non-D counterparts. They simply add a distance encoder, which is useful with certain flash units on the Maxxum 7 & 9 (so far). So the D lenses will make no difference in operation of your current Maxxum 5 - but will be a nice feature to have already in place, when you upgrade cameras in the future.

One eBay seller, Moonbuzz, is currently offering a batch of Minolta 'refurbs' with 6-month Minolta warranty - the 28-80, 28-100 D, and 75-300 D.

I got one of the 75-300 D from them - $96, as compared to B&H's New price of $169 - and it is Mint-Excellent. This one has also scored favorably against higher-priced third-party lenses in several recent reviews.

I'll also recommend the 28-100 D, which I obtained from a different source as a refurb. I use this one as the 'base lens' on my Maxxum 7. Good coverage for general 'walking around' shooting.

Both of those lenses use 55mm filters - which will save you having to buy multiples of Polarizers, etc.

Among my 13 lenses, I only bought ONE new - the rest have been refurbs or used, and all have been excellent. There are many great values on Minolta refurbs in the marketplace. Don't be afraid to take advantage of them.