Sensei Rob wrote:

Mako2011 wrote:

Sensei Rob wrote:

Back in the day every manufacturer's top of the line offerings had some type of metal lens barrel, but now everyone makes them out plastic.

Now plastic often out performs metal in many ways.

I'm not sure it does

Still it does in many ways

The trouble with polymers are they're susceptible to UV damage, which, over time, cause them to become brittle.

Many of today's high end polymers are made with additives that make them practically unaffected by UV. Many/most modern Polycarbonates, for example. Car and Aircraft industry are the leaders in that

In terms of strength, even carbonfibre reinforced plastics fall well short of a good steel. They're more scratch resistant, though, I'll give them that.

Polycarbonate can withstand forces nearly 200 times stronger than steel. 2DPA-1 and Hemp Plastics are also much stronger than steel

it's cheap and lightweight.

That can be a real advantage. Less expensive and not as heavy.

True.

As a hobbyist, I'm after build quality and satisfaction of feel more than out and out performance.

Build quality may have actually improved...though it doesn't feel like that

I dunno. If you look at a good nikkor lens from the pre-ai days, or even a fairly modern one with the crinkle finish (e.g. 28mm f1.4D), they're about as good as build quality gets.

Not sure about that...they dent. I have broke an older Nikon lens in a bump, 70-200, but have yet to break any of my plastic lenses...and I'm get more and more clumsy

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My opinions are my own and not those of DPR or its administration. They carry no 'special' value (except to me and Lacie of course)