Nikon Lens Versus Off Brand

Newbie

I was recently told that off brand lenses are less expensive and just as good as Nikon (since I have a Nikon camera) lenses. Does this seem to be true? What are the off brands that it may be true for?

Adelphos

@Newbie - More often than not it is false. However, there are some instances where, if you weigh your needs in a lens, it is very true.

This is not a general rule that can be applied across the board. Read up on some reviews and comparisons, or rent and inspect for yourself, and you will find that more times than not Nikkor glass is better than its off brand counterparts.

But, if pixel searching is not your thing and you just want better glass on a budget, there are some very great offerings from off brand companies.

Varies from lens to lens and situation to situation. For one photographer a fast lens is more important than quality or distortion. For others it is the opposite, which is why general rules don't fly in much of anything, let alone photography.

Moose

Hey @Newbie - Much like Nikon...Sigma, Tamron and Tokina offer great lenses and not so great lenses. You really have to evaluate things on a lens-by-lens basis.

Generally speaking, Nikon lenses tend to autofocus quicker. In the sharpness department, I've seen certain third party lenses capture better detail when compared to similar Nikon lenses.

If you have a couple Nikon lenses in mind, I'd be happy to let you know if I think a third party lens might be the better alternative. Let me know what you're trying to shoot or the effect you're going for and I'll point you in the right direction. All the best!