The Fuji 55-200mm was the only lens that failed mechanically for me - the zoom ring got stuck somewhere mid-range. Fuji replaced it.
To answer a few of your questions
Yes, the QC of lenses got better in recent years. Not all of them but I can notice it.
Canon used to be pretty mediocre in terms of centering but they are quite fail-safe nowadays.
Sigma ... can you remember SIGnificant MAlfunctions? LOL. But these days are long gone. They are mostly great now (avoid EX era lenses and earlier).
Tamron ... still not convinced but not as bad as they once were. I fail to understand why people are enthusiastic about Tamrons.
Samyang ... meh (hit or miss).
Nikon - can't tell. Markus may comment. During "my time" with Nikon, they were similar to Canon, maybe a tad worse.
Sony - their older APS-C lenses were pretty much ALL terrible. This changed with their FF FE lenses. They are very good now.
Panasonic ... meh - even the high priced ones.
Olympus ... they were good back in the days and are better now but not on modern Canon levels.
Fuji ... primes ... huii ... zooms ... pfuiii.
Pentax ... meh
The exotics - as a rule of thumb - don't buy high-speed stuff. Don't expect greatness in terms of QC.
Personally I wouldn't buy used zoom lenses that are older than 4 years. And newer zoom designs are pretty much always superior to their predecessors in terms of QC.
Of course, outliers exist and you will always risk running into a lemon - more so than with other consumer electronic items. Lenses are difficult beasts.
These are my SUBJECTIVE impressions. I've tested a LOT of lenses but, of course, just one sample per series.
Take it or leave it.
(05-15-2020, 11:18 PM)Hapo Wrote: ...did they get any better lately...???...how does one determine the age/vintage of one's lens...???...
...how badly have I fuked up my 55-200 lens by removing it w/o shutting off the camera...???...
...how do you tell if your lens is not centered...???...anything obvious...???...
To answer a few of your questions
Yes, the QC of lenses got better in recent years. Not all of them but I can notice it.
Canon used to be pretty mediocre in terms of centering but they are quite fail-safe nowadays.
Sigma ... can you remember SIGnificant MAlfunctions? LOL. But these days are long gone. They are mostly great now (avoid EX era lenses and earlier).
Tamron ... still not convinced but not as bad as they once were. I fail to understand why people are enthusiastic about Tamrons.
Samyang ... meh (hit or miss).
Nikon - can't tell. Markus may comment. During "my time" with Nikon, they were similar to Canon, maybe a tad worse.
Sony - their older APS-C lenses were pretty much ALL terrible. This changed with their FF FE lenses. They are very good now.
Panasonic ... meh - even the high priced ones.
Olympus ... they were good back in the days and are better now but not on modern Canon levels.
Fuji ... primes ... huii ... zooms ... pfuiii.
Pentax ... meh
The exotics - as a rule of thumb - don't buy high-speed stuff. Don't expect greatness in terms of QC.
Personally I wouldn't buy used zoom lenses that are older than 4 years. And newer zoom designs are pretty much always superior to their predecessors in terms of QC.
Of course, outliers exist and you will always risk running into a lemon - more so than with other consumer electronic items. Lenses are difficult beasts.
These are my SUBJECTIVE impressions. I've tested a LOT of lenses but, of course, just one sample per series.
Take it or leave it.
Chief Editor - opticallimits.com
Doing all things Canon, MFT, Sony and Fuji
Doing all things Canon, MFT, Sony and Fuji
Generally: if you buy used, either buy from someone near where you can drive and test in person before agreeing on a deal. Or buy from commercial sellers that offer warranty.