Lens prices have skyrocketed, and to make it worse, suppliers threaten to cut off any retailer who cuts us a break on list price. It's time to get pool our knowledge and create a catalog of affordable (as in dirt cheap) lenses.
If you personally own a lens that cost you less than $300 when you bought it, used or new, tell us where and when you acquired it, and show some samples of its renderings. I'll maintain a list of lenses that have been submitted. Please consult it, and no repeats please.
Cheap Lenses Nominated
BELL AND HOWELL
Bell&Howell 135mm f2.8 AIS Post #66
NIKKOR
Nikon 18-55vr Post #105
Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G Post #51
Nikon 18-105mm VR Post #5
Nikon 20mm f/3.5UD (AI'd) Post #42
Nikon 20mm f/3.5 AI-s Post #6
Nikon 20mm f/4 AI-s Post #185
Nikon 24-85G f/3.5-5.6 Post #145
Nikon Lens Series E: 28/2.8 Post #73
Nikon 28mm f/3.5 K (AI'd) Post #2
Nikon 28mm 2.8 AIS Post #181
Nikon AF 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 D Post #27
Nikon 28-80 3.3-5.6 Post #112
Nikon 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 Post #69
Nikon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 Post #55
Nikon 28-200 G f/3.5-5.6 Post #142
Nikon 35 1.8 DX Post # 13
Nikon 35mm f/2 AF Post #4
Nikon 35mm f2 AI Post #104
Nikon 35-70 2.8 Post #31
Nikon 35-135 f3.5-4.5 Post #204
Nikon 40mm 2.8 Post #33
Nikon 50mm f1.2 AI Post #44
Nikon 50mm E-Series f/1.8 Post #72
Nikon 50mm f1.8. Oldest AIS Post #134
Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF Post #8
Nikon 50 1.8G AF-S Post #110
Nikon 50mm f/2.0 H.C. Post #29
Micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8 AIS Post #166
Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 AI Post #168
Nikon 55-200mm VR Post #11
Nikon 60mm f/2.8D Micro-Nikkor Post #9
Nikon 70-210 f/4-5.6 AF-D Post #35
Nikon 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 D Post #175
Nikon 75-150E Post #136
Nikon 85mm f2 AI Post #20
Nikon 85mm f/1.8 Post #103
Nikon 100 f2.8 E Post #14
Nikon 105 2.8 AIS Macro Post #90
Nikon 105mm f/2.5 AI-s Post #7
Nikon 135mm f3.5 AI Post #151
Nikon 135 f/2.8 Ai-S Post #12
Nikon 200mm F4 AI Post #100
Nikon 200mm F4 Ai-s Post #108
Nikon 500/8 mirror (1:2.5 version) Post #43
QUANTARAY
Quantaray 70-300 f/4-5.6 AF Post #62
ROKINON/SAMYANG
Rokinon (Samyang) 8mm F3.5 Post #63
Rokinon (Samyang) 85mm f/1.4 Post #144
SIGMA
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5 - f/6.3 DC OS Post #197
Sigma 24mm f2.8 Post #22
Sigma 24-60 f/2.8 Post #68
Sigma 28-300 3.5-6.3 Macro (full frame) Post #131
Sigma 90mm macro Post #111
TAMRON
Tamron 17mm f/3.5 Post #24
Tamron AF 17-35mm f2.8-4 Post #177
Tamron 18-35 f/3.5-4.5 Post #135
Tamron 20-40 f2.7-3.5 Post #106
Tamron SP 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 Post #57
Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 Post #40
Tamron 28-105 f/4-5.6 Post #149
Tamron 28 - 200mm 1:3.8 - 5.6 Macro AF XR Post #47
Tamron SP Adaptal 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 macro Post #141
Tamron 60-300mm (23a SP) Post #64
Tamron 70-210mm f3.5-4 macro Post #147
Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Macro Post #132
Tamron 500mm f8 mirror Post #107
TOKINA
Tokina AT-X 28-70 pro II Post #178
Tokina AF 300mm f/4 AT-X Post #171
Tokina 500mm f/8 mirror Post #15
VIVITAR
VIVITAR (Komine) 28mm f /2.8 Post #116
Vivitar 28-70 2.8 macro Post #10
Vivitar 35-70 f/3.5-4.8 Macro Post #195
Vivitar 70-150/3.8 CF Post #58
Vivitar I 90/2.5 Macro Post # 199
ZENITAR
Zenitar 16mm f/2.8/16 Fisheye Lens Post #124
If you personally own a lens that cost you less than $300 when you bought it, used or new, tell us where and when you acquired it, and show some samples of its renderings. I'll maintain a list of lenses that have been submitted. Please consult it, and no repeats please.
Cheap Lenses Nominated
BELL AND HOWELL
Bell&Howell 135mm f2.8 AIS Post #66
NIKKOR
Nikon 18-55vr Post #105
Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G Post #51
Nikon 18-105mm VR Post #5
Nikon 20mm f/3.5UD (AI'd) Post #42
Nikon 20mm f/3.5 AI-s Post #6
Nikon 20mm f/4 AI-s Post #185
Nikon 24-85G f/3.5-5.6 Post #145
Nikon Lens Series E: 28/2.8 Post #73
Nikon 28mm f/3.5 K (AI'd) Post #2
Nikon 28mm 2.8 AIS Post #181
Nikon AF 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 D Post #27
Nikon 28-80 3.3-5.6 Post #112
Nikon 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 Post #69
Nikon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 Post #55
Nikon 28-200 G f/3.5-5.6 Post #142
Nikon 35 1.8 DX Post # 13
Nikon 35mm f/2 AF Post #4
Nikon 35mm f2 AI Post #104
Nikon 35-70 2.8 Post #31
Nikon 35-135 f3.5-4.5 Post #204
Nikon 40mm 2.8 Post #33
Nikon 50mm f1.2 AI Post #44
Nikon 50mm E-Series f/1.8 Post #72
Nikon 50mm f1.8. Oldest AIS Post #134
Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF Post #8
Nikon 50 1.8G AF-S Post #110
Nikon 50mm f/2.0 H.C. Post #29
Micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8 AIS Post #166
Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 AI Post #168
Nikon 55-200mm VR Post #11
Nikon 60mm f/2.8D Micro-Nikkor Post #9
Nikon 70-210 f/4-5.6 AF-D Post #35
Nikon 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 D Post #175
Nikon 75-150E Post #136
Nikon 85mm f2 AI Post #20
Nikon 85mm f/1.8 Post #103
Nikon 100 f2.8 E Post #14
Nikon 105 2.8 AIS Macro Post #90
Nikon 105mm f/2.5 AI-s Post #7
Nikon 135mm f3.5 AI Post #151
Nikon 135 f/2.8 Ai-S Post #12
Nikon 200mm F4 AI Post #100
Nikon 200mm F4 Ai-s Post #108
Nikon 500/8 mirror (1:2.5 version) Post #43
QUANTARAY
Quantaray 70-300 f/4-5.6 AF Post #62
ROKINON/SAMYANG
Rokinon (Samyang) 8mm F3.5 Post #63
Rokinon (Samyang) 85mm f/1.4 Post #144
SIGMA
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5 - f/6.3 DC OS Post #197
Sigma 24mm f2.8 Post #22
Sigma 24-60 f/2.8 Post #68
Sigma 28-300 3.5-6.3 Macro (full frame) Post #131
Sigma 90mm macro Post #111
TAMRON
Tamron 17mm f/3.5 Post #24
Tamron AF 17-35mm f2.8-4 Post #177
Tamron 18-35 f/3.5-4.5 Post #135
Tamron 20-40 f2.7-3.5 Post #106
Tamron SP 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 Post #57
Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 Post #40
Tamron 28-105 f/4-5.6 Post #149
Tamron 28 - 200mm 1:3.8 - 5.6 Macro AF XR Post #47
Tamron SP Adaptal 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 macro Post #141
Tamron 60-300mm (23a SP) Post #64
Tamron 70-210mm f3.5-4 macro Post #147
Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Macro Post #132
Tamron 500mm f8 mirror Post #107
TOKINA
Tokina AT-X 28-70 pro II Post #178
Tokina AF 300mm f/4 AT-X Post #171
Tokina 500mm f/8 mirror Post #15
VIVITAR
VIVITAR (Komine) 28mm f /2.8 Post #116
Vivitar 28-70 2.8 macro Post #10
Vivitar 35-70 f/3.5-4.8 Macro Post #195
Vivitar 70-150/3.8 CF Post #58
Vivitar I 90/2.5 Macro Post # 199
ZENITAR
Zenitar 16mm f/2.8/16 Fisheye Lens Post #124
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