Cons of Plastic Bayonet?

[nikonrus]

I just found out that in recent years the kit lenses & some of the lower cost lens are all using plastic bayonet instead of metal.
How hardy is the plastic? Does it start 'marking' the moment you start to change your lens?

I know this is a bad request, but if there are worn down lines on those bayonets, can some please show me a pict of it? I wana seriously consider about this before I get any of the lower end lens.

Thanks

[sykestang]

So far as I know, plastic lens mount only implemented to very very low end Nikkors which we see very often given off as a kit lens. For eg, AF 70-300G f/4.5-5.6, AF 28-80 f/3.5-4.5 etc. The plastic used are the hard thermal setting plastics. Thus it would not break nor marked easily. Although the bayonet mount is plastic, Nikon did not do injustice to optical quality. The above mentioned 2 lenses produces quite good sharp pictures and one would be surprise at their performance after feeling their actual weight on hand which is very very light.

However for one who really got 'scared' with plastic mount lenses, don't worry. As far as I know, even the cheap and very much affordable std lens like the AF50mm f/1.8 ($~170), which some ppl commented that this is a cheapo China made lens, does not come with these plastic mount. So I don't think this would be a concern to most photographers here. And should not be your worry also.

IMHO

[calebk]

On longer lenses, having a plastic mount may be abit risky, because an untoward knock on any side of the lens barrel could possibly snap the entier mount. The 18-135 is one worrying example

On shorter lenses, it probably isn't such a bad thing. Weighs less too.

[zac08]

Originally Posted by calebk On longer lenses, having a plastic mount may be abit risky, because an untoward knock on any side of the lens barrel could possibly snap the entier mount. The 18-135 is one worrying example On shorter lenses, it probably isn't such a bad thing. Weighs less too.

Eh...

I'm not really sure but when I was using the 70-300G lens (which had a plastic mount), I was holding the lens ONLY and cradling my D200 slightly... No issues there...

[calebk]

Originally Posted by zac08 Eh... I'm not really sure but when I was using the 70-300G lens (which had a plastic mount), I was holding the lens ONLY and cradling my D200 slightly... No issues there...

Generally speaking, even the plastic mounts that lensmakers offer are pretty strong, but I really wouldn't wanna do that. Haha.