billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Lets compare two lenses. The Nikon 300mm f4 and the 300mm 2.8. the 4 is about 2K and the 2.8 is about 5.5K. So the 2.8 is more than twice as expensive. WHY do you ask?
Good question. The 2.8 has bigger and heavier glass in it, and this costs a lot, lot more to manufacture. The 2.8 is also metal housed, and moisture sealed as is the f4. The f4 is smaller and made of plastic, does not have the weight of the 2.8 and has a different glass set up.
SO, let us sum this up, bigger glass is more expensive than smaller glass, it is about that simple because of the cost of production.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

The number, size, and material of the optical elements.

..

Foozer

So, even though they have the same focal length the aperture size is what determines the size and amount of glass needed to manufacture. Am I understanding this correctly

Festus Loc: North Dakota

If you can't figure out the answer, you need a new hobby!

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Basically you are correct. Faster lenses, larger aperture lenses, are more expensive to manufacture and therefore cost more.

Foozer

Nice reply fester. People like you (that apparently are smarter than everyone else and like to show it) are what keep forums like this interesting.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

If this is the best help you can give, you also need a new pastime.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

And from personal experience using Canon and Tokina lenses a lot more reliable product. (3 out of 4 Tokina lenses, of mine, failed well before they should have).

torchman310 Loc: Santa Clarita, Ca.

You all forgot that quality zoom teles that do not change length while zooming to its longest magnification, or rotate the front element also becomes more expensive due to its mechanical designs.

Bill Emmett Loc: Bow, New Hampshire

I agree with all of the above answers to your question, but one item has been left out of the mix. It is the research and development costs. For example, Canon researches the type of glass to use in a lens, the actual patent costs, coatings, mechanics, electronics, and interface. Then the lens is produced as a test lens. All the components are tested in the lab, and then should the lens pass, it will be produced for testing in the wild, or distributed to Canon lens testers that are their field testers. After that test, any or all suggestions are evaluated and considered changes are made to the test lens. Then another "in the wild test" will begin. When the finished lens is decided on it is pre-production tested again in its final form for expected life span. Then the lens is released for final production. Again the production of the lens is watched closely for problems in the first production run. The pricing of the lens figures in all this testing, and evaluation of the final product. Then, there is advertising costs, and any further cost of testing against other companies products. As the lens is produced there will be minor tweaks in production that will be considered in the cost. Don't leave out the cost of new equipment to produce the lens.

B

Foozer

[quote=Bill Emmett]I agree with all of the above answers to your question, but one item has been left out of the mix. It is the research and development costs. For example, Canon researches the type of glass to use in a lens, the actual patent costs, coatings, mechanics, electronics, and interface. Then the lens is produced as a test lens. All the components are tested in the lab, and then should the lens pass, it will be produced for testing in the wild, or distributed to Canon lens testers that are their field testers. After that test, any or all suggestions are evaluated and considered changes are made to the test lens. Then another "in the wild test" will begin. When the finished lens is decided on it is pre-production tested again in its final form for expected life span. Then the lens is released for final production. Again the production of the lens is watched closely for problems in the first production run. The pricing of the lens figures in all this testing, and evaluation of the final product. Then, there is advertising costs, and any further cost of testing against other companies products. As the lens is produced there will be minor tweaks in production that will be considered in the cost. Don't leave out the cost of new equipment to produce the lens.

B[/quote


Bill,
Thank you for that information. Of course those costs go into every lens made. The original question was why 2 lenses of what appears to be the same characteristics can have such a huge difference in price. Several of the posts above did a great job of explaining. Again thank you.