Colored rings: What is the significance of the colored rings on different lens - such as no colored ring, white, red, and gold? Is it the quality of the lens?

lwhitlow

What is the significance of the colored rings on different lens - such as no colored ring, white, red, and gold? Is it the quality of the lens?

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

lwhitlow wrote:

What is the significance of the colored rings on different lens - such as no colored ring, white, red, and gold? Is it the quality of the lens?

Decoration. The red ring on some Canon lenses denotes it's professional luxury L line. Some older Canon USM lenses had a gold ring to denote the USM focus motor.

lwhitlow

Thinking maybe we got ripped off on a couple of purchases😒

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

lwhitlow wrote:

Thinking maybe we got ripped off on a couple of purchases😒

That's always possible, the devil is in the details and varies from brand to brand. Even then, some lenses can be of top quality even if not designated as a premium lens.

If you have specific examples, UHH members may be able to comment.

lwhitlow

Peterff wrote:

That's always possible, the devil is in the details and varies from brand to brand. Even then, some lenses can be of top quality even if not designated as a premium lens.

If you have specific examples, UHH members may be able to comment.

Tamron 18-270 mm, F/3.5-6.3, Plezo drive, vc, is one of them, there is another one I will get info later.
We do weddings, senior pics, newborn, and family photos. I take photos of birds, too.

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

lwhitlow wrote:

What is the significance of the colored rings on different lens - such as no colored ring, white, red, and gold? Is it the quality of the lens?

In the Olympics of lenses, prizes are given out. 1st place is gold, second is red, third place is white. Actually, Nikon uses a gold ring on the end of the lens mount toward the front element to denote their professional lens line. Minolta used something the same on their white telephoto lenses. Minolta also used the G symbol to denote their upper lenses. Canon is just happy to sell anything to anyone.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

billnikon wrote:

In the Olympics of lenses, prizes are given out. 1st place is gold, second is red, third place is white. Actually, Nikon uses a gold ring on the end of the lens mount toward the front element to denote their professional lens line. Minolta used something the same on their white telephoto lenses. Minolta also used the G symbol to denote their upper lenses. Canon is just happy to sell anything to anyone.

Very funny.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

lwhitlow wrote:

What is the significance of the colored rings on different lens - such as no colored ring, white, red, and gold? Is it the quality of the lens?

For Canon as has been sad the red ring designates the lens as professional quality besides optics. They are FF lenses and more ruggedly built with weather sealing generally. Some non L lenses are of great optical quality but are crop lenses or not quite as ruggedly built.
Other brands I don’t know.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Architect1776 wrote:

For Canon as has been sad the red ring designates the lens as professional quality besides optics. They are FF lenses and more ruggedly built with weather sealing generally. Some non L lenses are of great optical quality but are crop lenses or not quite as ruggedly built.
Other brands I don’t know.

Yes. In the Canon realm different color rings mean different things and Canon currently uses red, green, gold and silver if not others as well.

In a multi-vendor environment we live in a rainbow nation to quote Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

lwhitlow wrote:

Tamron 18-270 mm, F/3.5-6.3, Plezo drive, vc, is one of them, there is another one I will get info later.
We do weddings, senior pics, newborn, and family photos. I take photos of birds, too.

Several UHH'ers use that lens why do you think you got ripped off?

lwhitlow

Bultaco wrote:

Several UHH'ers use that lens why do you think you got ripped off?

We don't have a camera store close to us, so while we were on vacation, we saw one and went in to see if they had an UV lens for my Sigma DG 150-200 lens. They did and then also sold us a couple of lens, explaining that the color of rings on the lens tells you of the quality of the lens. I didn't have enough time to really use it a lot until we were back home. I noticed right off, that there is a black circle on the edges of every photo. I really don't care for that at all - but chalking it up to my fault for not investigating into the lens before we purchased. On taking photos of birds, only 1/3 of them were even in focus. My husband said it would be used for portraits and not birds in flight. If there is a way to not have the black circle around each picture - I think I would be happier with it, but having that, I am hesitant to us at weddings, etc. Lesson learned 😊

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

lwhitlow wrote:

We don't have a camera store close to us, so while... (show quote)

What were these 2 lenses you bought again? If filters it seems odd for this to happen on such a long lens. How does the hood, if any attach?

lwhitlow

Architect1776 wrote:

What were these 2 lenses you bought again? If filters it seems odd for this to happen on such a long lens. How does the hood, if any attach?

Tamron 18-270 mm, F/3.5-6.3, Plezo drive, vc, is one of them, there is another one I will get info later.

The filter we were looking is for another of my lens I use a lot - Sigma DG 150-500mm - I have no issues with it😊

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

lwhitlow wrote:

We don't have a camera store close to us, so while... (show quote)

Can you post an image, with download selected?

lwhitlow

Peterff wrote:

Can you post an image, with download selected?

I am presently sitting by a lake and it is at home. Will do as soon as I get back home😊