Lens origin! I am looking to buy a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro lens, Not for the new Z cameras. I hear people singing the praises of lenses made in Japan. Is there a real difference...

flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert

I am looking to buy a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro lens, Not for the new Z cameras. I hear people singing the praises of lenses made in Japan.
Is there a real difference between Japanese and China/Thailand built optics? If so, what, and would it be enough reason to cancel a purchase?
Thanks!

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

flyboy61 wrote:

I am looking to buy a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro lens, Not for the new Z cameras. I hear people singing the praises of lenses made in Japan.
Is there a real difference between Japanese and China/Thailand built optics? If so, what, and would it be enough reason to cancel a purchase?
Thanks!

Nikkor lenses manufactured in China and Thailand are made with the same standards as the ones made in Japan.

ricardo00

flyboy61 wrote:

I am looking to buy a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro lens, Not for the new Z cameras. I hear people singing the praises of lenses made in Japan.
Is there a real difference between Japanese and China/Thailand built optics? If so, what, and would it be enough reason to cancel a purchase?
Thanks!

Not in my opinion. Leica lenses (many people consider the "gold standard" in lenses) were originally all made in Germany. Now many are made in Portugal. Things change. My favorite all time Nikon lens is the 500mm PF, made in China. Many of the newer and more expensive Nikon lenses are built outside of Japan these days.
A better question might be whether the Nikon 105mm macro is the best macro at this range. There are several discussions of this question already that you can look at.

Just Shoot Me Loc: Ithaca, NY

flyboy61 wrote:

I am looking to buy a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro lens, Not for the new Z cameras. I hear people singing the praises of lenses made in Japan.
Is there a real difference between Japanese and China/Thailand built optics? If so, what, and would it be enough reason to cancel a purchase?
Thanks!

My copy of the Nikkor Micro 105 is astounding. It was made in China. I have no regrets.
Ron

User ID

Mine is made in China. Pix are good, and it hasnt fallen apart. What more can you ask, other than a more rational physical form so the lens can truly be dual purpose: Macro and general use.

2 macros: Voigtlander 90 and Nikon 105. Cost and results of both are equal.

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Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

ricardo00 wrote:

Leica lenses (many people consider the "gold standard" in lenses) were originally all made in Germany. Now many are made in Portugal.

Leica began making lenses in Portugal so Americans could avoid the import tariffs put on products made in Germany by the previous president.

ricardo00

Mac wrote:

Leica began making lenses in Portugal so Americans could avoid the import tariffs put on products made in Germany by the previous president.

Interesting didn't know that. Thanks.

GLSmith Loc: Tampa, Fl

I have had my 105 mm for about 8 years. It is used in extreme harsh environments (see attached). Yet to experience an issue.

(Download)

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

flyboy61 wrote:

I am looking to buy a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro lens, Not for the new Z cameras. I hear people singing the praises of lenses made in Japan.
Is there a real difference between Japanese and China/Thailand built optics? If so, what, and would it be enough reason to cancel a purchase?
Thanks!

Nikon, Canon, etc own and/or control the factories that build their products. The products are built to their standards using their technology and equipment. Where the factory is located makes no difference, unless you are fool enough to believe that the Chinese or Thai people are too stupid to do the job properly. You get what you pay for. If a manufacturer goes to a source, foreign or domestic, and asks for a product to be built as cheaply as possible then that is what you get. That happens a lot in Asian countries because of the low labor rates, not because they are incapable of producing quality goods. Japan was once known primarily for its cheap tin toys because that is what we asked them to build for us. Meanwhile, their optics industry was one of the best in the world. Still is. So are the products they make in their foreign factories.

pv3977 Loc: San Diego

That's full of crap. I'm not a proponent of Trump but I don't like disinformation either.
Leica moved production to Portugal for economical purposes. Low cost labor first and EU requirements to support ECU members economically. Instead of giving Portugal money they give them job to support themselves.
BTW it makes no differences weather the lens are made in Germany of Portugal.
They have mastering the process called "Factory cloning".
Everything including materials, processes, documentation, testing, inspection... were "cloned' exactly to the master factory except for the language difference.
I know because I was part of the factory cloning for Ericsson cellular division (EWU).

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

pv3977 wrote:

That's full of crap. I'm not a proponent of Trump ... (show quote)

Not crap at all. Read this- https://petapixel.com/2020/08/27/leica-unveils-line-of-made-in-portugal-lenses-that-are-cheaper-for-us-buyers/ Feel free to verify it yourself.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

flyboy61 wrote:

I am looking to buy a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro lens, Not for the new Z cameras. I hear people singing the praises of lenses made in Japan.
Is there a real difference between Japanese and China/Thailand built optics? If so, what, and would it be enough reason to cancel a purchase?
Thanks!

Off the subject but I have both the 105d and the new 105 with vr. My old one is every bit as sharp as the new one. Vr being the only difference which for macro shooting is worthless for serious macro

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

flyboy61 wrote:

I am looking to buy a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR Macro lens, Not for the new Z cameras. I hear people singing the praises of lenses made in Japan.
Is there a real difference between Japanese and China/Thailand built optics? If so, what, and would it be enough reason to cancel a purchase?
Thanks!

There are great lenses being built all three places.

You might also want to consider the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 OS HSM Macro lens. It's a very close contender... some thing it's even better than the Nikkor.

https://petapixel.com/2020/04/15/macro-lens-test-canon-nikon-sony-laowa-sigma-and-tamron-compared/

Some of the differences shown in that review may be individual "bad copies". I say that because despite what the above review shows, the Nikkor has a lot of diehard fans.

My point was more that the Sigma is also a very nice lens... so might be worth a look.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

amfoto1 wrote:

There are great lenses being built all three place... (show quote)

My wife has the Sigma 105 macro. It is a very nice lens.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Leica had a factory right here in Midland, Ontario Canada. No cheap labour to be had in this country, At the time I was a Leica user and had quite an inventory of cameras and lenses marked Leitz-Midland. All the equipment was top-notch.

They eventually moved some of the camera and lens manufacturing elsewhere but continued to produce binoculars in Canada, for a while.