Hi--

>I been reading a number of articles presented by yourself as well as
>some other folks and wondered if you could answer a few questions or
>point me in the right direction.
>
>I am currently using an older Nikon FG series body and have been looking
>into purchasing lenses for it.
>
>All told, every one has said try to stay with the Nikon/Nikkor
>components for quality/resale which is fine and good but.....
>
>I have come across a number of lenses from other companies made with
>Nikon mounts. The question is, generally speaking, how would you list
>their respective overall quality given the user would be an amateur
>status photographer?
>
>The companies are
>
>Sigma
>Tamron
>Soligor
>Tokina
>Vivator
>Lentar
>Spiratone
>Makinon
Jack Heber

If you look at my Nikkor list (web page, under "I babble"), you
will see that Nikon has made only a miniscule percentage of "dogs".
Most "off-brand" lenses (except often the 70/80-200/210 zooms,
the old 85-135mm primes, and most macro lenses) fall into the catagory
of "dogs", with few exceptions (some of those are listed on my page.
With used Nikkors, if you buy carefully, you can use the lenses for years,
and if not abused, then sell them ->at NO loss<- ! THAT is a bargain! ;-)
If you want to buy cheap, buy used off-brand lenses, and consider them
expendable - and useable for 4x6 prints... (but, then, why not just
get a good point-'n'-shoot?).