would you buy a rebadged lens?

[jann1033]

just reading some "other" photo forums...it seems the tamron 17-50 f2.8 has been rebaged by promaster...right now the tamron is actually cheaper due to a rebate, the difference being 6 yr (t) vs lifetime warranty(p) and supposed better resale of tamron( although now that i know promasters are rebadged i wish i would have checked out my promaster 100-300 on my camera before i gave it away ) . most over there went with the tamron. i do know my camera store sells both and recommends some promaster stuff( ie their one flash has everything the metz 58 but it doesn't have high speed synch or update usb but for $200 less, so you could buy 2 for the price of one ....)
so do you think refusing to buy rebadged is just a vanity/brand snob issue or does it have validity?

i'm thinking "who cares what tag is stuck on it" but maybe i am being swayed due in part to my good experience with omegasatter( phoenix) and bad experience with canon

 

[caniswolfie]

I think the rebadged issue becomes sticky in that you may have heard that this particular lens may have been a particular manufacturer, but there's nothing stopping them from changing manufacturers as some point to someone else that might be cheaper, etc. So multiple lenses with the same name and specs might be from multiple manufacturers over it's lifespan. There's no guarantee they will continue getting their supply from the same manufacturer.

You may also find that Promaster might be more forgiving on quality control on the lens than Tamron is and that's how Promaster is making money on the lens.

It's hard to say what qualifies as "lifetime" on a warranty. They may consider lifetime being for as long as they are selling the lens. If you bought the lens today and they stop selling it tomorrow, you warranty is only a day as opposed to 6 years for Tamron if you bought both on the same day.

This is not say that any of this is true. But there is no guarantee that is not and if you have had experience with the brand showing this to be not the case, you will probably be okay with them.

 

[jann1033]

it's my understanding that promaster doesn't make the lens, it just has it's name on it so not sure how much quality control would be involved, although tamron isn't really known for that either i guess.
the thing with the warranty is , right now i have a phoenix lens that isnt't working( also sold under cosina, vivitar and promaster) omega satter has taken over phoenix and they have bent over backwards to try to fix the problems, so much so it has me shocked...they no longer have that lens ( she was going to just replace it) but said if it can't be fixed she'd do something else. already sent me a free book ( hardbound, would easily be $30-40 anyplace) which amazed me and truthfully makes me much more comfortable with their warranties being honored if the company is there or not( although promaster has been around for ages)

 

[caniswolfie]

My only point on quality control is that Tamron has a set of criteria that it uses when it looks at a newly manufactured lens for it to pass and be sold as a Tamron lens. Promaster may supply a different, less strenuous or complete list of criteria to Tamron it will accept to sell the lens as a Promaster. So you may get a lens Tamron would not accept to sell under their name but Promaster is willing to accept.

I'm thinking things like softness at the edge of lens, distortion, etc. There may other criteria I can't think of. Now this isn't a guarantee and perfect lens may be sold as Promaster even with lowered list of quality.

 

[jann1033]

My only point on quality control is that Tamron has a set of criteria that it uses when it looks at a newly manufactured lens for it to pass and be sold as a Tamron lens. Promaster may supply a different, less strenuous or complete list of criteria to Tamron it will accept to sell the lens as a Promaster. So you may get a lens Tamron would not accept to sell under their name but Promaster is willing to accept.

I'm thinking things like softness at the edge of lens, distortion, etc. There may other criteria I can't think of. Now this isn't a guarantee and perfect lens may be sold as Promaster even with lowered list of quality.

i was originally thinking you meant "manufacturer"