SLR Camera Digital Lenses can be made of glass or plastics. So why does it matter either way? They are complex pieces of equipment and light is particularly sensitive to how it is treated. Furthermore, camera lenses can be made of multiple elements that all work together to provide the desired zoom. This all adds to the complexity and therefore amplifies slight differences in optical quality etc.
Some higher end complex lenses may have 20 or more elements. These are most commonly made of glass, mainly due to its superior optical properties and also because if its relatively good resistance to scratching. Some other materials like Quartz glass, fluorite and various forms of plastic are also used.
Plastics are often used because they allow the manufacture of highly aspherical lens elements which are almost impossible to create using glass. Plastics in can facilitate an improved lens manufacture process and improve the general performance quality of the camera too. While plastic is often used on inner elements, they are only used on the outermost elements of all but the cheapest lenses as they scratch easily.
An indication of their utility is that molded plastic lenses are used in the manufacture of the cheapest throw-away disposable cameras. manufacturers of quality optics tend to use substitutes such as "optical resin". While it is true that glass provides for higher quality performance than plastic, many modern and high performance lenses from big brand labels include some molded or hybrid aspherical elements.
So if you are deciding on which to go with, glass is pretty much an indication of higher quality relative to plastic. Its properties simply treat light better and provide a truer picture.
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