I do not know about the inside, but the plastic aperture rings of the FA* lenses that I own (24/2, 200/2.8, 300/f4.5) with numbers merely printed on them has always been a nuisance to me. The focusing rings probably are made of plastic, too. The distance scale windows are plastic, of course, and what is beneath them it is just some paper with numbers printed on it, isn't it? However, the weakest point is the silver barrel colour that is scratched rather easily, as we have discussed her before.I believe the focus ring of the 24 is plastic, but the 85 & 200 are metal. Never own the FA*300 so don't know (mine is F*). From what I have read so far, the white finish on the Canon L lenses isn't very scratch resistance either, so to my F*300/4.5. But it is true that the silver finish of the FA* lenses is so attractive that it makes you nervious. AFAIK, inner mechanisms of FA* lenses were made of metal. 2 thing I don't like about FA* lenses are the stupid silver metal focus scale window frame, and the dust sucking feature (why can't they be better sealed from dust? FA*24/2 is quite dust resistance however).
The limited lenses have none of these weeknesses. Their only "problem" is that the bigger resistance that they offer for good manual focusing makes them slow in AF mode (simimlar to the F series lenses).I used to believe the silver Limited lenses were scratch resistance, until I have discovered my 43/1.9 has a long scratch on it, or what appear to be a long crack on the finish. I have no idea why it was there. I always babe my gears. Basically the design of Limited lenses is like the M-series lenses with A setting and autofocus. My 43/1.9 has a little play on the focus ring and it's enough to affect the aperture blades position a little. However, it doesn't seem to cause any practical difference. The 43/1.9 is quite well sealed and inside still free from dust after 3 years. The 77/1.8 has the firm but loose focus feel. I cannot spot any flaw with it, except it sucks lots of dust. The very first time I used it few years ago, the inner elements became quite dusty already (I swear it was perfectly cleaned when I bought it in Japan). It is now very dusty, in fact, my most dusty lens ever (FA*85/1.4 come 2nd).
regards,
Alan Chan
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