does the phrase "economies of scale" ring a bell for you? nikon doesn't make as many of the older AIS lenses as it does modern models, hence they're more costly. have you ever used a manual focus lens? if so, you know how well-built and solid they are. the optical formula is often the same as the AF equivalents, so they sport superior optics. remember, too, how some of the german brand lenses are also manual focus, and sport price tags in the stratosphere. manual focus is not synonymous with "cheap".