Help: full-sized samples from 28-135mm

[darkness]

May I request those who have a 28-135mm to post some pictures of the corners taken from their APS-C cameras? I'm not sure if it's a problem on my copy, but the corners are very soft while the centre is very sharp. In fact, it is even softer than my A710 IS (besides the noise issue).

The following pictures are all 100% with no post-processing.

Lower left corner taken at 135mm with infinity focus on my 28-135mm with 1000D:


Lower left corner taken at 28mm with infinity focus on my 28-135mm with 1000D:


Lower left corner taken with my A710 IS at max zoom (equivalent to 210mm on 35mm format).


Comparing the above photos, it is clear that apart from number of megapixels and sensor noise, the P&S camera actually resolves more details in the corners compared to the 28-135.

Some other reference images:

Lower left corner taken with 50mm:


Lower left corner taken with 18-55mm:



Can someone help me pls? Is there a problem with my copy or this is what I should be expecting? From all the other pictures that I see on the internet taken with this lens, the corner sharpness are at least close to the centre sharpness, although I can't find any full size pics on the internet.

[leslens]

can u post the centre crops of the 28-135mm as well?

it does look very very soft at f8
maybe u could try increasing the shutter higher from 1/200, im not sure

[darkness]

Centre crop of the same file as the first pic:


Full size pic with EXIF here. Unfortunately photobucket will resize the pic so can't post the original file.

[darkness]

Appreciate some help pls. I'm sure I'm not the only one having a 28-135mm?!?

[chalib]

Originally Posted by darkness Appreciate some help pls. I'm sure I'm not the only one having a 28-135mm?!?

Did u mount on a tripod to do this test??

Purpose is to eliminate the possibility of hand shake

[weixiang1900]

Originally Posted by chalib Did u mount on a tripod to do this test?? Purpose is to eliminate the possibility of hand shake

he is using 1/200 shutter, and this lens comes with IS...

my 55-250mm IS at 1/200 at 250mm end is so much sharper..

did u buy this 2nd hand? i think u might have gotten a lemon... a bad copy from a forumer who might be quick to dispose of this inferior copy... ur A710IS is so much better

[Kit]

Its does look a little out of the ordinary. You might want to send it to CSC for a check.

[darkness]

Originally Posted by weixiang1900 he is using 1/200 shutter, and this lens comes with IS... my 55-250mm IS at 1/200 at 250mm end is so much sharper.. did u buy this 2nd hand? i think u might have gotten a lemon... a bad copy from a forumer who might be quick to dispose of this inferior copy... ur A710IS is so much better

Yes, the lens is bought 2nd hand. I doubt it's due to handshake as the centre sharpness is ok.

Actually I'm also a little surprised with the results turned in by the A710IS.

Originally Posted by Kit Its does look a little out of the ordinary. You might want to send it to CSC for a check.

Any idea how much it will cost? And how's the knowledge of the pple in CSC? I don't want to be taken for a ride if I send the lens in.

[Kit]

Just want to check. All your crops are taken from lower left. How about the other corners? Are they consistent?

[darkness]

Originally Posted by Kit Just want to check. All your crops are taken from lower left. How about the other corners? Are they consistent?

I didn't scrutise the right side, but I'm sure the top left and bottom left (in fact, the entire left side) is soft. But I will check again tonight when I'm home.

I will redo the test using a piece of newspaper tonight.

In the meantime, any bros with this lens can kindly post a 100% crop from the lower corner would be greatly appreciated.

[eddy400d]

You can send both your camera and lens to CSC for checks. Just tell them to calibrate it for you. as for cost maybe you give them a call but i think it range about $30 to $60.

And since it is a 2nd lens maybe its good idea for them to clean it up for you too. :-)

you can always test the camera + lens after CSC worked on it.... at least u ve a peace of mind... just my 2 cents worth.. cost i did just that recently...

[calebk]

Originally Posted by darkness I didn't scrutise the right side, but I'm sure the top left and bottom left (in fact, the entire left side) is soft. But I will check again tonight when I'm home. I will redo the test using a piece of newspaper tonight. In the meantime, any bros with this lens can kindly post a 100% crop from the lower corner would be greatly appreciated.

Newspaper means you have to align it properly and parallel to the sensor. Why Kit asked about the other corners is because element misalignment might be a possibility.

For your reference: 100% crops from the 28-135.

[Headshotzx]

Hi. My friend lent it to me (even though I didn't need it since I also borrowed a 55-250IS already) and I tested it out. I don't have pics and really don't need to post it up, but his IS module is screwing around. It's a third hand 6-year old lens, but the IS always jerks probably like 10times in a single second just when I activate it.

[darkness]

Bro, thanks for all the replies!

calebk, I checked thru some of the pics in the pixel-peeper, and confirmed that they are indeed sharp at the corners as well (ok, sharp may not be the right word but definitely not soft like my copy). Understand your point on Kit's question of the other corners now. I will check the other corners tonight. Will mount the newspaper vertically for the shot to ensure that the entire page is in the focal plane.

I will also separately contact the seller on the follow up actions for the lens since he has kindly given me his own personal warranty. I really like the range of the lens (for me since I don't shoot wide angles very frequently) and have seen the IQ of the lens from other pics and hope to get this resolved as I would like to keep the lens.

[Fotophilic]

I don't own this lens. But i done some research on it b4. It is known to produce soft corners at the long end...

See review by Richard Bate (just one of them)
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/s...t=27#poststart

Aiya, buy 2nd hand items, its like that one la. Sometimes u happen to get things that are not up to ur expectations. Even if u demand a refund from the seller, he/she can also say that the lens wasn't like that when he sold u (u understand what i mean?). Like what other bros said, send to CSC for a check. Take it as a lesson for not checking the item properly.

[weixiang1900]

Originally Posted by Fotophilic I don't own this lens. But i done some research on it b4. It is known to produce soft corners at the long end... See review by Richard Bate (just one of them) http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/s...t=27#poststart Aiya, buy 2nd hand items, its like that one la. Sometimes u happen to get things that are not up to ur expectations. Even if u demand a refund from the seller, he/she can also say that the lens wasn't like that when he sold u (u understand what i mean?). Like what other bros said, send to CSC for a check. Take it as a lesson for not checking the item properly.

that's why i never buy 2nd hand stuff w/o warranty...

[darkness]

It's kind of weird.

I did quite an extensive testing last night with newspaper using 3 focal lengths - 28, 50 and 135 at almost macro distance using f4, f5.6, f8 and f11. The pictures at the corners all turned out to be ok! Thinking that it might be due to the infinity focus distance, I tried to shoot from abt 10m away from the newspaper, but the results seems ok also. It was soft, but not so soft like the original HDB picture that I took. There was always a hint that the left side is softer than the right.

So this morning, I shot again with IS on/off and tried f5.6, f8 and f11 at 135mm at the HDB again, but this time round framing all 4 corners to check. The results does seem like the left side are softer than the right.

Will check with the original seller on the lens and see what kind of arrangement we can work out on this...

[weixiang1900]

Originally Posted by darkness It's kind of weird. I did quite an extensive testing last night with newspaper using 3 focal lengths - 28, 50 and 135 at almost macro distance using f4, f5.6, f8 and f11. The pictures at the corners all turned out to be ok! Thinking that it might be due to the infinity focus distance, I tried to shoot from abt 10m away from the newspaper, but the results seems ok also. It was soft, but not so soft like the original HDB picture that I took. There was always a hint that the left side is softer than the right. So this morning, I shot again with IS on/off and tried f5.6, f8 and f11 at 135mm at the HDB again, but this time round framing all 4 corners to check. The results does seem like the left side are softer than the right. Will check with the original seller on the lens and see what kind of arrangement we can work out on this...

the lens is buggy....

[lemontree]

Hi darkness, how is the lens now? I'm thinking of buying one myself so am worried when I saw this thread of yours.