[Queries] Sharp Copy of a Lens


WhiteFields

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Sep 14, 2010
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I've browse through some threads and reviews over the net and find out that some uses
"I have finally found a sharp copy of XXX lens", "you must have got yourself a sharp copy",
"Gotta return this lens and look for a sharp copy" etc etc..

May I know what do they mean by that? does that mean if i got 2 exact same lens of same
brand, same model but the IQ I will get from the 2 lenses may still differ?:dunno: is it like
buying pokemon booster pack? packaging may be the same but the cards inside are different?
 

May I know what do they mean by that? does that mean if i got 2 exact same lens of same
brand, same model but the IQ I will get from the 2 lenses may still differ?:dunno: is it like
buying pokemon booster pack? packaging may be the same but the cards inside are different?

The comments might purely based on personal or on manufacturer's QC or might be just to vent anger coz no money to get a sharper lens?:bsmilie:

*don't read too much into it, shoot and see sharp or not is most practical;p*
 

The comments might purely based on personal or on manufacturer's QC or might be just to vent anger coz no money to get a sharper lens?:bsmilie:

*don't read too much into it, shoot and see sharp or not is most practical;p*
sometimes, the photo may look nice and sharp in the camera dslr when u test it on the spot
when purchasing the lens, but once you upload in into your computer, it will be a disappointment.. :(
 

ok.. maybe i am not specific enough.. what i meant is that, if all the conditions are kept the
same for the camera, will the 2 same lens produce different IQ of the area in focus (putting
front/back focusing issues aside)?

It's safe to say that the lenses will all be within 99% of each other. But if there's a difference, it's usually just a minute difference in sharpness.

IQ is a LOT more than just sharpness.
 

It's safe to say that the lenses will all be within 99% of each other. But if there's a difference, it's usually just a minute difference in sharpness.

IQ is a LOT more than just sharpness.
okok.. that's nice to hear actually, having the thought of going through the trouble of testing
several lens to get a sharp one is just so not good.. but don't mind me asking, why does some
ppl still do that? is it a psychological thinking?
 

okok.. that's nice to hear actually, having the thought of going through the trouble of testing
several lens to get a sharp one is just so not good.. but don't mind me asking, why does some
ppl still do that? is it a psychological thinking?

this is called singaporean kiasu syndrome.

plus they feel good, like they found something good. sometimes i look at the sharp copy and the "not sharp" copy it looks the same to me. :dunno: for me, i just make sure the copy i have is not too soft. that's all...
 

this is called singaporean kiasu syndrome.

plus they feel good, like they found something good. sometimes i look at the sharp copy and the "not sharp" copy it looks the same to me. :dunno: for me, i just make sure the copy i have is not too soft. that's all...
bo bian la.. we are born as singaporean ma.. lol.. :bsmilie:

just wanna check with u.. how do you determine if your lens is too soft or not? cos our camera lcd is not big enough to give us that kind of information? o_O
 

bo bian la.. we are born as singaporean ma.. lol.. :bsmilie:

just wanna check with u.. how do you determine if your lens is too soft or not? cos our camera lcd is not big enough to give us that kind of information? o_O

Upload to your PC and look at it 100% or 200%. Then you are an official pixel-peeper, because once you upload online and reduce the size to 800x600, or run a single sharpening filter over the pic, nobody can tell the difference.
 

bo bian la.. we are born as singaporean ma.. lol.. :bsmilie:

just wanna check with u.. how do you determine if your lens is too soft or not? cos our camera lcd is not big enough to give us that kind of information? o_O

now can zoom in what.... use that, that's what i do.

the camera lcd does not display color or exposure accurately, but it better display if the image is sharp when zoom in... otherwise can throw away and buy a new one liao.
 

now can zoom in what.... use that, that's what i do.

the camera lcd does not display color or exposure accurately, but it better display if the image is sharp when zoom in... otherwise can throw away and buy a new one liao.
i've thought of this initially, but how much to zoom to actually provide an approximately 100% crop of the image?
 

i've thought of this initially, but how much to zoom to actually provide an approximately 100% crop of the image?

you don't need 100% crop to determine sharpness, just go by gut feel lor.

frankly speaking, as a hobbyist, who really cares about absolute 100% crop sharpness? i know i don't... that is for the people who have gone beyond being just pure hobbyists and take pleasure in:

(1) examining digital photos at 100% all the time. beauty of photo comes not from the whole photo, but from how detailed the pixels are, how nice the gradation in the sky is....

(2) polishing gear in the cabinet and talking to them, petting them on the lenscap and saying "good lens! very sharp boy!"

etc
 

is it like
buying pokemon booster pack? packaging may be the same but the cards inside are different?

first time I heard of this comparison :)
 

first time I heard of this comparison :)
i dont buy booster packs. I will just buy the cards that i need individually.

frankly, as long the people you photograph are happy with the outcome..sharp enough liao.

anyway, cameras are starting to have built in manual lens compensation so shouldnt be a problem unless the issue is really severe.
 

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first time I heard of this comparison :)

i know it's not a very good one.. :x but that's what i thought of at that moment.. :bsmilie:

i dont buy booster packs. I will just buy the cards that i need individually.

frankly, as long the people you photograph are happy with the outcome..sharp enough liao.

anyway, cameras are starting to have built in manual lens compensation so shouldnt be a problem unless the issue is really severe.

u've got a point there too.. :) need to satisfy both side of the parties instead of just individual self.. :)
 

you don't need 100% crop to determine sharpness, just go by gut feel lor.

frankly speaking, as a hobbyist, who really cares about absolute 100% crop sharpness? i know i don't... that is for the people who have gone beyond being just pure hobbyists and take pleasure in:

(1) examining digital photos at 100% all the time. beauty of photo comes not from the whole photo, but from how detailed the pixels are, how nice the gradation in the sky is....

(2) polishing gear in the cabinet and talking to them, petting them on the lenscap and saying "good lens! very sharp boy!"

etc
haha... :bsmilie: i totally get what you mean.. come to think of it, we don't really use our photos
at 100% crop.. sometimes as long as it satisfy our naked eye at that moment i think it is already
good enough.. :)

and i am not so hardcore la.. never talked to my gears before.. :x
 

you don't need 100% crop to determine sharpness, just go by gut feel lor.

frankly speaking, as a hobbyist, who really cares about absolute 100% crop sharpness? i know i don't... that is for the people who have gone beyond being just pure hobbyists and take pleasure in:

(1) examining digital photos at 100% all the time. beauty of photo comes not from the whole photo, but from how detailed the pixels are, how nice the gradation in the sky is....

(2) polishing gear in the cabinet and talking to them, petting them on the lenscap and saying "good lens! very sharp boy!"

etc

ya lar. BUT if you spend 3k on a lens, you want it to be sharper than a 1k lens right? Else you feel stupid spending 3k as it did not improve your photography skills so you must show improvement SOMEWHERE right? sharpness is usually the easiest place to look for improvement.
 

I've browse through some threads and reviews over the net and find out that some uses
"I have finally found a sharp copy of XXX lens", "you must have got yourself a sharp copy",
"Gotta return this lens and look for a sharp copy" etc etc..

May I know what do they mean by that? does that mean if i got 2 exact same lens of same
brand, same model but the IQ I will get from the 2 lenses may still differ?:dunno: is it like
buying pokemon booster pack? packaging may be the same but the cards inside are different?

I think most of the "unsharp" lens just need to be calibrated with the camera body. There are some manufacturing tolerances so when you put 2 things together, you may need to finetune them. Just like when buying clothes, you need may need to alter/tailor it to suit you to perfection.
 

ya lar. BUT if you spend 3k on a lens, you want it to be sharper than a 1k lens right? Else you feel stupid spending 3k as it did not improve your photography skills so you must show improvement SOMEWHERE right? sharpness is usually the easiest place to look for improvement.

i won't know, i won't spend 3k on a lens ever.

my most expensive investment in photography per unit is my k20d body. next would be the sigma 10-20 at ~$700 when it was available grey.