Where to test lens before buying?

[fatbike]

O ya bro TS,tink I got 2-3 lens from tk photo b4 & had always promise me a one to one exchange for the 1st week to the shop directly even for their tripod,
Was ALWAYS reminded not to touch the wrty for 1st week, cos it's exchange for that period of time den after is by wrty,
Btw was wondering how's ur newly bought sigma 17-50 which u said bout the green cast/tint dat u experience, am curious bout that really, thx

 

[learningtoshoot]

borrow from friends to tell lor.. or go to shops at pennisula centre, think there are shop where can test

 

[trd2970]

Head to Japan, loads of lenses and bodies for u to test at the electronic giant stores. 1dx, d4, 50 1.2 etc. Whatever u can dream of.

 

[Gikens]

Is it basic to do testing even if not buying? They know me as a repeat customer, and that day itself I already confirmed buying an item that coated few hundred dollars. They said I cannot test it unless I confirm buying the lens.

Being disappointed, I'm not visiting them anymore.

Sorry for saying these but just to be fair to them. Yes.. Indeed u are buying some stuff from them which cost few hundred dollar but it not the len u are buying. Well... maybe i m lucky... Each time I buy lenses I nvr face this problem before coz I will only test it when I m buying it but not other stuff. I ever bought a tamron 70-200 f2.8 and I even tested nikon and sigma to compare but of coz not in TK for this 70-200 len. I did bought other len from TK before. Well... I did test it before buying it.

 

[Gikens]

Sorry for saying these but just to be fair to them. Yes.. Indeed u are buying some stuff from them which cost few hundred dollar but it not the len u are buying. Well... maybe i m lucky... Each time I buy lenses I nvr face this problem before coz I will only test it when I m buying it but not other stuff. I ever bought a tamron 70-200 f2.8 and I even tested nikon and sigma to compare but of coz not in TK for this 70-200 len. I did bought other len from TK before. Well... I did test it before buying it.

Like I said although I tested all 3 brand of 70-200mm f2.8 nikon,sigma and tamron in the shop but I m using my own body and of coz I dun just fire like nobody business on each len. I only take 2 shot on each len to compare the image and IQ than confirm going for tamron and that was when I do more testing and check on the len.

 

[sin77]

Like I said although I tested all 3 brand of 70-200mm f2.8 nikon,sigma and tamron in the shop but I m using my own body and of coz I dun just fire like nobody business on each len. I only take 2 shot on each len to compare the image and IQ than confirm going for tamron and that was when I do more testing and check on the len.

So u tested 3 brands lenses at another shop before buying? So TK photo cannot right?

 

[Gikens]

So u tested 3 brands lenses at TK photo before buying?

Yes, tested all 3 but not in TK.

 

[sin77]

Btw was wondering how's ur newly bought sigma 17-50 which u said bout the green cast/tint dat u experience, am curious bout that really, thx

I only shot at 3 places with incandescent lighting and can't determine is green or warm cast as I don't have much chance or time to do extensive tests. A bit weird because if it is normal warm colour I can easily tune the raw in lightroom. It was rather challenging when I tried. Something was just not right. Other than that, their QC is subjective as feedback by many others. Sometimes I suspect mine got AF accuracy problem. But again, haven't done much testing.

Price wise, I got mine at $530 by cash term. It is a fast lens with os and focusing is considered fast and quiet. Reviews also commented good image quality compared to Nikon fast lens. But note that it has vignetting problem as well.

In many ways that would beat other brands like tokina n tamron hands down. Note also that tamron is not suitable for external flash photography. It gave wrong distance info to the camera/flash, causing overexposure. Very bad mistake.

Hence for $530, it is definitely not a lens to be missed.

 

[rollbread]

I guess can't blame the shops for not allowing to test the lens. If you work at those retails or electronic shops before and u will find that alot of people come in just to try and in the end didn't buy.

I think u can rent the lens from shop or friends for 1 day and fully try them out anyway u want. If suitable then buy it from the shop. I think pretty hard to try out the lens in the shop too especially can't try it for too long.

 

[ed9119]

all feedback noted

we better get a few of the manufacturers and agents to organize a few molestation outings and meet-ups for you guys

Immediately there is a Sony RX10 molest session this Saturday..... go sign up in "Outings and Gatherings" section

 

[ricohflex]

They said I cannot test it unless I confirm buying the lens.

That is rubbish by the shop. If you have to confirm purchase of the lens as a condition precedent to being allowed to test it, then what is the point of testing?

So what does typical customer testing of a lens entail?
Fitting the lens onto a camera body, pointing it at a scene and clicking the shutter a few times. That is it.
It is not a destructive test.
No scratches have been made on the lens front or rear elements. No marks have been made on the lens barrel.
The lens has not been dropped on to the floor, shattering the lens elements within.

Good manufacturers test their lenses before they are passed for sale.
So the idea of a "virgin" lens that have never been mounted on a camera body is possible, but not necessarily a good thing.

The shop (TK in this particular case, but it can be any other shop) and its owner/staff may not think too highly of you.

If you are important enough as a customer to them, they would respond accordingly.

Don't lose any sleep over it.

There are many other shops you can buy from.

It is only a Sigma lens.

 

[shaokenphotos]

I always test lenses by renting it.
But the things I test are the suitability of the focal length, sharpness etc. Those back n front focusing issue, the shop u buy from also can't do anything.

For those issues, u need to send it to servicing centres, so I don't really test the lens unless for fungus or scratches/cracks.

 

[Octarine]

That is rubbish by the shop. If you have to confirm purchase of the lens as a condition precedent to being allowed to test it, then what is the point of testing? [Other rant deleted]

Maybe you want to read again the entire thread? TS is buying something different (not a lens) and just wanted to happily test snap this lens, without immediate purchase. Like going into a car showroom and put your bum into the display models without intending to buy.