08-09-2011, 06:20 PM
[quote name='mst' timestamp='1312841301' post='10533']
Thanks, Dave.
Actually that's the essence of what I have learned especially in the recent two years doing these reviews. Being out in the field actually using the lenses is the fun part of the review work (for me) and I have shot quite a few personal keepers with "crappy" lenses. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate a really good lens, but I'm less of a gear head than I used to be a two or three years ago.
Just one note regarding the technical quality of the sample images: I use Capture One to convert these images and I sometimes wish I had chosen something else. C1 does a tremendous job of extracting details from raw images, many images that look a bit soft in Aperture or LR look a lot better in C1. Thus perceived sharpness is usually higher than low MTF rating would lead you to expect.
However, to retain comparability, I will continue to use C1 for the samples.
-- Markus
[/quote]
Yep, I saw your comments in another thread about the CZ 25/2.8 and how much you were enjoying it in the field, despite the weaknesses in the test results. I've heard other users of that lens rave about it as well.
Another instance recently that was interesting to me, was that in the Pentax forums I've seen some good-to-great sample photos coming from the DA 18-135mm lens even wide-open and at the tele-end, not what I was expecting to see based on the test results. Even Klaus' one wide-open sample photo from that tele end of that lens, it looked better than expected after reading the graphs.
Interesting note about C1. Your images definitely have a lot of good 'pop' (contrast, sharpness).
Interesting stuff to contemplate.
Thanks, Dave.
Actually that's the essence of what I have learned especially in the recent two years doing these reviews. Being out in the field actually using the lenses is the fun part of the review work (for me) and I have shot quite a few personal keepers with "crappy" lenses. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate a really good lens, but I'm less of a gear head than I used to be a two or three years ago.
Just one note regarding the technical quality of the sample images: I use Capture One to convert these images and I sometimes wish I had chosen something else. C1 does a tremendous job of extracting details from raw images, many images that look a bit soft in Aperture or LR look a lot better in C1. Thus perceived sharpness is usually higher than low MTF rating would lead you to expect.
However, to retain comparability, I will continue to use C1 for the samples.
-- Markus
[/quote]
Yep, I saw your comments in another thread about the CZ 25/2.8 and how much you were enjoying it in the field, despite the weaknesses in the test results. I've heard other users of that lens rave about it as well.
Another instance recently that was interesting to me, was that in the Pentax forums I've seen some good-to-great sample photos coming from the DA 18-135mm lens even wide-open and at the tele-end, not what I was expecting to see based on the test results. Even Klaus' one wide-open sample photo from that tele end of that lens, it looked better than expected after reading the graphs.
Interesting note about C1. Your images definitely have a lot of good 'pop' (contrast, sharpness).
Interesting stuff to contemplate.