The idea is to provide a ranking of lenses. The ranking can be sorted by:
- Brand
- Full frame / APS-C
- Optical quality
- Price performance
The idea with this ranking is that people who want to read a review about a specific lens can do so, and people who would like to search for lenses according to their 'Optical quality' or 'Price performance' can also do that.
Known. Prio B though.
Frankly, for a specific use-case we are talking about 4-5 max here. That's hardly an agonizing task.
When shopping for a new lens you are surely not browsing all the ~500 reviews within PZ.
Probably in the list page of each brand/format review it is good to include the number of stars in brakets for each lens like some other web sites do.
[quote name='Frank' timestamp='1341296263' post='19281']
Probably in the list page of each brand/format review it is good to include the number of stars in brakets for each lens like some other web sites do.
[/quote]
We've been discussing this in the past already and we might switch to such a list eventually. However, personally I think this puts too much value on the stars. The star ratings summarize our impressions of a lens, but should not be the only thing to look at. IMO, the minimum to look at is the stars and the verdict, if you do not want to read the whole review.
-- Markus
[quote name='mst' timestamp='1341297833' post='19282']
We've been discussing this in the past already and we might switch to such a list eventually. However, personally I think this puts too much value on the stars. The star ratings summarize our impressions of a lens, but should not be the only thing to look at. IMO, the minimum to look at is the stars and the verdict, if you do not want to read the whole review.
-- Markus
[/quote]
Yes, I agree that stars cannot be taken as a major measure of a lens or a summary of a lens test. However, if a reader sees four stars (or 3.5 stars--already quite good at PZ in my impression) after a lens then he/she might be tempted to read the whole review or at least the verdict. If he/she sees two stars after a lens he/she might choose to ignore the lens.
Frank
[quote name='Frank' timestamp='1341300118' post='19285']
If he/she sees two stars after a lens he/she might choose to ignore the lens.
[/quote]
That's what I'm afraid of. For special applications, there are some marvellous 2-star lenses. But you'll have to read the reviews and decide based on your priorities if they fit your needs or not. And many priorities are not reflected in the star ratings anyway, so in the end a 2.5 or 3-star lens might make you happier than a 3.5 star one because, for example, it's a lot lighter and smaller.
I could be mean, if course: those who purchase or select based on the stars only might not have their own priorities.
-- Markus
[quote name='mst' timestamp='1341302105' post='19287']
That's what I'm afraid of. For special applications, there are some marvellous 2-star lenses. But you'll have to read the reviews and decide based on your priorities if they fit your needs or not. And many priorities are not reflected in the star ratings anyway, so in the end a 2.5 or 3-star lens might make you happier than a 3.5 star one because, for example, it's a lot lighter and smaller.
I could be mean, if course: those who purchase or select based on the stars only might not have their own priorities.
-- Markus
[/quote]
I'd like to suggest that PZ add a remark similar to Markus' above paragraphs to both the lens reviews pages (for example, similar to the current remarks "Please note that the tests results are not comparable across the different systems.") and to the FAQ.
Because this seems to be a more and more Frequently Asked Question in the Forums by newbies.