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Another decentered lens, another delayed review ...
#21
[quote name='Brightcolours' timestamp='1298555674' post='6320']The Sigma 85mm f1.4 for instance is such a lot cheaper, it is worth the try.[/quote]

Funny enough 85mm f1.4 is the sigma lens I'm considering buying. A few months ago the Nikkor 85 1.4D would be the most obvious choice (as 1.4G is just insanely expensive), but now it's a bit of dilemma, so I'm really waiting for photozone's review now <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='Smile' />
#22
[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1298443463' post='6286']

If I had to come up with a ranking (best to worst):

1. Olympus FT

2. Nikon

3. Canon

4. Olympus MFT

5. Sony

6. Panasonic

7. Tamron

8. Pentax

9. Sigma

10. Samsung

11. Tokina



This needs to be correlated to the service quality - locally it's roughly:

1. Olympus

2. Nikon

3. Pentax

4. Canon

5. Sigma

6. Tamron

7. Panasonic

8. Sony

9. Tokina

10. Samsung



Prime lenses are, of course, better centered than zooms. We've rarely seen issues with primes actually.

The biggest problem makers are ultra-wide zoom lenses (usually issues at the image sides) and high ratio zoom lenses (center centering -> contrast).

[/quote]



That's really not good..! I have the Tokina 11-16mm down as my next lens... maybe that should be 'had' now...? <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='Sad' />

Is there a quick and easy test to check for this issue?

Ian
#23
[quote name='IanCD' timestamp='1298719791' post='6375']

That's really not good..! I have the Tokina 11-16mm down as my next lens... maybe that should be 'had' now...? <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='Sad' />

Is there a quick and easy test to check for this issue?

Ian

[/quote]

Yes, make a photo of something flat. If one side is very OOF while the other corners seem to be in focus, an element might be decentered.
#24
[quote name='Lomskij' timestamp='1298624337' post='6349']

... A few months ago the Nikkor 85 1.4D would be the most obvious choice ...[/quote]

My only issue with 85/1.4 D is the need to use AF microcorrection. Apart from that it seems almost perfect for the purpose (portraiture), and I have no itch for any other 85mm.
#25
[quote name='Brightcolours' timestamp='1298724285' post='6376']

Yes, make a photo of something flat. If one side is very OOF while the other corners seem to be in focus, an element might be decentered.

[/quote]

Thanks Brightcolours

Would that be possible to check reasonably quickly in a shop..? Say, with a page of text or buildings, then checking the image (magnified) in the camera's monitor. Do people do that? It would save the hassle of checking after buying.
#26
[quote name='Brightcolours' timestamp='1298724285' post='6376']

Yes, make a photo of something flat. If one side is very OOF while the other corners seem to be in focus, an element might be decentered.

[/quote]



That's one potential effect - one or more elements are more or less centered (the center is where it should be) but tilted.

The other one is a more a global loss of contrast caused by an off-center (shifted) element and that's harder to check in shops.
#27
[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1298732900' post='6380']

That's one potential effect - one or more elements are more or less centered (the center is where it should be) but tilted.

The other one is a more a global loss of contrast caused by an off-center (shifted) element and that's harder to check in shops.

[/quote]

Thanks Klaus

With your rating of Tokina and caution re Ulra Wide Angle lenses in mind, (how) would you consider buying the 11-16mm..? PZ gave it a very good review, but this has me wondering. Has Quality Control dropped badly since that review - seems that way, maybe? With Nikon at the other end of your QC scale, maybe the 12-24 looks an (expensive) better bet?
#28
[quote name='IanCD' timestamp='1298742939' post='6381']

Thanks Klaus

With your rating of Tokina and caution re Ulra Wide Angle lenses in mind, (how) would you consider buying the 11-16mm..? PZ gave it a very good review, but this has me wondering. Has Quality Control dropped badly since that review - seems that way, maybe? With Nikon at the other end of your QC scale, maybe the 12-24 looks an (expensive) better bet?

[/quote]



It all depends. Frankly I'm only mail-ordering lenses from well-known shops in order to have to return items without hassles (e.g. amazon).

In this scope I can "gamble" even with third-party manufacturers.

If this is no option for you I would stick with a genuine manufacturer simply because of better QC and better service quality.



I'd probably give the Sigma 8-16mm a try.
#29
[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1298750105' post='6382']

It all depends. Frankly I'm only mail-ordering lenses from well-known shops in order to have to return items without hassles (e.g. amazon).

In this scope I can "gamble" even with third-party manufacturers.

If this is no option for you I would stick with a genuine manufacturer simply because of better QC and better service quality.



I'd probably give the Sigma 8-16mm a try.

[/quote]

Makes me wonder how much better the 12-24 DG (and the 8-16) would be if sigma just made it a 12mm (or a 8mm in the case of the 8-16) prime. Sigh... curious to see how good the 12-24 II is.



GTW
#30
[quote name='Lomskij' timestamp='1298551995' post='6318']

Do you suggest to stop gambling and start buying genuine nikon lenses only? <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blink:' />

[/quote]







Just bought a new N70-200mm VR2



First one decentered, 2nd ok (I think)



Not good enough for £1625..... plus all the hassle of testing and taking it back and then testing again.



(Now I have a body in the repair shop because the lens's shallow DoF emphasises it's back focus. You can't win)
  


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