Find out the truth!

I’m not sure how you check out lenses, but I test them, shoot real world images with them and, I admit, I read the test reports too!!!  That last thing has fooled me more  than once.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some very reputable places that test lenses and, for the most part, I think they accurately portray what they have discovered!

There are a few things they do not take into account.

1.  How well made is the lens?  Will it continue to perform several years later after heavy use as it did right out ot the box?  In my 48 year photo career I’ve only found three manufacturers that, to this very day, still make metal,. highy hand assmbled lenses that remain exeptional, even after years of use! Leitz, Carl Zeiss and Fujinon.  Early Nikon and Canon lenses would make this list too, but lenses made over the last 20 years have a great deal more plastic in them.

2.       All lenses are not created equal, even within the same model dsignation.  Let’s say you buy a Fujifilm 18-135 lens.  You may get a spectacular one, or a very good one, but rarely, but still sometimes, you could get one that is not as good as the average.  Fujifilm has an excellent quality control group, but it is enevitable that a dog still slips past every once in a great while. Should you worry about this?  No, but test your new lens and if you are convinced it is not up to speed, return it and get another copy. I have a great deal of respect for the testing done by photozone.de.  I have found their assesments to be spot on!  However they really panned the 18-135,  so I did my own tests, and I’m convinced they had a bad copy.  The images below was made with the 18-135, and I’ve made many others that are tack, tack sharp, so I still believe in that lens!

The bottom line is trust, but verify!

The image below was, by-the-way, my first still shot from the DJI Mavic Pro, makes me excited to get to some good locations!!!

Blessings,

the pilgrim