Tagged Questions
6
votes
4answers
353 views
Are there any comparison photos of different lenses (with the same camera and scene)?
I've heard claims ranging from "higher-quality lenses only make a noticeable difference for scientific applications and super-huge prints," to "even the difference between high-quality and ...
7
votes
2answers
157 views
What does it mean to excite aliases?
I recently came across the phrase 'excited aliases.' The phrase seems to be related to lens sharpness in some way. While a web search turns up the phrase a few times, I am unable to locate a decent ...
1
vote
1answer
116 views
Is the size of the rear opening of a lens related to image quality?
I purchased a Sony NEX F3, and it came with a 16mm lens and a 18-55mm lens. It seems to me that the 18-55mm lens produces better picture.
Does the bigger lens opening in the 18-55mm lens produce ...
2
votes
3answers
552 views
Lens with small scratches on the front element - how do they affect IQ?
I am looking to buy a CANON 28mm 1.8 EF lens. I found an offer, significantly discounted, of a lens with small scratches on the front element.
The offer is very tempting. Here is a photo posted by ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
Canon 50mm f/1.8 vs Canon 28mm f/1.8 (vs Sigma 30mm f/1.4)
I have the nifty-fifty and I am in love with the kinds of images it can produce, particularly when it comes to portraits. I really enjoy the lens, but I have one problem; it is a little bit too tight ...
11
votes
8answers
1k views
Can a sharp picture with a kit lens plus post processing rival a “pro” lens?
If I am able to take a relatively sharp picture with a kit lens, and boost the vibrance and or saturation during post processing, will that picture be comparable to ones taken from an expensive ...
9
votes
2answers
623 views
What characteristics make a good lens good?
When reading lens reviews on the Internet, I often find subjective statements about the image quality that a lens produces, such as "good contrast" or "sharp". The problem is that I don't think I am ...
7
votes
1answer
273 views
What causes this bluish tint and other anomalies in this image?
I bought a Tamron CF Macro 28-70mm 3.5-4.5 lens on eBay for $35 AUD plus postage - cheap enough to give it a go and see what it's like.
I took a range of photos with my Sony NEX-C3 to get a feel for ...
2
votes
1answer
550 views
Does using an adapter on lenses affect the quality of the image?
The camera I am thinking buying doesn't have much selection of lenses. Only 7 or 6 lenses, but using an adapter on the camera can widen the lens selections. Does using non native lenses have any side ...
2
votes
3answers
326 views
Does the higher price lens always reflect better quality regardless of it being 3rd party or not?
When looking at various lenses you will see the camera manufacturer lenses made by the camera manufacturer. Then you will see other 3rd party lenses (Tamron, Sigma, etc). Does it pay to get the ...
2
votes
1answer
5k views
Image Quality of Canon 18-135 IS compared to 28-135 IS USM?
I have the Canon 28-135 IS USM lens and I am pondering replacing it with the newer 18-135.
I know I'll be giving up the USM and FTM focus and gaining 10mm on the wide end (replacing my old kit ...
0
votes
1answer
267 views
How does the megapixel-count and the aperture size affect the quality of the image from a given lens?
I have read that some lenses don't "support" high resolutions, so, for example, for some lenses (e.g. Nikkor 16-85 VR ), it's better to shoot at 9MP, instead of shooting at 16MP.
Is this the case ...
6
votes
4answers
508 views
Is it possible for a lens to produce too much contrast?
I came across a complaint that a certain lens produces too much contrast. The lens was described as rendering "cartoonish" contrast when shooting a portrait with diffused light from a window, where ...
6
votes
3answers
188 views
What is the influence of the camera on the performance of a lens?
Shouldn't a lens be good or bad independently of the camera it is used with?
After seeing these reviews at DxOMark I got confused. By changing the camera where the lenses are tested I get different ...
15
votes
5answers
691 views
How do I find the aperture that produces the highest-quality images for a given lens?
I'm not talking about large aperture (f/1.8, f/2.8...), rather, about small apertures (f/18, f/20, f/23...). I read somewhere (actually I think it was on this site, but I don't exactly remember which ...
23
votes
3answers
1k views
How can I test a new lens to make sure it is operating correctly?
How can I test a new lens to make sure it is operating correctly? I found two similar questions with answers specific to things such as sharpness and focus, but I want to cover any and all possible ...
3
votes
3answers
410 views
What's a good lens for my Canon G7?
I'm not a professional photographer, but I use my camera on a regular basis to photograph my familiy and activities I attend. I own a Canon G7 (older version of the G11) and instead of upgrading to a ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
How do the Pentax 18-55mm and 18-135mm compare in image quality?
I've been reading a lot about the Pentax DA 18-135mm lens and its performance compared to other lenses. I've heard that this lens is very soft at 135mm regardless of aperture. However, I've also ...
19
votes
1answer
785 views
What is decentering?
I have heard of a condition in imperfect lenses known as "decentering". What is decentering? When a lens is decentered, what exactly is wrong with the optical elements? What are its symptoms and ...
11
votes
1answer
2k views
Does image quality of a lens depend on the camera used?
I recently bought a Canon 50mm f1.8 for my Canon 1000d. But, I find that the images are not as sharp as those I saw in the reviews or any other images taken using other cameras like the 550d and ...
1
vote
2answers
330 views
Am I being unrealistic about image quality expectations from Canon 70-200 F/4 USM IS L Lens?
I'm shopping for a 70-200 F/4 USM IS L, and took a few test shots with it.
Here's a full resolution jpeg, and a 100% crop with a focus point highlighted.
It was shot handheld with IS on at 70mm / F4 ...
2
votes
7answers
4k views
Is there an IQ gain from Canon's 18-135 to 24-105L?
Just got a Canon 40D body, and was about to get Canon's 24-105L lens. I hear people raving about the lens, and it all made sense until I saw a Cameralabs' review of the lens.
So don’t buy the EF ...
37
votes
11answers
3k views
Should I keep Image Stabilization (IS) off when I do not actually need it?
I own a Canon 7D and a EF-S 15-85 IS lens and I keep the image stabilization turned on all the time.
Recently, an experienced photographer told me that this is a huge mistake because it reduces image ...
16
votes
11answers
9k views
How does the lens diameter influence photo quality?
I have tested two different 50mm lenses in my camera. One was a Nikkor 50mm ∅52mm. The other one was a Sigma 50mm ∅72mm. I took some pictures with both lenses using the same setup for aperture and ...
