One of the Nikon lists I read has been discussing Canon optics. The conversation below may be of passing interest to some.
Henry Posner B&H Photo-Video ===//=== >Message: 6 > Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 00:02:29 -0500 >Subject: Re: Re: OT- New Canon lenses - Nikon asleep again? > > >Larry wrote: > > My understanding is that the advantages of such a design have long > > been known in optical theory but require such exact manufacturing > > techniques (otherwise serious optical aberrations are introduced) > > that nobody had been able to commercially make such a lens. But Canon > > (and so far, apparently, only Canon) has figured out how to > > succesfully do it. > >Time to throw in my 2 cents after following this amusing debate for a couple >of days... ;-) > >The January issue of Chasseur d'Images contains a test report of the DO >lens. In a nutshell, they are very disappointed by the optical quality of >this lens. A couple of quotes (I've tried to translate as closely as >possible): > >"We were expecting more, especially wide open" (note: test graph shows that >this lens needs to be closed down 2 stops to reach optimal performance - >this is different than with most high performance long teles which typically >are at their best wide open or 1 stop down) >"Contrast and definition improve quite a lot when closing down" >"Its results always stay below the results obtained by the classic L series >lenses (including the almost economical 300mm f/4)" >"This lens hardly attains the level of a 420mm f/4 obtained by adding the EF >1.4x convertor to the 300mm f/2.8 L IS" >"Although this lens is extremely comfortable in use, its performance is >mediocre and its price outrageous" > >I'll leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions ;-) > >Thx for listening, >Christophe. * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
