-----Original Message----- From: graywolf [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 3:38 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: M 1.4 50mm question
Can I ask a few questions? How do you know the history of your 30+ year old lens? 8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 I am going by vast EXPERIENCE. I have owned over 200 of these M42 Asahi lenses and the quality consistancy has been nothing short of amazing. Quality design and quality testing mean quality results... 8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 Has it been repaired by someone who didn't know what they were doing? 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 These lenses rarely if ever need repair...They sometimes get a weak aperture spring, but thats about it... 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 Has it been dropped? 8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 they are bulit so solid that in order to diturb the eleents it would take obvious external damage..... 88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 I do not figure the dog M1.4 came from the factory that way. 8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 8888888888888 Why? If build quality went down( it did) and 100% testing was eliminated (most likely), there is no reason to believe it couldnt have been built that way... 8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 888888888888 I do figure the differences between #2 and #3 were sample to sample variation. On the other hand many companies now seem to feel it is cheaper to use their customers for the final quality control check. J. C. O'Connell wrote: > I think your "variation" comments vary(pun?) from lens line & models. > The pentax screwmount super-taks and SMC Taks for example show almost > no "dog" examples because they were 100% tested TWICE (First in Japan, > then again in USA) before being sold and due to their incredible build > quality, held their performance unless extremely abused. Cheap modern lenses > on the other > hand probably are usually not even tested once. > JCO > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > J.C. O'Connell mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://jcoconnell.com > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > > -----Original Message----- > From: graywolf [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 12:44 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: M 1.4 50mm question > > > Going price is about $75. However if the store is giving you a warranty > that is worth a premium in my opinion. > > I have had 3 of this lenses. One was very sharp at all f-stops, one was > good wide open and excellent at all other stops, and one was absolutely > bad wide open and ok at the other stops. That means either that there > was quite a bit of difference lens to lens new, or that at least one of > the 3 had been dropped hard enough to decenter an element (if it was it > had been repaired because the lenses showed no sign of damage. > > What am I trying to say in the above paragraph? Simply that lenses very > a lot. And in my experience an M50/1.4 should be bought with a return > guarantee and tested as soon as you get it. If that guarantee costs $25 > bucks extra I would consider it well worth it. > > > > -- graywolf http://graywolfphoto.com
