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Archive 2015 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images

  
 
Jglaser757
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


I am wondering if I have a bad copy of lens. I have seen amazing results from others on here. I have a 14-24 and it is soft in the corners. I sent it to repair shop and they said it was working properly. I took it out again yesterday and it is soft in the corners. I shot at f8 this time instead of f11 and used manual focus almost exclusively. I also tried live view and a hoodman loupe. Images are sharp in the center but when I'm viewing images at 2:1 or 3:1 in the corners or edges it's really soft. I am not sure how to handle this moving forward. I can't imagine what I'm doing wrong when focusing especially if I'm using DOF properly. I never had this issue shooting canons 16-35 and I'm not going back!

Do I rent a copy of the lens from borrow lenses? Don't like the idea of waiting money that way.
Do I buy one to test it out?
Or do I try the zeiss? If I do that then I have additional issues and costs involved.

Edited on Mar 07, 2015 at 10:21 AM · View previous versions



Mar 05, 2015 at 07:35 AM
MP79
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


I would not be the one who could best advise you on your copy of the 14-24 as I have no experience with this lens, but those who can do so are probably going to request that you post some full resolution pictures showing the issue you are referring to so you would be well advised to go ahead and do so. Just trying to be helpful in improving the quality of the responses to your thread, so good luck and I hope you get some answers.


Mar 05, 2015 at 08:51 AM
hijazist
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


MP79 wrote:
I would not be the one who could best advise you on your copy of the 14-24 as I have no experience with this lens, but those who can do so are probably going to request that you post some full resolution pictures showing the issue you are referring to so you would be well advised to go ahead and do so. Just trying to be helpful in improving the quality of the responses to your thread, so good luck and I hope you get some answers.


+1. The 14-24 shouldn't be "really" soft in the corners particularly at F/8.



Mar 05, 2015 at 09:25 AM
static808
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


soft corners at f8-11? you got a bad copy. it happens. went thru a couple of 16-35vr's until i found a copy with good corner performance and even sharpness. supposedly on these UWA lenses, its pretty easy to get an element knocked out of alignment and get uneven sharpness across a picture. same thing with other UWA lenses i've previously owned (sigma 10-20, nikon 10-24, canon 10-22),


Mar 05, 2015 at 10:39 AM
the solitaire
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


My copy of the 14-24 was good in the corners at f2,8. It was excellent (read sharp) in the corners from f5,6 onwards.


Mar 05, 2015 at 01:20 PM
Jglaser757
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


just ordered a new lens to test..I will keep fingers crossed.


Mar 05, 2015 at 06:53 PM
morris
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


You have a bad copy of a lens when:

- You are able to take excellent photos with all the other lenses you own

AND

- When you hand this lens to someone that takes excellent photos with the same model lens and they mount it on their camera and also get bad results

Morris



Mar 05, 2015 at 07:03 PM
ckcarr
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


static808 wrote:
soft corners at f8-11? you got a bad copy. it happens. went thru a couple of 16-35vr's until i found a copy with good corner performance and even sharpness. supposedly on these UWA lenses, its pretty easy to get an element knocked out of alignment and get uneven sharpness across a picture. same thing with other UWA lenses i've previously owned (sigma 10-20, nikon 10-24, canon 10-22),


He has a bad copy based on what?

It's not often with a Nikon 14-24mm, which is different than a 16-35mm

The 14-24mm can be a difficult lens to properly hold and photograph with.
Until we see some examples (a picture is worth 1,000 words), then you cannot remove user error & skill with this lens from the equation.




Mar 05, 2015 at 08:30 PM
Aloicious
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


ckcarr wrote:
He has a bad copy based on what?

It's not often with a Nikon 14-24mm, which is different than a 16-35mm

The 14-24mm can be a difficult lens to properly hold and photograph with.
Until we see some examples (a picture is worth 1,000 words), then you cannot remove user error & skill with this lens from the equation.



+1 on this...and what is "really bad" thats a completely subjective analysis, the 14-24 is a great lens....for what it is....but its a much more complex piece of equipment than people understand, especially when you take into consideration it's shortcomings that need understanding and compensation for to achieve optimum results (like focus shift, field curvature, etc) the corners, especially on the wide end and at large apertures, do suffer noticeably....is the OP expecting corner performance at 14mm f2.8 to compare to an otus or 200 f2? we simply don't have enough information to say the lens is bad or not.



Mar 05, 2015 at 09:49 PM
MP79
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


Jglaser757 wrote:
just ordered a new lens to test..I will keep fingers crossed.


I am not sure why you would go through the trouble of ordering a new lens with plans to also go through the future trouble of testing it against the copy you have but not be willing to first undertake the much easier effort required to post some shots for evaluation by some very experienced users here who could probably really help you out and give some insight here but ok... Once again, good luck to you.




Mar 06, 2015 at 12:31 AM
Jglaser757
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


Ok So here are a two images shot with the 14-24. One taken at 24mm and one at 14 mm. And at F8 iso 100 on a tripod with mirror delay and a remote shutter release.

I have done minor editing in LR mainly, decreasing highlights, increasing clarity and vibrance and decreasing blue.

The corners are extremely soft especially along the tree-line.












Mar 06, 2015 at 02:22 PM
ReyGay
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


Where are your focus points? Load it on NX2 or View NX and take a screenshot of it so we can see this. Cheers.


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Mar 06, 2015 at 03:42 PM
static808
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


ckcarr wrote:
He has a bad copy based on what?



based on the information he gave. at f8-11, and at those focal lengths, if the corners are much softer than the rest of the image, then he's got a bad copy. no need to over analyze, sometimes things are exactly as they seem.



Mar 06, 2015 at 04:29 PM
Jglaser757
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


Thanks for the help. I can tell you my focus points were on the Lilly pads in the foreground.
ReyGay wrote:
Where are your focus points? Load it on NX2 or View NX and take a screenshot of it so we can see this. Cheers.

My Flickr Gallery
My interesting photos on Flickriver
my Deviantart gallery




Mar 06, 2015 at 07:45 PM
Chris Court
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


If it looks anything like this, then there's a chance you may have a bad copy…

C



Mar 07, 2015 at 10:01 PM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · How to tell if you have a bad copy of lens? Uploaded images


I'll defer to other 14-24 users out there, but based on your focus point would you expect the tree line to be sharp at f/8? That's quite a distance away. Have you tried to shoot something with a less depth to compare? And did you correct any distortion in Lightroom or Photoshop? That could account for some softness in the corners. If so try checking the uncorrected file.


Mar 07, 2015 at 11:56 PM





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