kanenas
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Received my 30 1.4 two days now.
Short version: I am sending it back, and then wait for a couple of weeks to think it over.
Long version:
Exterior: (5/5) The EX-paint is very nice. It is small. Hood EX-painted as well.
Interface: (3/5) Focus ring: kind of grinding when compared to the silky smooth 70-200 4L. When/IF I get a replacement, I will see if this is a sample specific issue.
Focus: (0/5) We all know f1.8 means limited DOF. Couple that to incosistant focusing and a back focusing tendancy, and you have a deal breaker. My sample is BF whenever it chooses to do so! Before flaming me, read my test method: Tripod mounted 350D, ruller 45 deg. Focus manually to infinity, then autofocus at the 15cm marker, take the shot. Then focus manually to minimum distance, autofocus at the 15cm marker, then take the shot. Last night it was backfocusing constantly by 4cm.
Mind you, I am not a pixel peeper, I would have not done a test like that if I had not a problem with the first snaps I took. I have never done this test to the 70-200 f4 or the tokina 12-24.
Packed the lens back, nice and all and went to sleep/work next day etc. Since I will hand myself the lens back to the local store somming Monday, I figured I could do another ruller test. The thing is alive, probably overheard my conversation with the store, and tried to pull itself back together. Bottom line, same test, same ruller, same camera, and now the 15cm mark is spot on!
This got me into thinking of giving it a sevond chance. So I went for a walk around the block, and did a little window-shooting. My verdict: the lens can has a certain incosistancy. One moment it picks up a hair of a doll, the next it is missing by half a meter. This baby is going back.
Optical Quality: (4/5) Given the price tag, and the fact that it is the only alternative to a fast normal lens for 1.6crops, I should not complain here. But I will. It is a prime, it covers only 1.6 crop, and it costs as much as the 50 1.4 does: then it should perform as well as the full frame counterpart. My first impressions are that it does not. I will blame my sample and limited time I had to try it out, and wait for the next one (/if..) I liked the colors, I liked the center sharpness, don't expect tack sharp 1.4. The rating 4/5 is a good thing in my book.
Bokeh: (2/5) I sliced from the optical quality bokeh for one reason: there IS a problem concerning off focus highlights. Off focus PLANES are nicely rendered. No weird corners or imbalances. Nothing to write home about, but this in nothing new. The problem lies in the details..
The Off Focus Highlight's are changing shape according to the distance from the center of the frame. BIG OFH dead center are round, and they become cones as they head towards the edges. SMALL OFH dead center are points, and become arches as they head towards the edges. I will post two pics that show the effect.
The first is resized, no post processing. Notice the BIG OFH as you look towards the top right corner. Then spot the red small OFH arch like shaped in the top right extreme border.
The second is a crop of the top/top_right part of another photo.
Pff..Christmas.. they sure picked the wrong season to launch this lens, with all the sparkling lights out there!!!
Will I buy an other one? I think I will wait for a week or so before I decide on this. I mean, there is no alternative and the 30 1.2L is nowhere near my budget! Tokina/canon/tamron any other takers? Any rumor running on dpreview? ;-)
Edited by kanenas on Dec 16, 2005 at 09:12 AM GMT
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