I use "cheap" RF lenses like the 10-18, 18-150, and 100-400. I find these lenses sharp and with good color. The only potential issue is that they have slow apertures. Shooting RAW gets me the best dynamic range for pulling up shadows. Also, as mentioned above Lightroom and presumably ACR can apply "AI" noise reduction and RAW detail which also helps considerably.
I don't consider the 35 f1.8 a cheap lens. Generally if I buy a lens and it doesn't test as good, no matter the cost, it goes back.
Feb 04, 2026 at 05:38 PM
Previous versions of Jeff Nolten's message #16980625 « Why Bother Shooting RAW with Cheap Lenses? »
