k_iwao

Here is an image I took with this camera and lens. The exif should be in the file but just in case - OOC jpg, handheld, f5.6, 1/750s, center weighted, standard setting, sharpening set at 0 and single point select focus. Please view and say what you think about the sharpness of this image. Then I will reveal what they said at Fuji headquarters.

 

A mixed bag of replies. Thanks everyone. I am particularly interested in the replies from the owners of the lens. The reviews say it should be very sharp at f5.6. Most lenses are. My copy is not. There is a lack of fine detail when viewed at 100%. How about your copy? When I spoke to the guy at Fuji headquarters in Tokyo he said the Fuji's have a different kind of sharpness. What did he mean by that? Is he saying the xtrans sensor has a different kind of sharpness to the bayer sensor?

My 23 1.4 is simply a great lens. I've thought about the smaller 23/2 but I just like the signature on the 1.4. Its not particularly heavy. If the OP is dissatisfied than get something else. Here's one taken pretty wide open maybe 2.8

Firstly I want to point out that I could not careless who made my gear. What I do care about is having gear that works as it should. I have had the xt20 and 23mm f1.4 for a couple of months now. I bought the 23mm based on reviews that stated it was sharp in the center at f1.4, very sharp at f5.6 and according to Ephotozine has barely noticeable CA. This is not my experience with this lens. Infant after 3 days of owning the camera I went to Fuji headquarters and they said you should get used to it first and I was told that this has a different kind of sharpness to my other camera. 2 months later I find that the CA is quite noticeable but not at f4. I think that images taken at f5.6 should be really sharp with lots of fine detail. The f5.6 images look ok at 50% view but there is a slight softness at 100%. Is the slight softness I am seeing normal with 24mp sensor compared to the 16mp sensor I had before. Err I do not actually compare them.

 

Could somebody please tell me what their experience with this lens is. Does it match the reviews? My copy doesn't seem to. Thanks.

<p>I have had the da*200 for 2 years now and I love the lens. Its hardly off my camera. In my experience my copy struggles to nail a frame filling approaching torso at walking pace never mind jogging so I do not use it for that kind of shooting.</p>

<p>Thanks for your response. Yes I am sure they are from lights/reflections. See the images below. It was suggested that it was just busy bokeh and the photozone review was cited. It states the bokeh can be busy. I was relieved as this meant the lens wasn't faulty but yesterday with the sun shining into the lens I found that an element half way into the lens had lots of spots of what looked like oil all over the surface which in the sunlight flared. This did not look like dust. I know what dust in a lens looks like my 77ltd looks like it has a galaxy inside. Whether this was the cause of the patterns I don't know but I returned to the shop to see what they thought. They agreed to an exchange. The thing is other than questionable bokeh lights the image was more than satisfatory. I just hope the lens I exchanged it for is just as good.<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8344449334_3e1fa9b4e7_z.jpg" alt="" /><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8211/8343390273_d8acb7dcbb_z.jpg" alt="" /></p>

 

<p>I recently got a new da*200mm for xmas. It is my first tele above 100mm. I am very satisfied with the color, sharpness and rendering of the lens. See the 2 example images. One is close up and there is no pattern in the bokeh lights the other is a crop showing distant bokeh rings with patterns. Can anybody tell me if patterns in bokeh lights are a normal occurrence?</p>

<p><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8351/8329860708_75b5ddf2cd_c.jpg"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8351/8329860708_75b5ddf2cd_c.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8078/8328801359_28e8b32e13.jpg"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8078/8328801359_28e8b32e13.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>I choose this photo mainly because at the time I was amazed to see a man with a dustpan and brush cleaning what is the major shopping high street in Tokyo. Is this something I would see in my home country. Not ... likely!!</p><div></div>

<p>Am I too late. Sorry I can't work out how to link to my flickr page so it's a bit small.</p>

<p>K</p><div></div>

<p>Thank you Steve for your generous comments. I love it too but then I would It's of my daughter.</p>

<p>Thanks again</p>

<p>I hope a photo shows up this time or I will be banned.</p><div></div>

<p>My daughters first.</p>

<p>sorry tried to but can't post image from flickr?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks for the response. Firstly I would like to point out that in manual mode there is absolutely no play in the barrel or focus ring. It is apparent when engaged in AF. As far as I am aware the drive is through a small gear so I think more than 1mm of movement in the focus ring equates to a lot of movement in that gear.<br>

Regarding autofocus consistency. I think this lens is more inconsistent than my fa50 or da70 but that could be poor judgement on my part. I place a focus test sheet flat agains a wall and focused on the bar taking several shots and it was about 80% accurate.</p>

<p>Thanks for the response. Firstly I would like to point out that in manual mode there is absolutely no play in the barrel or focus ring. It is apparent when engaged in AF. As far as I am aware the drive is through a small gear so I think more than 1mm of movement in the focus ring equates to a lot of movement in that gear.<br>

Regarding autofocus consistency. I think this lens is more inconsistent than my fa50 or da70 but that could be poor judgement on my part. I place a focus test sheet flat agains a wall and focused on the bar taking several shots and it was about 80% accurate.</p>

<p>My lens is ex demo with 12 mths warranty<br>

My 77 ltd has more than 1mm play in the focus ring when engaged in autofocus. I took it to Pentax. The person on the desk felt the rotational play and immediately said it needed repair and removed it from the body and put a lens cap on it but when he saw the guarantee he muttered demonstration and then suddenly changed his mind stating its not quick shift so this amount of play is ok. Did he mistake the lens for a da70(quick shift focus) or did he change his mind because it was an ex demo???<br>

Is over 1mm play in a quality lens like this acceptable? But I do not know how the screw drive works so I cannot see how it would impact on the performance of the lens anyway. <br>

If anybody could enlighten me on what effect if any play in the focus ring could have it would be much appreciated.<br>

Michael</p>

<p>Thanks Michael<br /> Specifics - K20d. fa77 ltd. You are right about the mirror and I think the K20d locks up with the 2 second timer so it should not have moved but maybe the slight change in position and the occasional slightly out of focus image, 8 out of 40, could be attributed to play in the autofocus gear?? Maybe??? Perhaps I should visit Pentax and get them to check it.<br /> Thanks again<br /> Mike<br>

Sorry I seem to have posted this twice</p>

<p>Thanks Michael<br>

Specifics - K20d. fa77 ltd. You are right about the mirror and I think the K20d locks up with the 2 second timer so it should not have moved but maybe the slight change in position and the occasional slightly out of focus image, 8 out of 40, could be attributed to play in the autofocus gear?? Maybe??? Perhaps I should visit Pentax and get them to check it.<br>

Thanks again<br>

Mike</p>

<p>Thanks for your quick response. I used autofocus. Everything was tight but not bolted to the floor. It didn't focus perfectly every time but I would not expect it to and I suppose half a mm at 4 feet is very small at 100 percent magnification; so yes maybe the mirror slap between shots is enough to cause a little movement even though every thing was tightened up. </p>

<p>Thanks again for your response.</p>

<p>I recently tested a lens for sharpness by taking several pics of a newspaper positioned flat against a wall, and it seemed ok but I noticed that the word in the center moved position slightly in every photograph. In other word the lens had focused in a slightly different place - .5mm variation approx. The camera was on a tripod, 2sec timer, refocus every time. Would this slight variation be normal??? Also since buying the lens 4 months ago the focus ring has developed quite a bit of play - over 1mm. Any comments would be much appreciated.<br>

Mike</p>