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Question on Minolta 24-85mm sharpness; is mine faulty?
Topic Started: Apr 9 2008, 09:21 AM (1,040 Views)
weishengg
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Hi, I did not turn off the SSS when I had it mounted on my tripod, i hope that won't affect the sharpness of my image that drastically? :(

Anyway, i do accept that most lenses are not at their sharpest when used at the widest apertures, but i just felt that what I'm seeing here is a little out of ordinary.

Perhaps i'll take it down to Sony servicing centre and see if they can detect anything abnormal about it.

Either that or... I just willingly bought an unsharp lens! :jaw-drop:
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jasahchun
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路人甲
weishengg
Apr 9 2008, 09:42 PM
Hi, I did not turn off the SSS when I had it mounted on my tripod, i hope that won't affect the sharpness of my image that drastically? :(

Anyway, i do accept that most lenses are not at their sharpest when used at the widest apertures, but i just felt that what I'm seeing here is a little out of ordinary.

Perhaps i'll take it down to Sony servicing centre and see if they can detect anything abnormal about it.

Either that or... I just willingly bought an unsharp lens! :jaw-drop:

but.. can Minolta lens be serviced at Sony?
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Tomato
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Forum Advisor
duh...

Its not only DOF...

Most of the lenses even the professional lenses performed better when stop down 0.5 stop or more. It has nothing to do with DOF issue.

You buy f1.4 lenses so you can use f2, f2.8 lenses are good in sharpness but it generally also improve once it hit f3.5 or more... so if a f4.5-5.6 lens, you do expect it to performed well somewhere around 5.6-6.5 or something like that.

yes, for f2.8 lenses, they may look sharp at f2.8, but will be better if can be stopped down a little for much better performance in terms of sharpness.

Regards,

Hart
Qualified Master Photographer | Certified Premier Greener Photography
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yannh
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Sharpness improve while stopping down I can understand. I have seen reviews, and even experience myself that sharpness reduce again while reducing aperture beyond certain point. Is that common also?
Sony Alpha.
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weishengg
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jasahchun
Apr 9 2008, 09:43 PM
weishengg
Apr 9 2008, 09:42 PM
Hi, I did not turn off the SSS when I had it mounted on my tripod, i hope that won't affect the sharpness of my image that drastically?  :(

Anyway, i do accept that most lenses are not at their sharpest when used at the widest apertures, but i just felt that what I'm seeing here is a little out of ordinary.

Perhaps i'll take it down to Sony servicing centre and see if they can detect anything abnormal about it.

Either that or... I just willingly bought an unsharp lens! :jaw-drop:

but.. can Minolta lens be serviced at Sony?

hi, i think thats possible. vaguely remember someone complaining on clubsnap before about the slow moving queue of konica minolta products at the sony servicing centre.

but of course, its no longer under warranty so i'll have to pay for the servicing.
weishengg.blogspot.com
Snap away!
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jasahchun
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路人甲
weishengg
Apr 9 2008, 10:32 PM
jasahchun
Apr 9 2008, 09:43 PM
weishengg
Apr 9 2008, 09:42 PM
Hi, I did not turn off the SSS when I had it mounted on my tripod, i hope that won't affect the sharpness of my image that drastically?  :(

Anyway, i do accept that most lenses are not at their sharpest when used at the widest apertures, but i just felt that what I'm seeing here is a little out of ordinary.

Perhaps i'll take it down to Sony servicing centre and see if they can detect anything abnormal about it.

Either that or... I just willingly bought an unsharp lens! :jaw-drop:

but.. can Minolta lens be serviced at Sony?

hi, i think thats possible. vaguely remember someone complaining on clubsnap before about the slow moving queue of konica minolta products at the sony servicing centre.

but of course, its no longer under warranty so i'll have to pay for the servicing.

haha ok.. but if it's too ex to service.. i think it's better to sell it off and get a better copy.. ;)
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Tomato
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yannh
Apr 9 2008, 09:59 PM
Sharpness improve while stopping down I can understand. I have seen reviews, and even experience myself that sharpness reduce again while reducing aperture beyond certain point. Is that common also?

yes, in general. Its a common lens design.

Regards,

Hart
Qualified Master Photographer | Certified Premier Greener Photography
Tomato Photo Website | Bambini Photography Website | Tomato on Facebook
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Edlet
Alpha Newbie
weishengg
Apr 9 2008, 10:32 PM
jasahchun
Apr 9 2008, 09:43 PM
weishengg
Apr 9 2008, 09:42 PM
Hi, I did not turn off the SSS when I had it mounted on my tripod, i hope that won't affect the sharpness of my image that drastically?  :(

Anyway, i do accept that most lenses are not at their sharpest when used at the widest apertures, but i just felt that what I'm seeing here is a little out of ordinary.

Perhaps i'll take it down to Sony servicing centre and see if they can detect anything abnormal about it.

Either that or... I just willingly bought an unsharp lens! :jaw-drop:

but.. can Minolta lens be serviced at Sony?

hi, i think thats possible. vaguely remember someone complaining on clubsnap before about the slow moving queue of konica minolta products at the sony servicing centre.

but of course, its no longer under warranty so i'll have to pay for the servicing.

I do not have a copy of 24-85mm but i do have a copy of the older 28-85mm. Looking at the photos you posted, my opinion is that the sharpness is acceptable and not likely to be the fault of the lens.

Just as many bros have said here, for consumer grade lens, be prepared to step down 1-2 stops (highly dependent on the focal length, usually higher focal length might need to go down >3stop). For pro zoom lenses, about 1 stop. For primes, 0.5-1 stop.

Why then did they design a big unusable aperture? My guess is that its easier for focusing purposes since more light enters the lens.
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soulexpress
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Alpha Sniper Member
weishengg
Apr 9 2008, 10:32 PM
jasahchun
Apr 9 2008, 09:43 PM
weishengg
Apr 9 2008, 09:42 PM
Hi, I did not turn off the SSS when I had it mounted on my tripod, i hope that won't affect the sharpness of my image that drastically?  :(

Anyway, i do accept that most lenses are not at their sharpest when used at the widest apertures, but i just felt that what I'm seeing here is a little out of ordinary.

Perhaps i'll take it down to Sony servicing centre and see if they can detect anything abnormal about it.

Either that or... I just willingly bought an unsharp lens! :jaw-drop:

but.. can Minolta lens be serviced at Sony?

hi, i think thats possible. vaguely remember someone complaining on clubsnap before about the slow moving queue of konica minolta products at the sony servicing centre.

but of course, its no longer under warranty so i'll have to pay for the servicing.

Minolta lenses can be serviced at Sony Service Centre as they've a technician who crossed over Minolta. Initial charges of $60 (may be more may be less, it depends I think) applies, this cost is without any servicing involved. But a good point to note is that whilst they can perform general procedures such as cleaning and re-alignment, when it comes to parts replacement, they are quite limited.
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Galdor
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I'm just a Newbie Cameraman
The sharpness of the lens is acceptable to me. Maybe like what the other bros have mentioned, you have to stop down to get its optimum performance. This is pretty common among the common consumer lenses.
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