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24-70 2.8 L vs. kit lens...unexpected results?

Started Dec 7, 2014 | Discussions thread
OP DaveEdmunds Junior Member • Posts: 27
Re: 24-70 2.8 L vs. kit lens...unexpected results?

Thanks Lemming51, and while I expected lenses to operate best in the mid-apertures I was surprised to hear that they more or less perform about the same around those apertures (within reason I'm sure).

The 24-70 is a great lens...I've been taking some wide open shots around the house and it's pretty sweet.  But the irony from the exercise is that I'm also appreciating my 18-200 a lot more for the things it does well.

I will open them up and try again...thanks D

Lemming51 wrote:

DaveEdmunds wrote:

...

I set up a very quick test...shot the same scene once with each lens both shots at 40/43mm (I eyeballed the zoom setting for the kit lens so it's off by 3mm), 1/160, f11, iso 100, studio flash with my 60D.

All lenses are virtually the same sharpness (or unsharp due to diffraction ) at f/11. Try it again at f/5.6 or whatever the 18-200 is wide-open at ~40mm and see if there's a difference. Center sharpness may still be similar, but the 24-70 should be better at the borders.

Other image differences between these that should be noticable (maybe with another subject) include vignetting, barrel/pincushion distortion, and CA.

Otherwise, yes the 18-200 is a good (or at least good enough) lens for general use. It's certainly a much better lens at 80mm - 200mm than the 24-70/2.8L

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