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Does the 18-55 kit lens have a sharpenss problem?

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EMs1950 said:
RDoe said:
...However focus distance plays a role here, close focus (1-3m) its seems sharper, longer distances 10m+ needs stopping down. But 55mm isn't the sharpest, at least with my copy.
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With my 18-55 of my X-T1 and an other 18-55 of my X-E2s long distance photos (10m ... oo) at 55mm and aperture 8 were like reverse russian roulette. At least 1 of 6 shots failed.

My new 18-55 with new X-T2 is a dream, also at 55mm :-)
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Hello,

I read somewhere, not so long ago, that the same phenomenon was found with the 55-200, nl. that one side was partially unsharp at times...It was thought on that site that the vibration reduction module was at fault. I will look at my 18-55 and 55-200 more closely as I used them seldom...

Cheers, Willem
 
An interesting thought...could OIS be the cause of this variation in sharpness that some observe?
 
Does the 18-55 kit lens have a sharpenss problem Answer = NO

but yours might who knows??
 
My first version was poor on the left hand side at about 8 0'clock esp at wide end with close imagery in the foreground - that side and location of the lens was almost like it had grease on the image. I took it back to the retailer and after testing they gave me another 18-55 which is good.
 
FWIW Clive, my experience mirrors yours and EMs1950's almost exactly (unreliable focus, particularly at 10m + distance. Nothing to do with OIS or focus mode, it just decides to focus on nothing at all). Also hopeless up close at the long end of the zoom range. The contrast in quality at the long end compared to my 55-200 is like night and day.

The up side is that I've learned to appreciate working with a single focal length. I can cover most eventualities with an 18 & 27 combo.

DB

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidbosdet/
 
You will find a lot of posts in this forum and others in internet on this topic.
Mostly it is suggested:
1. Use O.I.S only when time is less than ca. 1/250 (because of interferences of shutter speed and stabilisation frequency?).
2. Use O.I.S. in mode 2


I think there might also be trouble with some lenses even when O.I.S. is off:
O.I.S uses movable lens, it has to be held in center when O.I.S is off. Might be this does not always work well > e. g. partly sharpness of images only on one side (not because of decentered lens).
 
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Hi All

Would it help in the discussion whether we would know in each case where the kit zoom was produced, with serial number, and whether OIS was turned on or off? Maybe asking too much, but I think this information would be useful, at least for some of us. Just asking.

I have one made in Japan, 38A0xxxx, always with OIS off. I am not pixel peeping, but I am overall happy with the sharpness. And since I may not always pay enough attention to getting the right focus or aperture, or ensuring that other parameters are correctly set for the scene (needing more practice and experience, and hence time to improve my skills), I would not feel comfortable in asserting that my zoom is soft when some photos are sharp and others less so. Just my thoughts.

On a related topic: I am still on X-T1 & X-E2, to minimize any adverse effects stemming from not really knowing how to maximize the benefits of the new sensor and processing engine and film simulations and... (also reading threads about focusing problems with X-T2 and -T20). I think that it is more important to master what one has, which I think is plenty enough in my case (and still working on it ...) than having the latest. Just my approach.

Cheers Dan
 
New to Fuji X-T20 18-55mm but very please so far.

Feel the attached pic of the onset of Autumn, although nothing special, is sharp and the colours are equal or better that previous Canon M. Pic unedited and handheld so OIS workrd.

Happy with lens and also 50-230mm I purchased.

 

Attachments

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My experiments also show that the unreliable focusing and unstable IOS at longer distances to the subject and shorter shutter speeds play a significant role with soft images coming from the kit lens. The second is especially puzzling, because they could fix it easily in firmware by disabling IOS completely at higher than normal shutter speeds and at longer distances.
 
Father Bouvier said:
My experiments also show that the unreliable focusing and unstable IOS at longer distances to the subject and shorter shutter speeds play a significant role with soft images coming from the kit lens. The second is especially puzzling, because they could fix it easily in firmware by disabling IOS completely at higher than normal shutter speeds and at longer distances.
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PS. I'm guessing here. But it looks like the trouble they had with OIS was the reason why they scrapped it from the 16-55/2.8 lens. The early samples (probably there are still pictures somewhere) showed OIS designation on the front of that lens. And just few months later the lens debuted with no IS.
 
TheDarmok74 said:
If it was only one copy or two I'd easily dismiss it but there seem to be several.
And it's not that I read about it, I noticed it on a copuple of images and investigated and boom, there it was, several people complaining about the very same issue.
Some even argued that newer vwersions of this lens and (maybe) those sold as a kit were no longer made in Japan but I think the Phillipines.
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I don't know if that really makes a difference.
TheDarmok74 said:
Could be a reason, I do not know. But if I am ordering the kit, which seems likely now, I will definitely order online so that I can return it just in case. I do not want to have to send my new lens for repair only to get it back as it was.
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I feel like some sample images would be in order here. There's no denying you can get a bad copy. But I also think it would be instructive to see what you're talking about.
 
I just did a search and the issues with 18-55 count back to the time it was introduced and apparently after so many firmware updates they haven't been fixed.
 
Father Bouvier said:
I just did a search and the issues with 18-55 count back to the time it was introduced and apparently after so many firmware updates they haven't been fixed.
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It always seemed like a nice enough lens from the reviews and results I've seen. And it has always looked like a step above the typical kit lenses I've used which really were pitiful - Nikon 24-85 VR, Sony 28-70 kit lens. But alas, it is a more or less kit lens and a fairly inexpensive zoom at that. So I'm not sure how much anyone can really expect out of it.
 
mapline said:
New to Fuji X-T20 18-55mm but very please so far.

Feel the attached pic of the onset of Autumn, although nothing special, is sharp and the colours are equal or better that previous Canon M. Pic unedited and handheld so OIS workrd.

Happy with lens and also 50-230mm I purchased.

Click to expand...
It was sharp and the colours are nice. Could you upload more full size images taken with 18-55 mm ?

Thank
 
Hi rainydiary

Attach pic at 18 and 55 with f4 and f8. All had held with OIS





















 
Hi rainydiary

4 pics with OIS on (previous I found OIS was off) . Focus on both sets was on the nose/eyes of fig not on bricks







 
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Here’s an example of what my copy did. This was focused on the people in the centre but the actual plane of focus is all over the place. It only did this at certain focal lengths and at certain focus distances.

cd90c32a04894e53aa83d369aadbaf99.jpg
 
Colin Dutton said:
Here’s an example of what my copy did. This was focused on the people in the centre but the actual plane of focus is all over the place. It only did this at certain focal lengths and at certain focus distances.

cd90c32a04894e53aa83d369aadbaf99.jpg
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I see the in-focus area is along the diagonal. That may indicate that the camera and/or lens mount are misaligned. Do you have the same problem with the other lenses?
 
No, the problem was just with this lens, not others. It was more spherical than diagonal. Fuji have repaired it so it's acceptable now. It's fine for trips out with the family but it's still a league away form the primes in my opinion.

Father Bouvier said:
Colin Dutton said:
Here’s an example of what my copy did. This was focused on the people in the centre but the actual plane of focus is all over the place. It only did this at certain focal lengths and at certain focus distances.

cd90c32a04894e53aa83d369aadbaf99.jpg
Click to expand...
I see the in-focus area is along the diagonal. That may indicate that the camera and/or lens mount are misaligned. Do you have the same problem with the other lenses?
Click to expand...
 
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