I’ve mentioned this in various posts, but if you occasionally buy lenses, or plan to do so, then having a test chart like this handy is invaluable. If you get a duff lens, you’ll want to know it early on, assuming its returnable.
Not to overstate the obvious, but this is especially good advice that I did not follow when I picked up a mint-copy of a used XF 10-24.
After picking up my copy I did go out and shoot with it right away, but as luck would have it the problem area was in an area of the frame that often has open sky in my shots, so I didn't notice a problem right away; I normally shoot vertical to get the buildings around here all in the frame and I usually leave a little bit of headroom at the the top of the frame so the buildings do not feel crowded.
At any rate, after shooting horizontally a scene where there were details all across the frame, I noticed "smearing" on the right hand side. On my copy it looks like the right-hand, maybe 1/5th to 1/4th, of the entire frame is smeared (pixel peeping here). I made a few prints and it's noticeable at 8x10 and given that I normally print a bit larger than that, I plan on sending the lens in to Fuji this week to get serviced.
Live and learn.
Absolutely. My own experience with the 10-24 taught me a very valuable lesson. I used that lens extensively (actually more than any other) during our recent trip to Europe. Had I stuck with my original copy, the images I brought back would have been seriously degraded as a result of the decentering of that lens.
Now, to be clear, reading forums like this can lead folks to believe that this is an extremely common thing. To be honest, virtually all of the 7 or 8 Fuji lenses I've owned over time tested out perfectly with no defects or issues. However, it only takes one to spoil what could be some irreplaceable images. Thus, it's my humble opinion that taking a little time and preparation to vet out a new lens is a good investment and well worth the effort.
I'm far from an expert on lens design, but I do notice that many similar discussions here seem to revolve around this lens (10-24). I have to wonder whether the design might be challenging enough to make it a bit more prone to decentering or other such issues. I have no "inside knowledge" here, but it's just a thought to ponder. Regardless, if you have a good copy, it's a real jewel and worth a little extra effort to vet out if/when you purchase one IMHO.
