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I'm done with lens reviews

Started 4 weeks ago | Discussions thread
Erik Baumgartner Senior Member • Posts: 6,893
Re: I'm done with lens reviews
4

Lens reviews and comparisons should always be taken with a grain of salt, especially negative ones. Did they test multiple copies, or only one? Unfortunately, sample variation is a real thing - and not just a little variation within an “acceptable” range, there are some really crappy lenses that somehow make it through quality control out there. This goes for all lenses, not just Fujis.

If you read a positive review and see some good full resolution samples, you can be pretty sure that the lens, at least, can be good. If a bunch of people are raving about a lens (the 18-55, for example), they probably aren’t lying. When there are also a bunch of people going on about crummy a lens is (also the 18-55, for example), they probably aren’t lying either, this just tells you you need to be picky and buy that particular lens (and complicated zooms, in general) with a solid return policy. I think most of the Fuji lenses are pretty solid performers if you get good copies - and most are. I’ve had very good luck with most of mine the first time,  but I’ve had some trouble with a couple - the old 23 f/1.4 and 10-24 (both versions), I finally gave up on those after multiple bad copies.

 Erik Baumgartner's gear list:Erik Baumgartner's gear list
Sony RX100 Fujifilm X100V Fujifilm X-T2 Fujifilm X-T20 Fujifilm XF 35mm F1.4 R +5 more
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