Lens and Camera Variation

[cheej]

It's known by anyone who looks out for second-hand deals that some lenses tend to have poor quality control and will need to be callibrated before use with your camera body. But how true is this? What constitutes a 'bad copy' of a lens?

This article by Roger Cicala (of lensrentals.com) truly is an excellent read, and might make you rethink how you view certain lenses (or second-hand buying as a whole).

[L'Nouveau]

i think bad copy means can't focus properly, and it's 'soft'. guess one has to rely on experience to test a lens. a few clicks at a camera shop or when meeting a seller might not warranty any of these.

[cheej]

The guys at lensrentals have posted a follow-up article! I guess the key here is the term 'acceptable sharpness'.