Lens marks and image quality: shocking truth revealed!

Posted 1 September, 2006 in Kit/Equipment

How many times have you seen "small cleaning mark on lens, does not affect image quality" in ads for used cameras? Is it true? What about severe defects, like, say, "a loose spiral spring, some odd hardened liquid bubbles, dust, and a unidentified German insect in the lens"? Jurgen Kreckel, who repairs and rebuilds vintage medium format folding cameras, took such a lens—a 50/1.4 Planar—to Dresden and found out.

The results are nothing short of shocking.

Comments

noleander
September 1, 2006 at 9:15 am

Are you serious?! I don’t even know how that’s possible, but maybe that means a junked Leica is in my future.

Loflin
September 1, 2006 at 9:39 am

that’s it? nice picture and everything, but it’s kind of busy. i think i need to see some more test shots of a neutral field such as a clear blue sky, or even a white sheet of paper to come to any definite conclusions. and, i’d love to see what kind of flare it makes.

Nicolai
September 1, 2006 at 9:46 am

Yeah, I think more testing and pixel-peeping are required to really evaluate the effects, but it still surprised the hell out of me.

Look for more detailed testing soon!

paul
September 1, 2006 at 10:43 am

that rumbling sound you just heard was the rating scales (EX, LN, BGN) of many camera dealers falling to bits.

That is pretty amazing.

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