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Anonymous
/p/,

How rare is it to receive a soft copy of a lens? My new lens came today and I was testing it out. Maybe I'm just paranoid. Is a soft copy horribly bad like vaseline on the lens or subtle? No PP done except crop.
EXIF data available. Clickhereto show/hide.
Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon EOS 40DCamera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2008:06:12 20:34:33Exposure Time1/50 secF-Numberf/8.0Exposure ProgramAperture PriorityISO Speed Rating640Lens Aperturef/8.0Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length160.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width923Image Height609RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceManualScene Capture TypeStandard
>> Anonymous
>>204408
Yea sorry forgot to say in my OP - slight crop and 25% resize of original.
>> Blackadder !!bSWRwu/NqzQ
If you are worried you will have to test it properly. Tripod, as suggested already, and other sensible precautions. The "soft copy" thing is massively over reported. If you took dpreview as normal then every lens would be returned three times and recalibrated twice. It can happen, but not too often. Most lenses will work, but it's such a pain for those few who do have trouble that they (I suppose rightly) complain loudly about it everywhere and get more attention.

Often someone gets an expensive new lens, opens it up and starts shooting and is amazed that every shot isn't perfectly sharp when they are really at the start of learning how to use it. First time I used something of 200mm length I couldn't get it to work outside. I tried some test shots and I saw it was user error and nothing to do with the lens. Practice and time has shown that to be true.

If it is a new long lens and you were using wide or normal lengths before then it is easy to make mistakes galore as the DOF can be tiny, the slight wobble with your hand will disturb your focus greatly and focus and recompose technique will be a disaster. It is a brand new tool and you'll have to learn to use it and expect sub-par results until you are capable.

I don't see anything wrong with the shot you included though, OP. If you are paranoid and need to be sure then test it properly and carefully. Eliminate user error where you can to test the lens itself. If it looks okay in your images and prints then chances are you are fine.

1/50 sec at 160mm is quite slow for such a length and that shot doesn't even look bad for it (artistic qualities aside). You can't judge or blame the lens fairly under these conditions.
>> Photon
I need to wait a fraction of a second before the VR kicks in on my lens... did you wait till your IS is established first?
>> Anonymous
>>204412
Post a 100% crop so we can see just how soft it is.
>> Anonymous
>>204416
Good deal, thanks. I'll try it out under better lighting conditions. At the moment I'm going to chalk it up to slight hand twitch, slow shutter and the soft breeze.

>>204419
Yea it activates when you half press the shutter. It's crazy when everything becomes still.