One of the problems that I have with some magazine tests, is that I don't have a good idea what the difference in quality between a B rating vs A+ rating looks like. So although they may be useful in comparing between lenses, they don't help me decide whether or not I need to spend that extra $700 for the pro version. If I look for help in the text of magazine reports, newsgroup reports, or other sources, I am not much better off. I don't know if person reporting on the lens has the same perception of quality as myself and consequently it is difficult to make purchasing decisions based on their recommendation.
What I tried to do with this test is provide a way for people to judge for themselves. The following pages contain enlarged sections of the index image. The test image is a typical tourist photograph of the Portal to Yosemite valley along highway 120. I only tested the lenses at 28mm because, a) The 20-35 does not overlap at many other focal lengths b) I only wanted to use so much film on this test c) I like and often use the 28mm focal length.
Like other tests I have done, this one really does not test for flare. As far as distortion goes, I will soon be posting a distortion test for these same lenses.
The subjective stuff first:
28 2.8 - I like this lens. It is small, light and pretty sharp. The construction is just ok and it is a noisy relative to the USM lenses. Because it is a fixed lens I don't have to worry about dust getting inside of the lens like on some zooms.
28-80 3.5-5.6 - I borrowed this lens from a friend of mine who got it in an Elan IIE package deal. This lens is really light. Personally, given the same quality and durability, lighter is better for me, so I considered this a plus. Manual focusing is kind of hokey. You turn the front of the lens to focus and there is not dampning. I like the zoom action on this lens better than on my 28-105. The zoom action is very light, but does not have a tendancy to bind like my 28-105 does.
28-105 3.5-4.5 - This is the lens I use most often. The focusing is silent, the size and weight are fine, and in general I find this lens very useful. I do have a few problems with it. The zoom action sometimes binds at the 28mm end, so that it takes a little more force to move it off the 28mm end then generally required to turn the zoom ring. Over the years dust has gotten inside the zoom so I can't clean it, I would prefer a lens that did not allow dust in. Finally I was dissapointed with the results at the 28mm end.
20-35 2.8L - Mechanically this is a well built lens. The focus and zooming are well damped and I don't think dust would be able to get inside of this lens. It does not have a USM motor, so no FTM and it is a little bit noisy. Also, it feels fairly heavy to me. I don't mind the weight just walking around, but I am not sure I would want to bring too many lenses that weigh this much on a backpacking trip.
