Blind Lens Test

[mdenigris]

One of these was taken with a Canon 75-300mm f/5.6 EF USM IS, the other with a Quantaray 70-300mm f/5.6. Can you really tell the difference in lens quality between these two shots?

I did my best to recreate the conditions for both. Same subject, ISO, arperture, and focal length. Can you judge lens quality given these two examples?

I will revel the lenses once a concensious is reached.

[lost]

#2 looks better, But I think that is more exosure thatn any thing else. #1 is blown out by the direct harsh sunlight.

A better comparison would be taking the same picture just with different lenses. (ex. take a picture, swap the lens then snap another)

[jfrancho]

The only thing I can tell is that they both have had some post processing applied. I'd need to untouched originals to comment.

[SkipD]

There's absolutely no way that anybody can determine lens quality differences with such a small image, and especially when the images are as radically different as the two you provided. The lighting is quite different between the two shots, as is the background, size of the main subject image, etc. The only thing that is really the same is the person you took the photo of.

What you should do is take two virtually identical photographs (same subject, lighting, settings, etc.) with the two lenses. Then provide 100% crop images at the center and edge from each photograph (again, same subject for each). You need to show the detail that someone can make an intelligent choice from.

Using 4"x6" drug-store prints as your test images, you won't be able to tell the quality difference between a super-cheap lens and the best there is.

[condyk]

What a daft test ...

Both are very average, but that means nothing given conditions.

What will you do if a concensus is not reached BTW?

But try again, we all love a quiz :lol:

[nitsch]

I have to agree with some of the comments above. Both images are a)too small and b)too different to make a useful comparison.

I prefer the second one as the harsh lighting in the first one is distracting although obviously this has nothing to do with the lens used for the shot.

[Hellashot]

Difficult to say since neither seems that good. #2 seems a bit soft. On a bright sunny day you don't need to use the IS of the Canon lens.

[schmoelzel]

A agree with the aforementioned comments. Too small to make a fair call but if this is all I had to make a purchase decision (which is often the case), I would choose neither since I know that the $100 Canon 50F1.8 II (which I don't like) can take MUCH better photos..............there is hardly any contrast to either image and the colours are not very good. Cute kid though.........

[blue_max]

No.1 is a better 'picture' in my opinion. One could do the test, with a fantastic picture with an L class lens and a rather poor picture using the worst lens you could buy. The difference would be clear, but there would be no point.

I guess you believe that the poor lens has done rather better than the better one.

A good picture with a poor lens is still going to be better than a bad picture with a better lens.

The round bokeh 'bubbles' tend to suggest more blades and perhaps the better lens, but I could be plain wrong with these samples.

Graham

[mdenigris]

#1 is the Quantaray, which in the case of that particular lens is the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6.

I agree, the test itself is not great. Unfortunatly, I did not have both lenses in my posession at the same time so I had to try and recreate the conditions as best as I could.

The reason I posted the poll is because after what I thought was a trade up in optics, I am generally not satisfied with the results I am getting with the Canon. It seems to exibit a lot of noise, for lack of a better term. Pictures seem more grainy in general and looking over the dozen or so good shots I took with the Quantaray vs. the Canon, the Tamron knock off is the better lens, according to my limited experience.

[sony23]

Take the lense to canon, I had the same problem with a 70-200 L IS and they calibrated it for me under warranty and it is a great lense now.

Bruce

[tim]

Do it again, of the same scene each time, JPG from the camera set on default, on a tripod, mirror lock up, cable release, at maximum aperture and at F8 for both lenses. Provide that full size JPG. Anything done otherwise is uncontrolled, unrepeatable, and unreliable.