Digital BW, The Print

There are many ways to review a lens. The best way is to use a 
calibrated test fixture that will measure the performance of the lens 
vs. the theatrical performance.  No real lens will perform to 
theoretical and even the best zoom lenses are a compromise from a fixed 
focal length.

I personally take all "subjective" evaluations with a grain of salt 
since you will find that some people find some types of performance 
degradation "pleasing to the eye."

As far as I am concerned on a lens give me the specs so I can see how 
close the design is to theoretical and give me the test numbers that 
determines how well the lens achieves the spec and I am happy. If you 
start with a lens that gives the most faithful reproduction on the back 
side as what is on the front side, then that is the best lens. Things 
that are pleasing to one eye are not pleasing to the next eye.

Truman

Mitch Alland wrote:

> > I know Michael and can state without a doubt that he has no agenda
> > and is not biased in any way by any of the equipment manufacturers or
> > other outside factors.  Granted you are reading his opinions, but his
> > opinions are experienced and educated and he will not hesitate to say
> > something is a piece of crap if it is.
>
> I wonder more about his eye and judgment: in his review of the 1270 he
> stated that it printed neutral B&W "straight out the box" (i.e., with
> the Epson drive and Epson profiles), and then repeated that claim for
> the 2200. Some of his other judgments on some digital SLRs being better
> or equal to medium format film cameras are also, to say the least,
> questionable.
>
> BTW, on his forum, he seems sometimes to get irascible: several times
> when a poster questioned his statements or judgments he responded that
> he doesn't have time for this type of this thing and would rather go
> out and take pictures -- a strange and unpleasant type of statement for
> someone who tests so much equipment and spends so much time writing
> about it. As Austin states: when challenged Reichmann takes his marbles
> and goes home.
>
> --Mitch/Paris
>
>