Digital BW, The Print

You might find Imatest helpful, especially if you can test the lens with it
and then return it if unhappy.

http://www.imatest.com/

I have to say it is an enormous mouthful but you are a very technically
capable guy and I have to believe you'd find it valuable.

> From: Paul Roark <paul.roark@...>
> Reply-To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Fri, 08 Jul 2005 11:34:57 -0700
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: RE: [Digital BW] Digital vs scan for BW Print
> 
>> Have you had your sample checked out by Canon Repair?
>> The TS45 is a pretty  highly regarded lens on cameras
>> with much higher resolution than your Rebel.
> 
> Yes, the 24 TS was so bad I felt it must be a defect.  I sent it to Canon,
> and they said it was within specs.  I'd say it makes a great lens for
> slides, and magazine-size prints, but even in magazines, I think the
> distortion is visible.  It was a real disappointment, but I know I expect
> too much from 35 mm.  I'm basically a medium format shooter who uses 16 x 20
> as the standard size for comparisons.
> 
>> This might be a good place to start and offer a counterpoint to Paul's
>> experience with TS lenses.
>> http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/24-vs-24.shtml
> 
> I wish I knew more about the Canon MTF charts.  They don't seem to coincide
> with what I see.  It may be that I'm looking for more fine detail than they
> test for.  For example, their 24 F2.8 in my resolution tests on film and the
> Rebel, looks much better than my 45 TS, yet one would not necessarily
> conclude that from the MTF charts Canon posts.  I don't know what
> frequencies and f stops they are displaying in those charts, and that could
> be where the difference are.
> 
> Then again, maybe the current 24 TS has been re-designed after the early
> sample I bought.
> 
> I suppose the safest thing is to buy from a place where you can return the
> lens if it is not up to what you want it for.
> 
> I'd love a 24TS (actually wider for the smaller sensor) if it could hit the
> sharpness targets I set for what I like to do.  Tilt and shift are very
> useful tools.  
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com