Folks;
A week or so ago I promised to post (a subset of) the IS-3 lens test
results from Pop Photo, JULY 1993. Here it is.
First, some subjective verbiage:
"When we first viewed the SQF results of our ... lens, we felt they were
almost too good to be true." <SNIP>
" A zoom lens with a focal length ratio of more than 5X can be tricky to
design or manufacture. Olympus chose a design consisting of 16 elements
in 15 groups with one ED (extralow distortion) element. These groups
were gathered into 5 working groups which are moved independently to
zoom and focus." (Some paraphrasing.)
" A combination of conventional focussing (moving the front group) plus
internal focussing helps the lens obtain a high level of sharpness.
This sharpness is held thruout the zoom range...."
"But what really makes this zoom shine is the fact that it is not a true
zoom, but rather a 'varifocal' lens- one in which the focus shifts as
you zoom."
"...we wanted to know why this lens outperformed so many others in our
SQF tests ... Olympus designers realized that the unique appeal of the
IS-3 would be linked to higher than average image quality. As one of
the IS-3s designers told us 'the lens on the IS-3 must outperform most
35mm lenses.' ... it would appear Olympus has achieved that goal."
"The lens, as the centerpiece of the camera, again reveals the multiple
personalities of the IS-3. The lens ... is an outstanding performer.
We were especially impressed with the very low flare exhibited ...
without a hood no less. On the other hand, the lens is slow. It's max
aperture is F/4.5 to only about 60mm, then it slows to F/5.6."
Here's the data:
Distortion: @ 35mm: 3% barrel; @85mm: 10incushion; @180mm 2.6%
pincushion.
Macro performance: 1:12 at 35mm: Sharpness in center and corners well
above average at any aperture. Very noticeable barrel distortion; 1:4.6
@100mm: Slightly less sharp than at 35mm, but still above average,
center and corners, at any aperture.
In the lab: SQF data indicates very strong lens performance, excellent
at 35mm and 85mm, very good at 180mm, across the range of apertures.
The lens exhibited little field curvature at 85mm, a normal amount at
180mm but high at 35mm.
In the field: Test slides sharp and contrasty; ... flare remarkably well
controlled at 35 and 85. With the (28 and 300mm) converters there was
some loss of quality. The 28 held up well in the center but was soft at
the edges at all apertures. The 300mm had even sharpness center-edge,
but showed slightly less image contrast.
SQF results:
@35mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/4.5 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
@85mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A A
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ A
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A A B+
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
@180mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A B C+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A B+ C+
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A B+ C+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B C+
F/22 A+ A+ A B+ B C+
For comparison purposes, here's the SQF data from March 98 PP for 2
brand new in 1998 AF zooms for the Pentax ZX and P series AF cameras.
LENS: Pentax 35-80 F/4-5.6
@35mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/4 A+ A B+ C C D
F/5.6 A+ A+ A B C+ C
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
@50mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/4 A+ A+ A B C+ D
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A B C+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ A
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A A
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
@80mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/5.6 A+ A+ A B+ C+ C
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/32 A+ A+ A+ A B C+
LENS: Pentax 80-320 F/4.5-5.6
@80mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/4.5 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A A
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A A
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/27 A+ A+ A+ A B+ C+
@200mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/4.5 A+ A B+ C+ C D
F/8 A+ A+ A B+ C+ C
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A B+ C+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B+ C+
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B+ C+
F/32 A+ A+ A+ B+ B C+
@320mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/5.6 A A B C D F
F/8 A+ A A B C D
F/11 A+ A+ A B+ C+ C+
F/16 A+ A+ A B+ C+ C+
F/22 A+ A+ A B+ C+ C+
F/32 A+ A+ A B C+ D
How about a coupla Nikkors:
Lens: The 'legendary?' 24-120 f/3.5-5.6
@24mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/3.5 A+ A+ A+ A B C+
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A A
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B+ C+
@70mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/5 A+ A+ A+ A B C+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A A
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B C+
F/32 A+ A+ A+ B+ C+ C
@120mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A B C+
F/32 A+ A+ A B+ C+ C
A "Nikkor" made in China, the 80-200 f/4.5-5.6D AF
@80mm
Size 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/4.5 A+ A+ A B B
F/5.6 A+ A+ A A B
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A A
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A A
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/22 A+ A+ A B+ B
F/32 A+ A+ A B C+
@135mm
Size 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/5.3 A+ A+ A B+ B
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A B
F/22 A+ A+ A B C+
F/32 A+ A B+ C+ C
F/40 A+ A B C+ D
@200mm
Size 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/5.6 A+ A+ A B C+
F/8 A+ A+ A B+ C+
F/11 A+ A+ A B+ B
F/16 A+ A+ A B C+
F/22 A+ A B+ B C+
F/32 A+ A B+ C+ C
F/40 A A B C D
And finally, the most expensive of the bunch, the Tamron 28-105 f/2.8 LD
AF
@28mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/2.8 A+ A+ A B+ C+ C
F/4 A+ A+ A A B+ B
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A A
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/16 A+ A+ A A A B+
F/22 A+ A+ A A B+ C+
@70mm
Size 4x6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/2.8 A A B+ C+ D D
F/4 A+ A+ A B+ C+ C
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ A
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A A
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A C+ C+
@105mm
Size 4X6 5x7 8x10 11x14 16x20 20x24
F/2.8 A+ A B+ C+ C D
F/4 A+ A+ A+ A B+ B
F/5.6 A+ A+ A+ A A B+
F/8 A+ A+ A+ A A B+
F/11 A+ A+ A+ A+ A B+
F/16 A+ A+ A+ A C+ B
F/22 A+ A+ A+ A C+ C+
GEORGE
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