18-55 kit lens softness

[dbenyakar]

 

Another 18-55 is soft thread again huh.

Might as well respost my post from that thread

 

So you are saying the issue does not occur in your lens?

[milandro]

would you say it does seen the pictures posted above?

[lleo]

Thanks, Ileo. There is a visible difference between the Off and On settings in these photos. Fascinating!

 

Thank you. Actually I always has the shoot without lens ON, due the fact I often switch lens. I've been told about this "issue" and I've tried. And you saw the result above.

[lleo]

Anyway, this that you show has absolutely nothing to do with the macroscopic complaint by OP, whose problems are much more evident .

 

Of course. Just since I asked about this matter, I posted my experience.

As simple as that.

[dbenyakar]

Out of curiosity, when you reviewed the images that came out of the camera for sharpness, did you review the JPGs or the RAW files?

 

The reason Im asking is because Im used to work with RAW files all the time, at least when Im working with my Nikon camera, but with the Fuji, my assumption was based on the RAW files. Yesterday I tested the JPGs and these were much better.

[milandro]

of course the camera sharpens the jpg (by how much depends on your settings).

 

 

Anyway, when you look at RAF file you are looking at the embedded jpeg contained in it because you can’t see the RAW so you are looking at a very low resolution image.

[dfaye]

And speaking of the jpeg files, make sure the Lens Modulation Optimizer is turned ON (IQ Menu, second page). I guess you've already checked this, in which case, apologies - but this comment might help someone else reading this. Of course the Lens Modulation Optimizer only affects the jpegs, but with some lenses it does make a big difference in correcting any inherent faults.

[BobJ]

I have seen a brand new 18-55 that was a bad example. Owned by a friend, it was considerably less sharp than mine, especially on the left hand side. He returned it for replacement. Bearing in mind that this is the kit lens it may be that quality control is not quite so good as with the more expensive lenses.

 

Any difference in sharpness with the shoot without lens setting on is almost certainly down to experimental error. I can't see that it could possibly affect contrast or focal length. I could be wrong though so I will try it.

[milandro]

OP has told us that he was judging sharpness on the raw, which, as he probably didn’t know, it is visualized (since RAW can’t) by a low resolution jpg embedded in the raw image. 

Edited July 15, 2017 by milandro

[dbenyakar]

I actually downloaded the raw files to my PC and viewed them in LR.

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[milandro]

exactly, so you have been watching ( and making your judgement ) based on the embedded low res .

 

You need to process it, apply sharpening and THEN you have the real high res image

 

please read this thread from the beginning (go to page 1)

 

http://www.fuji-x-forum.com/topic/1837-possible-concern-over-quality/page-2

 

and this

 

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/raw-file-format.htm

Edited July 15, 2017 by milandro

[erk1024]

Before I bought my XPro-2 I rented one plus the 18-55mm. That particular copy of the lens was really soft. So there are definitely some crummy ones out there. My current kit is the 10-24mm, the 35mm f/2, 50mm f/2--all excellent. I also have the 56mm f1.2, and although it's nice and sharp, it's a little slow to focus. I use the camera for street photography mostly.