I've been reading this thread also. Some of what has been mentioned about
bokeh and "3D look" also gets entangled with how the photographer actually
uses the lens with subject material, lighting and composition.
Perhaps some of the "3D look" as I understand it is also related to flat
versus slightly curved field which is a measurable characteristic that has
subtle affects on certain types of images.
Carl Zeiss designed lenses using very scientific methods, the mathematics
for which were pioneered by Dr. Ernst Abbe, and glass chemistry pioneered
by Dr. Otto Schott. Carl Zeiss personally recruited them for that purpose,
to make better microscope lenses in the 19th Century. All that work is
eventually applied by Carl Zeiss to photographic lenses in competition with
Ernst Leitz, who creates his lenses a little differently.
Each develops a huge following, one camp arguing the scientifically
measured characteristics and the proven supremacy of their lenses. The
other camp argues very subjective and passionate reasons based on the
images that can be made using their lenses. The original 35mm Holy War
between the Zeiss Ikon Contax and Ernst Leitz Leica ensues for almost four
decades. Neither wins the war. And so it is today with 35mm Holy War II
between Canon and Nikon. Neither will win that one either.
For those that might be tempted by the new "Wunderbricks," see my "Top Ten
Tips for Beginning Photographers" here:
http://johnlind.tripod.com/tips.html
It was written to guide beginners properly into the new millennium. :-)
But even OT's venturing into the Wonderful World of Wunderbricks can learn
from it too. ;-)
After all that, I gotta ask these before considering the latest Wunderbrick
for myself (these are my criteria and not necessarily the correct ones for
everyone else):
1. Does it have a PC socket?
2. If outside the limits lens speed and shutter speed for the film speed
in use, can I still make the photograph, even if it will be over or under
exposed?
3. Can it do double exposures, even if it's a multi-step process?
4. Does it have a DOF preview and scale on the lens?
5. Can it be set to a hyperfocal focus distance and left there?
6. Can the mirror be locked up or pre-fired before the shutter is released?
7. Can the lens still be used if some internal infernal motor or other
electronic gizmo quits?
8. Can I at least do something with it without batteries beyond using it
as a hammer to break open walnuts?
In the end, the overall evaluation and choice is subjective as the
individual will weight the relative importance of perhaps as many as a
dozen criteria. The outcome is entirely dependent on criteria weighting.
It's why I read lens testing results and keep them in mind, but do not let
them become the decision-maker. It's just another few data points among
many others.
-- John
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