My 65-200 has the same haze, visible in the right light. Looking
through the lens without shining a light directly into it, it's
really not noticeable, and it actually seems to have almost no
effect on the results. In any event, I don't hesitate to use mine
occasionally, since it's one of the three lenses in my I?m-leaving-
the-SUV-now-and-have-to-actually-carry-everything-on-my-person
kit. (The other two lenses are a 19-35/3.5~4.5 Phoenix and the 35-
105/3.5~4.5 Zuiko.)
It has been my observation over the years that flaws and blemishes
in lenses seen to affect photographers a whole lot more than they
affect photographs. And if I might analogize for a moment, I
will, since there's no one here to stop me. I'm also a user and
collector of old medium format gear, and a few years ago I bought
off eBay a Schneider Xenar 105/3.5 that the seller represented to
be "perfect." Actually, it was anything but. The front element
looked like it had been cleaned with sandpaper. Shining a strong,
focused light into the lens, the hundreds of tiny scratches looked
like spider webs.
But the Compur shutter was perfect, and it alone was worth more
than the $100 I had paid, so I kept the thing and just didn't
leave feedback. Anyway, a month or so afterwards, I got curious
enough to shoot some test shots with this lens. To say the least,
I was amazed when I compared the 6x9 Provia 100F transparencies
with shots of the same subject on the same film taken with a brand
new, perfect, multi-coated, sharpest lens I own (including Zuikos)
Schneider APO Symmar 100/5.6 lens: I could tell almost no
difference, mainly just a very slight loss of contrast, which is
probably about what effect the haze in the 65-200 has.
Bottom line: When it comes to lenses, we'd all be better off
spending more time looking through them rather than looking in
them or at them.
Just another of my many opinions.
Walt
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