Albert:
B&H sells the Olympus Stylus Epic with a 35 mm f/2.8 for $79.95 USD. The
April 2003 issue of Popular Photography and Imaging declares it be "Best
Camera Buy Ever: A superb 35 mm for $79!" They also commented that the
four-element lens had outstanding resolution (83 lines mm center, 60 lines
mm edge), very low flare, slight corner falloff, and nearly undetectable
pincushion distortion. The article doesn't say, but I would assume that the
aspheric element (at least) is plastic.
Bill Stanke
----- Original Message -----
From: "Albert" <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2003 9:32 AM
Subject: Re: [OM] Plastic Lens question
I suspect it's an economic problem; if I sell a P&S for $75, how much
lens do you think that will buy you?
I think Tamron does a plastic molded to glass thing for their Asph's? I
seem to recall that because Tokina knocks that in one of their brochures..
Albert
>
>Albert:
>
>I'm not aware that there's any resolution limit on plastic lenses that's
terribly different than glass, and the refraction index of plastic would
depend on the type of plastic used. I know that it's much easier to create
aspherical lenses out of plastic than out of glass (because you can just
cast plastic more easily), and even some high-priced and high-quality Big
Name lenses have plastic aspherical elements in them.
>
>My suspicion is that the P&S camera is just cheaply made and of inferior
quality, possibly with plastic lenses with three or fewer elements. If it's
a one- or two-element lens, it's going to have a very difficult time
delivering quality images, regardless of the configuration of the elements.
More elements are typically used to correct more types of image aberrations,
which is why a relatively stable and simple design like the Zuiko 50/1.8
still has several elements (5 or 6, depending on the design -- the 1.8 went
through a number of formula changes...). Tell her she needs a better
camera, and steer her towards the Holy OM series. ;-)
>
>
>Garth
>
>
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