@tobsen: I can't compare as this is the first lens I got. SLRMagic guaranteed me that it was common for lenses to have small dust and spots and that even the big brands wouldn't replace a new lens with the little dirt I have. They did offer to replace it but I didn't because of the shipping. I couldn't spot flaws in the image.
Btw, I read somewhere that these spots can show in bokhee (how's that spelled? ;). Mine doesn't.
@vicharris: +1 on the buy-from-reseller advice. Thing is that when I got mine no one else had them in store.
@vicharris word.
@vicharris I like underdogs - that is my weakness. I thought if something goes wrong they would do anything to make customers happy in order to get good publicity. I was so wrong so far.
@Tobsen Yep, I will never deal with them again. Worst customer service ever. I suggest as others have, if you want any products from them, NEVER buy directly from them. Always go to a local store, even if it costs more and try and buy there. They are really taking advantage of people due to their very poor QC in the salt mines where they assemble these damn things.
@vicharris earlier you said you were worried about the QC issues and the fact that you have to pay shipment to where they build them in cae of a return.
I am in this exact situation right now. The lens is not clean inside. I can see dust, small other particles (I think fabric fuzz) and spots on the inner glass. Have been exchanging emails with SLR Magic for almost two weeks now arguing about shipment costs and how to fix it. Basically, I was offered a first-time free cleaning of the lens but I have to pay the shipment (which is about 200 Euro with UPS or DHL). Are they serious????
you mean the reference shot with the Voigtländer 25mm? It was set up exactly the same way as the SLR Magic before. The focus was set to infinity to compare how the house would look like under these conditions (especially looking at CA). Yes, it is soft, as espected with that lens.
@vicharris I was worried about that as well. Ordered it anyway. I am considering to get it replaced though due to dust inside the lens. It does not affect image quality as far as I could see, but it annoys me. Sending it back will pretty much annoy me to the same extend.
@proaudio4 now check out this picture (not screenshot from 24h)I took this morning. JPEG L, standard -2-0-2-2, wide open, ND, shutter 1/1300, iso 160. This was shot on my balcony around 7.30am. Extreme conditions, but they show where the limits are CA wise. Once you step it down to 1.4 it is already much better.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, on the wide open shots over at 3D Kraft, the Noctilux was shot at 1/80s and the Hyperprime was shot at 1/100s. Here is the link as well if you can't find it off of the previous link: http://3dkraft.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117:fullsize-comparison-slr-magic-hyperprime-cine-50mm-t095-leica-noctilux-50-095-asph-et-al&catid=40:camerasandlenses&Itemid=2
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