Spot the difference contest - cheapo vs poison lens

[bluffname]

There are at least seven differences in the pictures below. Can you spot them?

I went Joo Chiat again for dinner and a bit of shooting with KopiOKaya last night.

So now I have three different sets of images of the Red colour building that is called Black Earth Museum, or something like that. One was taken during the FUN outing with the cheapo 18-70 that costs $250 used. Another taken earlier with the even more cheapo 18-55 that costs $150 new. Finally one was taken with the "poison" 17-55 that costs $35 just to rent for one day, or about $2300 to buy.

Can you tell which is which? Frankly, I am not confident of being able to do so, without checking the exif information.

And even if you can tell, is the difference in price of the lens - approx 1500% difference between cheapest and most expensive - worth it?

Pix A

http://www.photographs-of-hands.com/joochiat/red-10.jpg

-----

Pix B

http://www.photographs-of-hands.com/joochiat/red-07.jpg

-----

Pix C

http://www.photographs-of-hands.com/joochiat/red-17.jpg

[excelglsi]

Pix A is the 18-70

Pix B is the 17-55

Pix C is the 18-55

Just for FUN. But hope I am rite...:cheers:

[andikong]

My choice is the same as excelglsi, but between the 18-70 and the rented 17-55 len the difference is not much to our naked eyes.

If for me I would rather just stick to the 18-70 lens and forget about renting
the high end lens.

[amberture]

Pic A - 18-70mm
Pic B - 17-55mm
Pic C - 18-55mm

Difference: Pic B is sharpest, and Pic C is a bit soft and Pic A is in-between.( Overall sharpness, especially the wooden "gate/column"

I spent 10 min looking at the photos. Not easy to decide.

Uncle Kong and Excel... can u advise on the difference how u decide: Sharpness? Distortion? etc?

Thanks

[KopiOkaya]

Pic A: 18-70 (Sharp)
Pic B: 17-55 (Sharper)
Pic C: 18-55 (blur like sotong!)

Took me only 5 seconds to spot... The reason is not distortion but the resolving ability of 17-55. Just look at the windows motifs and you can see their differences. You pay for what you get.

[bluffname]

Pix A is the 18-70

Pix B is the 17-55

Pix C is the 18-55

Just for FUN. But hope I am rite...:cheers:

I won't reveal the answer yet, so as not to spoil the FUN for others, but how do you come to this conclusion? You are the lens maestro, must share your power of analysis!

[bluffname]

Pic A: 18-70 (Sharp)
Pic B: 17-55 (Sharper)
Pic C: 18-55 (blur like sotong!)

Took me only 5 seconds to spot... The reason is not distortion but the resolving ability of 17-55. Just look at the windows motifs and you can see their differences. You pay for what you get.

WAH another lens maestro! Hmmmm looks like everyone here have "high resolution eyes" except me! I need to look closely, definitely takes me more than 5 seconds, especially between A & A... see, I even type wrongly, I mean between A & B.

[excelglsi]

Haha... I got a 17-55 but most of the time its in cold palace.. Onli uising when I am shooting wedding...

Why 17-55? Its for lowlight and its quite fast... Not to mention sharp at wide open...") :cheers:

[KopiOkaya]

Hmmmm looks like everyone here have "high resolution eyes" except me!

No... my spectacles are Carl Zeiss optics. That's why I refuse to make another new pair after 15 years.

[KopiOkaya]

So... WHERE ARE OUR PRIZES for correct answers?

I believe they are:

First prize: Nikon 17-55 f2.8 G ED AF-S + S$1,000 NTUC voucher
Second prize: Nikon 18-70 f3.5-4G AF-S + S$500 NTUC voucher
Third prize: Nikon 18-55 f3.5-4 AF-S + S$250 NTUC voucher
10 consolation prizes: NTUC Gone! logo removal Photoshop plug-in + a concert ticket at the Esplanade outdoor theatre

[bluffname]

So... WHERE ARE OUR PRIZES for correct answers?

I believe they are:

First prize: Nikon 17-55 f2.8 G ED AF-S + S$1,000 NTUC voucher
Second prize: Nikon 18-70 f3.5-4G AF-S + S$500 NTUC voucher
Third prize: Nikon 18-55 f3.5-4 AF-S + S$250 NTUC voucher
10 consolation prizes: NTUC Gone! logo removal Photoshop plug-in + a concert ticket at the Esplanade outdoor theatre

Correction:

First prize: Photo taken with Nikon 17-55 f2.8 G ED AF-S + dinner at Joo Chiat Swee Kee Chicken rice restaurant cum bicycle repair

Second prize: Photo taken with Nikon 18-70 f3.5-4G AF-S + lunch at Joo Chiat Swee Kee Chicken rice restaurant cum bicycle repair

Third prize: Photo taken with Nikon 18-55 f3.5-4 AF-S + kitchen tour of Joo Chiat Swee Kee Chicken rice restaurant cum bicycle repair

10 consolation prizes: Topeng Standard NTUC Gone! logo removal Photoshop plug-in (courtesy of KopiOKaya) + a concert ticket at the Esplanade outdoor theatre

[KopiOkaya]

Third prize: Photo taken with Nikon 18-55 f3.5-4 AF-S + kitchen tour of Joo Chiat Swee Kee Chicken rice restaurant cum bicycle repair.

WAH... Third prize so cheapskate! At least give one chicken backside mah. At least the consolation prizes have got more value leh.

[bluffname]

WAH... Third prize so cheapskate! At least give one chicken backside mah. At least the consolation prizes have got more value leh.

Eh! Chicken feet = phoenix claws = prized delicacy. That should be the first prize. You can have the chicken breast as third prize, all lean meat unlike normal breasts plenty fat - nobody else wants but you.

Hmmmm...but I see you changed your original post from chicken feet to chicken backside. That is MY favourite, I keep for myself.

[KopiOkaya]

That is MY favourite, I keep for myself.

Next time when I go market to buy chicken, I will ask the chicken man not to remove its backside and keep it for you. :grin:

[KopiOkaya]

Muahahhahah... It is my turn to give out prizes. And my prizes are much, much better than Bluffname's:

1st prize: Kopi O & kaya toast at Killiney Kopitiam
2nd prize: Kopi O & kaya toast at Wong's Kopitiam
3rd prize: Kopi O & kaya toast at my neighborhood kopitiam

Spot the difference contest - NIKON 18-70 (S$250 lens) vs NIKON 17-55 (S$2,300 lens)

Candidate 1
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Test1a.jpg


Candidate 2
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Test2a.jpg
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[bluffname]

Hmmm, I still don't think the difference is that "night and day" to justify the much higher price of the poison lens - which took the second picture? Correct? No? errrrrr :confused1:

[andikong]

Perhaps the second picture is sharper by just 1 to 2 percentage point.
But for much different in price I would rather spend the money on another camera.

[KopiOkaya]

...which took the second picture? Correct? No? errrrrr :confused1:

Could be... Let's hear from more people.

[KopiOkaya]

But for much different in price I would rather spend the money on another camera.

I just paid S$200 more for the extra 1 to 2 percent sharper.

[KopiOkaya]

More clues...

Candidate 1 (100% crop)
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Test1b.jpg


Candidate 2 (100% crop)
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Test2b.jpg
[photos: KopiOkaya]

The true test of all lenses is when the image is enlarged.

[bluffname]

I just paid S$200 more for the extra 1 to 2 percent sharper.

But that is because you also sold your backs... oops! I mean your existing lenses.

[excelglsi]

Both lens shoot at the same aperture? :knock2:

[salnts]

i think for kopiokaya's one. 2nd pic should be the 17-55mm. i am trying to find a mid range myself for events. sold my 1750mm tamron after the af seems to run abit. now i am undecided if to spent tat sort of $$ for 17-55 too

[jacob]

i think for kopiokaya's one. 2nd pic should be the 17-55mm. i am trying to find a mid range myself for events. sold my 1750mm tamron after the af seems to run abit. now i am undecided if to spent tat sort of $$ for 17-55 too

i believe so. 1st pic seems sharper, stronger colours and higher contrast than 2nd one. pic 3 n 4 confirm it.

[KopiOkaya]

Both lens shoot at the same aperture? :knock2:

Yes... Both taken at f4.

[KopiOkaya]

But that is because you also sold your backs... oops! I mean your existing lenses.

Yeah... Sold most of my prized but hardly use manual lenses such as my Nikon 45mm f2.8P, Nikon 105mm f2.5 AIS, Carl Zeiss 35mm f2 ZF, etc...

[excelglsi]

sharpest is 1 tin... How about the bokeh? :thumbsup:

[KopiOkaya]

i think for kopiokaya's one. 2nd pic should be the 17-55mm.

More guesses please...

i believe so. 1st pic seems sharper, stronger colours and higher contrast than 2nd one. pic 3 n 4 confirm it.

Among all people, you and Excelglsi should know the Nikon 17-55 better than anybody else because both of you own this lens as well.

[bluffname]

sharpest is 1 tin... How about the bokeh? :thumbsup:

Huh? Bor bokeh leh... Wah you guys very CHEEm ah, pixs like this still can see the bokeh meh? Or you referrring to other pixs :confused1:

[KopiOkaya]

Huh? Bor bokeh leh...

They viewed both images on computer screen with their iris wide open, that's why got bokeh lor.

[KopiOkaya]

Some more clues...

Candidate 1 (300% crop)
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Test1c.jpg


Candidate 2 (300% crop)
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r101/zonevifreak/Test2c.jpg
[photos: KopiOkaya]

[amberture]

Pic a- 18-70
pic b- 17-55 ( based on assumption that it produced better pix.)

[KopiOkaya]

ANSWER IS: Candidate 1 is 18-70 and Candidate 2 is 17-55.

Guess I will have to buy most of yoiu kopi O and kaya toast

[bluffname]

Guess I will have to buy most of yoiu kopi O and kaya toast

At different places! How about making things easier for yourself by awarding everybody the FIRST PRIZE?

[KopiOkaya]

How about making things easier for yourself by awarding everybody the FIRST PRIZE?

I will bring coffee powder, sock, electric kettle, bread toaster and kaya jam to HortPark. How about that?

[salnts]

the price of the 1755 is like 10x more.. well, for ma moment if the 1870mm has better resolution than the 1755mm i think alot ppl will be heart broken

[KopiOkaya]

the price of the 1755 is like 10x more.. well, for ma moment if the 1870mm has better resolution than the 1755mm i think alot ppl will be heart broken

Not me... I have both. :grin:

As Andy said, the difference is just 1 to 2 percentage point. This shows that Nikon used to make excellent kit lens.

[bluffname]

I will bring coffee powder, sock, electric kettle, bread toaster and kaya jam to HortPark. How about that?

Plus champagne bread and French butter! Yummy yum yum! Sounds too complicated to me still. Easier to just buy FIRST PRIZE coffee for everyone. OK lah, compromise, all get second prize...

[jacob]

Not me... I have both. :grin:

As Andy said, the difference is just 1 to 2 percentage point. This shows that Nikon used to make excellent kit lens.

n coupled with fuji body.... no horse run liao.

used to own 18-70 but had to sell cos bo lui.:cry:

[KopiOkaya]

n coupled with fuji body.... no horse run liao.

Agree. It is the best DX lens to couple with S5 Pro.

[KopiOkaya]

Plus champagne bread and French butter!

Let's see,

French butter S$6.30 at Huber's Butchery
Champagne bread S$3.40 at Sun Moulin Bakery
Killiney kaya jam S$4.70
Robusta / Arabica coffee beans S$22.80 per 1 kg at Lam Yeo Coffee.
Total: S$30.20.... Okay lah. Still manageable.