Can you tell the difference btw. a 150$ and a 15.ooo$ lense....?

yeah, this could lead to an endless thread… I like it, when 'pixelpeeper' crash into 'hands on' guys ... and no, I couldn't ... haven't learned where to look at; thought, for example, with 16mm you should note at the very borders some ... distortion/CA/... anythin' ? … no, I'm blind when it comes to that level of detail.

And yes, I have watched to the end, the 15k lenses have a raison d'etre, but for sure, from a diff. perspective: a better 'glas' doesn't make YOU a better DoP … 

The best hardware/software in the hands of an idiot still produces garbage.
The worst hardware/software in the hands of a talented, seasoned pro still produces beautiful art.

All that crap is so subjective, I don't bother. The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.

I agree with Ben

A friend showed me two local TV spots for a car dealer not too long ago.

One had been done by "We Think We're Hollywood Production Company" for $10,000. The other had been done by one guy for about $1500.

I would defy anyone to show me where the $10,000 spot was $7500 "better" than the $1500 spot.

Not so easy to identify the lens by the image, but it was easy to tell that the voice is out of sync

No doubt, that video is meant provocative, and its making (...and online distributing...) doesn't allow any serious debate upon 'quality' ...

I find it helpful anyhow!
If this is not your daily routine, it makes me aware, that discussing that golem "quality" starts with the quality of the debaters - and determination of criteria: is it just plain physics - what I snarky call 'pixelpeeping' = ignoring completely the psychology of perception. Or. is 'handling' part of quality (for professional usage: undoubted!)

... reminds me of that famous Zacuto Shoot Outs, and esp. the reaction of some (French?) film maker at the screenings, yelling "We should never show this to the public!" (too late Dear :kiss: ) ....

Those "we make you a movie/ad/MTVclip for less than 99.99$"-one-man-companies pop-up like mushrooms, listing all sorts of machinery and deliver ... crap.

Or, some enthusiasts get together and produce ... marvelousness.

Interesting times, we live in ....

Well, it's like this...

Loved your article Ben!

Of course I can tell the difference - IF I get to see each lens and possibly handle it. Years of photographic experience have shown that the $15,000 lens will have badges and marks that indicate it's 'top of the line'. Not only that but the owner will have a spring in his step, be taller, better looking and more appealing to dogs and children.

Squamish ed wrote: … Not only that but the owner will have a spring in his step, be taller, better looking and more appealing to dogs and children.

<pffff> almost killed my keyboard - GREAT!!
<note2myself: no coffee when reading here!>

And @Ben: nice blog, great fun to read … :lol:  

Thank's guys. I appreciate the kind words. Means a lot to me.

Oh, and the more expensive one "will cure your asthma, too. But I said..."