[madison_wi_gal]

Ok, but MY problem is that (so far) I do not have a FF camera so I can't fully test a FF lens that I buy online. I am happy to trust a PF member, or to be more specific, a PF member who has shown that they are a good marketplace seller PLUS has experience with examining/rating lenses (e.g. one of the long-timers).

I'm not concerned that they will pack a lens wrong and I'll get a broken lens.

[EssJayEff]

Ok, but MY problem is that (so far) I do not have a FF camera so I can't fully test a FF lens that I buy online.

Maybe a good opportunity to rent, or even rent and then purchase the rental?

[madison_wi_gal]

Maybe a good opportunity to rent, or even rent and then purchase the rental?

I considered that. I do have a $25 off coupon for Lensrentals.

[texandrews]

Then rent, for sure.

[ZombieArmy]

Cheap lenses that aren't horrible get over rated.

Pricey lenses that don't live up to some fantasy expectation can get under rated.


As is life.

[Jonathan Mac]

Ok, but MY problem is that (so far) I do not have a FF camera so I can't fully test a FF lens that I buy online. I am happy to trust a PF member, or to be more specific, a PF member who has shown that they are a good marketplace seller PLUS has experience with examining/rating lenses (e.g. one of the long-timers).

I'm not concerned that they will pack a lens wrong and I'll get a broken lens.

The only things you might miss out on by not being able to test on FF is softness in the corners and slight de-centring. Lenses that are bad outside the very centre, rather than having soft corners, will be visible on APS-C and most decentring will be visible at the edges of APS-C unless it's very slight.

In summary, I wouldn't worry about this too much. If it performs well on APS-C then it will very likely do so on FF (assuming it's a FF lens of course). If it performs poorly on APS-C then it will almost certainly do the same on FF. So APS-C will detect almost all optical lens faults or weaknesses on a FF lens.