All purpose lens

[moonrakerz]

Originally Posted by scoundrel1728

Very well. The resulting photo is the product of a compromise lens.

Originally Posted by scoundrel1728

............ lens designers must make tradeoffs whether designing a prime or a zoom lens. In this sense, every lens is a compromise of one kind or another

If you wish to say, as you clearly do, that EVERY lens is a compromise (as an Engineer, I prefer the term "tradeoff") I would agree with you wholeheartedly.
To select any one type of lens and call that a compromise is just not correct, either in engineering terms, or indeed, in the true use of the word "compromise".

[Steven G Webb]

Lay on ground, light fuse, get away. Watch fireworks.

[Max@Home]

Originally Posted by moonrakerz

If you wish to say, as you clearly do, that EVERY lens is a compromise (as an Engineer, I prefer the term "tradeoff") I would agree with you wholeheartedly.

This is what I was saying too.

To select any one type of lens and call that a compromise is just not correct, either in engineering terms, or indeed, in the true use of the word "compromise".

OK, then indeed I am also saying that a zoom lens has to deal with more tradeoffs than a prime lens, simply because 'zooming' has to be put into the earlier mentioned equation of - quote - performance, Lens speed (light gathering power) vs. weight, prize vs. performance and speed, and so on.

And if zoomlenses have to cover both the wider-than-standard and the longer-than-standard focal lengths, even the more so.

...just explaining my ´compromise´, €0.02 more...

Kindest regards,

Max@Home

[scoundrel1728]

Insofar as the photographic concept goes, we are all agreed that no one lens or even combination of lenses can do everything optimally. What we are really disagreeing about is the suitability of the word "compromise" to express that idea. For what it's worth, I too would prefer the word "tradeoff" but will accept the word "compromise" as it is used in politics and negotiation generally, e.e., forgoing one advantage to gain another of more importance. I think we are also agreed that its use in a security context to mean to lessen its efficacy or performance with no compensating advantage does not apply here. I assume that moonrakerz is insisting on restricting "compromise" to something akin to the second meaning and am calling her authority to do so into question.

[moonrakerz]

Originally Posted by scoundrel1728

Insofar as the photographic concept goes, we are all agreed that no one lens or even combination of lenses can do everything optimally. What we are really disagreeing about is the suitability of the word "compromise" to express that idea.

Exactly

Originally Posted by scoundrel1728

For what it's worth, I too would prefer the word "tradeoff" but will accept the word "compromise" as it is used in politics and negotiation generally, e.e., forgoing one advantage to gain another of more importance.
I think we are also agreed that its use in a security context to mean to lessen its efficacy or performance with no compensating advantage does not apply here. I assume that moonrakerz is insisting on restricting "compromise" to something akin to the second meaning and am calling her authority to do so into question.

This is the very crux of the matter; the use of the word "compromise" as you quote it: "used in politics and negotiation generally" is spot on - it is incorrectly used in other senses - such as a lens being a compromise.


Dictionary definition of the noun "compromise":
"an agreement in an argument in which the people involved reduce their demands or change their opinion in order to agree". compromise noun - definition in Business English Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionary Online

The overwhelming majority of the dictionary definitions are the same as the one I quote - I did find one which wasn't, which actually supports my argument superbly. I quote:
"The split-level is a compromise between a ranch house and a multistoried house." Compromise | Define Compromise at Dictionary.com
This is absolute rubbish ! A split level is a split level, a ranch house is a ranch house and a multistoried house is a multistoried house. Does everyone who lives in a split level feel disadvantaged because they live in a "compromise" ? Of course not.

This may well be a case of "two nations divided by a common language". I remember reading of one Londoner who got rather tired of being continually stopped in the street and being asked by (mainly) American tourists "do you speak English" - his reply ? "Yes, better than you do"

I shall now "draw stumps" on this one (see if you can find the correct definition of that one )

PS: I'm a "him" not a "her".......

[Djphoto]

Originally Posted by moonrakerz

My £0.02............ (How's the Euro today ? )

Last Sunday my daughter grabbed a quick photograph of her nephew in the back of my car, while she was "holding" my camera for me. The lens was locked at 18mm, lens fully open and the distance was around 2 ft. I would defy anyone to say with a straight face that the resulting photograph was the product of a "compromise" lens...........

actually, the pic is superb but the lens was compromised by its use being locked at 18.

[Dirk]

i really do not get what is against zoom lenses .. i have several and they all are worth the money paid for them , if they are compromised or cutt off so be it . Not every one has his or hers cup of tea with primes .

[Max@Home]

LOL! nothing against zoomlenses, just discussing the semantics involved

...€0.02...

Kindest regards!

Max@Home

[moonrakerz]

I said that I was withdrawing from this discussion, but..............just an amusing story with some connection.......

Just after I last posted, I carried on reading a book about Winston Churchill's early years. He was First Lord of The Admiralty before the First World War, in charge of the Royal Navy.
There was much heated discussion inside the Government as to how many new battleships should be ordered to keep up with the German Navy. Churchill later said:

"The Conservatives wanted 6, the Liberals wanted 4; we compromised on 8".

[Dirk]

phew !! i would have found it strange since zoomlenses work for most people . ok , zoom lenses are not all great over the range but generally they do deliver big bang for the buck