On Sun, 17 May 1998 18:26:19 -0500, "Paul Jordon" wrote:

[....most deleted]
>Here is the bottom line: Canon, Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Tameron can all make
>a good lens but NOT EVERY LENS IS GOOD.
[....even more deleted...]

I would add that a higher percentage of Nikkor lens designs are
first-rate, and fewer poor than with the others mentioned - and,
that sample variation is a real problem, especially with zooms.
People assume that a lens that "tests" well will be good in the
sample they buy, but this is often not true. I try to address
this in my Nikkor subjective evaluation list (on my web site,
under "I babble") by indicating the number of samples of each
lens I have tried, and the amount of sample variation found.
BTW, there is usually a cheap, fast, sharp, light, versatile
lens in each camera maker's lineup - it is called the 50mm
(f1.7-2 or thereabouts...;-).