I was wondering if there was a market for a lens tweaking service for enthusiasts and smaller profesional users.
Obviously, cinema photographers rent lenses that are carefully maintained, but say someone wants to purchase a new 24-70mm f/2.8L and wants it tweaked to its best possible resolution, and wants a test report showing how good it is.
I realize that each lens is not equal, and no amount of tweaking can make a lens perform beyond a certain point. Those 14 or 18 elements all have a tolerance, and the tolerance stackup makes for lenses that are going to vary.
However, it is possible to eliminate decentering and align things so that they are the best they can be for that particular lens.
A test report would be provided to show sharpness at various focal lengths for zooms.
We can send in a lens to Canon and pay a few hundred dollars to have it tested and adjusted, but just how good is it when they are through?
Maybe someone already does this? i'm not thinking of doing it, just speculating.
It might even be something that a person can make a living at. Software and test charts are available, so it only takes the know how to adjust the lenses and the investment in a proper test facility, lighting, etc.
I was also thinking of a business that sold lenses which have been tested and adjusted, but what would one do with the X% that were not top performers but still met manufacturer specs? Buyers would only want the best of the best, of course. That doesn't sound very practical. I guess you could sell the rejects on ebay. (Kinda like Hills Brothers coffee bean rejects
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