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Conclusions:

With Defocus Control on, our test images showed not only a shift in focus, along with a slight overall lowering of contrast. (Much of the time, lower contrast is desirable in a portrait.) The overall DC effect is a slightly softer, even creamier state of defocus, clearly an improvement. Depending on the relative distances between camera, foreground, subject, and background, plus the working aperture, the differences between DC and non-DC images can be extremely subtle.

Would professional portraitists appreciate the softer fore- and backgrounds? Probably. Would their clients? The most discerning certainly would.

Specifications

135mm (139.24mm tested), f/2 (unable to obtain tested value, due to instrument limitation), 7 elements in 6 groups. Focusing turns 195 degrees clockwise.
• Diagonal view angle: 18 degrees.
• Weight: 1.75 lb.
• Filter size: 72mm.
• Mount: Nikon AF.
• Included: Built-in lenshood.
• Street price: $1,080.

Subjective Quality Factor

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