Input on short telezoom needed urgently!

[Pink Dragonfly]

Hi Canuck, great to see you again - haven't been around much myself lately either...Am I enjoying it? YES! I'm having the time of my life

Well, the 16-80mm is ordered and paid for - I got a reasonable deal from the guy that sold me the camera, so I prefer that to the Internet. This guy on a Danish photo site just told me that there is a great deal of variability within the lenses and that I should it check it carefully upon arrival. Any idea what that is about and how should I check it??? I've heard it for the Beercan, that there's a lot of difference between them, but I wouldn't have thought so for Carl Zeiss????

Mette

[pisco]

This guy on a Danish photo site just told me that there is a great deal of variability within the lenses and that I should it check it carefully upon arrival. Any idea what that is about and how should I check it???

Some of the CZ1680, specially on the 1st lot, the barrel is not as stiff, the manual focus ring has a little play (1 degree in my lens), and when it's @ 80mm and you zoom inn just a little, the image shifts to one of the sides (caused by the barrel being loose). My CZ1680 is one of those.
I could have returned it, but I didn't because it's sharp and does not have focus problems.
The only thing that sometimes bothers me is that when I walk with the camera hanging from my neck, withing 2 minutes the zoom is all the way out (it's loose so slides out, to 80mm).
In the end, I care for contrast, sharpness and focus. Based on this it's an excellent lens for me.