IME it is lens design *anomalies* like aberrations that impart the special rendering characteristics to lenses. The lenses that have always been sharpest optically generate the best technical image, but just as generally seem to have less "character" -- and to me the term "better" coming from an engineer usually means closer to technical perfection...
This is precisely why I own a selection of older design lenses that mount on my Mamiya and Canon in addition to the newest APO/Asph designs... But the truth be told, most of the time I end up preferring technical superiority over character
This is precisely why I own a selection of older design lenses that mount on my Mamiya and Canon in addition to the newest APO/Asph designs... But the truth be told, most of the time I end up preferring technical superiority over character