Of course everyone's standard is different but you're using the word "smeared" so I guess it must be pretty noticeable. But are we talking pixel-peepin' "smeared" or do they look bad at normal viewing distances too?

In any case, when you mount the ring on the lens and tighten it down does it feel loose then? If it does I would take it back because that's not normal.

Mine (same lens, orig version), once you tighten it down it's solid, it becomes one unit. Same with all the connections, lens to ring, ring to lens plate, plate to QR, there's no play at all until I get to the QR-to-head connection - but that's because I'm using an inexpensive ball head. Even so, once I let things settle, unless it's really windy (and "things" don't ever settle) I get sharp results from that lens.

I assume something's wrong with your tripod ring or your lens (or both) - they're not mating up the way they should. At the very least, the lens and ring, once the ring is tight, should feel like one solid hunk of metal - no wobble, no play, no slippage.

btw, I don't think you're using the lens "outside its typical usage" if by that you mean you're expecting too much. I need anywhere from 1 sec - 30 secs. for pre-dawn shots and I get sharp results, certainly nothing like "smeared" images.

Let us know what happens...