The poor results regarding several Nikkor lenses are easily explained. All the Nikkor images were batch shot and hastily uploaded into the database, to provide a large database of Nikon-related images. There was probably not time to check every image and reshoot if necessary.


When the time comes to write the reviews proper, the ISO crops will quite certainly be reshot for the ones being out of focus or imperfect in any other way.


And no, they are not completely blurry, they are nudged just that little bit out of focus, causing a color cast. Check my example links above for the Photozone reviews - the lines with color cast closest to the focus plane are not necessarily that blurry - a bit blurry, but with quite the color.


Try it yourself - shoot a perfectly flat black and white chart with an 85L or similar, shooting using manual focus and focus stepping - you'll probably end up with both green, black and purple charts.