I'm not sure if it's "lazy thinking" as you mention FourT, I think it's more a matter of misunderstanding what CA truly is and how it affects performance within an optic. I also agree with you that the manufacturers making better products because the consumer identifies areas of improvement are better for everyone, I do not understand how some do not understand this.
For the audience in general, I can use a Tasco and hit a target, I can use a Zeiss Conquest and hit a target, I can use a DMR and hit a target, I can use a T5Xi and hit a target, I can use a Schmidt & Bender and hit a target, I can use a Kahles K624i and hit a target, and the list goes on (these are just some of the scopes I've personally used), all of these scopes exhibit some level of CA (as all optics do) but some handle this aberration better than others. I've come to expect a certain level of CA within lower priced scopes but expect that higher end scopes or rather more expensive scopes should control this aberration better than their cheaper counter parts. I think what most shooters equate to IQ (Image Quality) is resolution, but there are a lot of factors that go into IQ beyond simple resolution, the way the optic handles color, contrast and yes, CA all contribute to making the image "pop" when you look through the scope. I am also of the belief that not all eyes are created equal and what makes an image pop to you may not be the same as for someone else. By and large all high end glass exhibits enough of these qualities that most user experiences generate the "wow" factor vs. lesser scopes. Also, for those who say "I have never seen CA" the simple fact is that yes, you have seen CA in all your scopes, you have just not noticed it or been in a situation where it was obvious to you. I live in Colorado and I shoot in winter time, when it snows CA becomes pretty obvious when I'm out shooting between the contrast of the white snow and dark soil or tree bark, shadows, etc. If all you're ever shooting is gray painted steel amidst a backdrop of brown dirt or grass I can understand that CA may have not been very predominant and virtually unnoticeable for you; however, for those of us who do shoot in these environments it is an annoyance to see a heavy band of purple across the entire FOV while looking out across the valley with a big patch of snow. No, I'm not watching birds with my scope, but I do want a scope that is going to give me superb IQ in all aspects when I pay $$$$ for that scope. I have absolutely no qualms with anyone saying "hey, I looked at a Tangent Theta and a Kahles and I thought the Kahles was just as good or better", this is why I always try to stress - do not rely on everybody elses reviews, you have to see things with your own eyes, unfortunately, not all of us are blessed to live near high end shops that carry some of these brands, so we rely on reviews to give us a good indication of how a scope will perform, and if enough shooters are verifying that the scope is good to go then you can probably feel pretty confident the scope will work out, and if you purchase the scope and have a horrible experience, put up a post on the forum and ask the community because maybe you didn't setup the scope correctly or maybe you have a faulty scope that needs to be sent back for repair, better to have that addressed than to keep quiet and wonder why you can never get a clear sight picture with your $$$$ scope.
