Who / what is the most respected authority on camera lens quality?

[TimmyD11]

Who / what is the most respected authority on camera lens quality?

So if I already have a camera body and I want to know how a certain lens does in labs and in real world applications...

If I want to do research on lenses and quality and costs and have that assist me in deciding on a specific camera body...

 

[tecboy]

Depending what kind of photography you are interested. The more expensive lenses have faster autofocus and better optical quality.

 

[TimmyD11]

Thank you. I know that.

But I meant a trusted source that grades lenses for when you want to do your homework before purchasing one.

 

[cgw]

With respect, do your own homework. Your time's worth no more than anyone else's. You'd do best to look past regurgitated roll-out press releases to reviewers who've actually shot a lens--those usually don't surface immediately for obvious reasons. DXOMark comes to mind. But you really need to Google around and then dig for objective/subjective evaluations, especially those that shoot lenses the way you do.

 

[Overread]

This website can help you out as it does what you're basically after
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens Image Quality

It shows objective side by side comparisons for most lenses. Do bare in mind that sometimes there is sample variation going on, but that tends to be more of an issue for superzooms (eg the earlier 100-400mm Canon) but they generally aim for good samples and faithful representation.

Many other bigger review sites will often have test shots and real world photos to compare

 

[benhasajeep]

With respect, do your own homework. Your time's worth no more than anyone else's. You'd do best to look past regurgitated roll-out press releases to reviewers who've actually shot a lens--those usually don't surface immediately for obvious reasons. DXOMark comes to mind. But you really need to Google around and then dig for objective/subjective evaluations, especially those that shoot lenses the way you do.

I go to DXO. They do lots of testing and between bodies and lenses as well. But they don't have every combination there could be. But they have quite an extensive list that you can access.

 

[KmH]

Yep. DXO - DxOMark by DxO | DxOMark

 

[SquarePeg]

I usually search this forum and find excellent info from @Derrel

 

[nerwin]

I hate the scientific crap and MTF charts on lenses and I'm a scientific person.

I find people's experience far more better as deciding factor when buying a new lens.

 

[fmw]

Depending what kind of photography you are interested. The more expensive lenses have faster autofocus and better optical quality.

Not necessarily. Faster lenses are more difficult to design and more expensive to manufacture because the larger front element requires more correction. Theoretically, it should be easier and cheaper to make a better performing lens that is slower. It is true that manufacturers put their best technology into the more expensive lenses so that confuses things a bit. Reality is that, since the advent of computer aided lens design, all lenses with a camera manufacturer's brand on it are good performers.

I recommend buying faster lenses because they are faster and that is the requirement. Buying them because they are better is often misguided.

 

[Overread]

Real world never works for comparisons unless its test shots side by side to show things such as background blur rendering and flare control etc...

Otherwise your really dull boring and totally uninspired test shots which show actual variations in things like curvature or sharpness are an ideal way to see the actual technical difference between optics. It removes the extreme bias of photographer skill and subject choice and presents the technical facts alone.

 

[Dave Colangelo]

A bit on the sarcastic side but Ken Rockwell does his homework and writes informative and (relatively) honest reviews on a wide variety of products. DxOMark has all the info you could ever want on the technical stuff. Most if not all lens companies provide spec sheets for their lenses that give you a full technical breakdown of the performance (as it has been designed and tested by them). Most websites that you can order lenses and stuff from have some kind of comparison tool so you can see prices side by side. In the end of the day no one will simply tell you what to buy (unless you ask very directed questions) you must at some point decide for your self. I would be hard pressed to say there is a single source but the above listed are where I go for info.

Now some opinions:

In today's modern world most of the specs don't really matter (all that much) for the AVERAGE buyer. The drive down in tech costs has allowed manufactures to offer gear that is well above consumer grade to consumers. Yes you can go out and buy a D810 and some very pricey lenses to shoot birds on the beach. But you can also go out and buy a D3300 and a 25 year old 300mm AI-s lens and get more than professional results. Companies simply cant afford to release bad products any more (at least not like they could in the 50's). Was a Leica M3 better than a FED-3, you bet, is a Canon Mark (what ever they are on these days) better than a D810, depends if @Derrel is involved in the discussion but generally ehhh no.

You should be looking for lenses that fit the kind of shooting you want to do not lenses that have some arbitrary performance spec. You may get plenty of suggestions on medium if not low priced ones because there are lots of great options out there these days for super reasonable costs. Dont be scared off by inexpensive or used stuff either, there is well over 100 years of photography gear floating around out there that can be had for great prices. You can find countless stories around the internet of "pro photographer uses amateur gear and takes great shots!". This title is a bit mis-guided as it really should be "Pro's use gear that considered pro grade 3-5 years ago to capture great shots!".

Take a look at what Ken Rockwell has to say about sharpness and you will understand a good breakdown of what these specs are there for.

Regards
Dave

 

[weepete]

I like The-Digital-Picture.com features Canon DSLR Camera and Lens Reviews, News, Deals and Tips and
Digital Photography Review

 

[table1349]

Who / what is the most respected authority on camera lens quality?

So if I already have a camera body and I want to know how a certain lens does in labs and in real world applications...

If I want to do research on lenses and quality and costs and have that assist me in deciding on a specific camera body...

The best authority is YOU. If you are thinking of a new lens, get off you butt go to a camera store and try the ones you are interested in and decide which one YOU like and meets YOUR needs in terms of IQ.

 

[Derrel]

I will read a Ken Rockwell review, I will read a Thgom Hogan review, I will read a Bjorn Rorslett review of a lens, and feel that they are supplying me with good, useful analysis in most cases. I like Bjorn's Nikon Lens Analysis page quite a bit, and he has some good,odd,older lenses reviewed.

Hogan is good on Nikon lenses, and has lots of practical commentary. Rockwell has good info, but also lots of unbridaled enrthusaism.

DxOMark is all about lens sharpness. Not much about handling/ergonomics/field use, so I seldom look to their lens rankings, since they lack things like how a lens HANDLES and shoots; things that are important in lens reviews.

Roger Cicala of Lensrentals.com is a source who can really be trusted.