As if lens selection wasn't difficult enough...

[JTPhotography]

... now I am starting to mess around with infrared, and about half of the really good lenses are useless (cause hot spots in the center of the photo, related to lens coatings). Oddly enough, most kit lenses work great.

For anyone in a similar situation, here is a great list of the good and bad.

Lens Hotspot Database - Kolari Vision

 

[KmH]

Interesting.
I've never had difficulty choosing lenses, cameras, bags, backpacks, filters or any other kind of photography gear.

 

[Derrel]

Noted Nikon expert Bjorn Rorslett's Nikon lens evaluations web pages features infrared performance notes for many classic lenses that he has tested. Bjorn has done quite a bit of IR work and therefore he is well-versed in evaluating which lenses perform well and also those which perform poorly. Sometimes it seems as though the IR performance of a lens is independent of its price range and some rather cheap lenses perform quite well in the IR spectrum.

Bjorn's lens evaluations mentioned several lenses that have very good IR performance. Some of those lenses are actually surprisingly affordable on the used market.

 

[JTPhotography]

Interesting.
I've never had difficulty choosing lenses, cameras, bags, backpacks, filters or any other kind of photography gear.

That's very true. I should've been more clear, when I say difficult, I mean, too many options and too much on my wishlist.

 

[JTPhotography]

Noted Nikon expert Bjorn Rorslett's Nikon lens evaluations web pages features infrared performance notes for many classic lenses that he has tested. Bjorn has done quite a bit of IR work and therefore he is well-versed in evaluating which lenses perform well and also those which perform poorly. Sometimes it seems as though the IR performance of a lens is independent of its price range and some rather cheap lenses perform quite well in the IR spectrum.

Bjorn's lens evaluations mentioned several lenses that have very good IR performance. Some of those lenses are actually surprisingly affordable on the used market.

Yeah he has some good info too, his IR rating match Kolari's very close. I am shooting a converted d3300 and mainly using a 16-85. It's a decent lens anyway but a very good one for IR.