Lens tests

Tomei Collection

This simple test of the performance of a series of lenses is intended to establish a baseline. The baseline images use precisely the same camera position, lighting, f-stop, shutter speed, ISO, normalized pixel intensity distribution, normalized color. No manipulations were performed such as sharpening.  The next test that will be in the real world where only a few of these parameters can be controlled, but the images can provide another level of performance evaluation.

Control of many parameters simultaneously was very difficult before the advent of DSLR cameras.  The images obtained here demonstrate that the wide range of lenses can produce images of remarkably similar quality. Even following normalization of pixel intensity distributions, the relative contrast produced by different lenses can be seen to vary.  However, remarkably the old Leitz lenses, Elmar 5cm and 9cm, produced high quality images. However, "real world" images may be quite different.

Lens Aperture: f/5.6

D70 Shutter speed: 1/40 for normal lenses; 1/25 for long lenses.

Camera: Tripod-mounted Nikon D70 equipped with 39mm LTM adapter, ISO 350.

Set up: Light tent, three standard lights.