# Resolving ability of the lenses



## well_dunno (Oct 7, 2012)

Hello all,

Curious whether there is any source where it is possible to find max resolving ability of the lenses. Considering that the higher the sensor resolution, the more demanding it is on the lens, how many lenses in the current Canon line-up will keep up with a 46mp sensor, I am wondering.

Cheers!


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## friedmud (Oct 7, 2012)

I personally like Photozone: http://www.photozone.de/

Their MTF charts are really the best.

DXO Mark is starting to get more into the lens testing business... but don't look at their actual "score" go into the raw data sections...


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## neuroanatomist (Oct 7, 2012)

Yes, but only for Zeiss lenses. Zeiss actually tests their lenses with (very expensive) instrumentation that tests just the lens, without it being mounted to a camera. Their published MTF curves are real, measured data from actual lenses, whereas everyone else's are _theoretical_ MTF curves (generated in silico from a mathematical model of the lens design). 

The lens review sites (all of them) use a camera to test lenses, and as sensor resolution goes up, so do/will the reported MTF estimates. 

But don't worry, we've got a long way to go before lenses become the main limitation on system resolution.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 8, 2012)

Canon publishes a set of MTF curves for most of their lenses. These are not measured curves, but curves plotted by computer which show what a perfect lens of that design could do. Manufactureing tolerances are certain to guarantee that no perfect lens exists.
Otherwise, Photozone, DXO, and a host of others measure the resolution of a camera - lens combination. The results are valid for only that combination of Camera body and lens, and even then, there is a lot of variation.
So, read all the test reviews, paying attention to what body was used, and you will at least have a reasonable idea of performance to expect.


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## gmrza (Oct 8, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> But don't worry, we've got a long way to go before lenses become the main limitation on system resolution.



What may become a challenge for some however is that as the resolving abilities of lenses improve, so their prices tend to increase. Shooters on a budget may find that their wallet becomes the limiting factor in the system before availability of lenses with suitable resolving power does. - That said, it could be argued that the price-performance ratio of lenses has improved a lot.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 8, 2012)

gmrza said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > But don't worry, we've got a long way to go before lenses become the main limitation on system resolution.
> ...


 
+1


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## Menace (Oct 22, 2012)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> gmrza said:
> 
> 
> > neuroanatomist said:
> ...



+2


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