Lenses have different focal lengths and focus capabilities.
A photographic lens can be a hefty investment, ranging from a few hundred to thousands of dollars in price. When purchasing a new or used lens, you should thoroughly tests its capabilities and possible defects. In the case of used lenses, ask the current owner to let you perform some basic tests before purchasing the lens. If you are purchasing a new lens, you may want to rent the same lens first to test if it will fulfill all your needs. You can purchase focus test charts at most photo equipment suppliers, or print them from online sources.
Instructions
1. Attach the lens to your camera. Test how easily your lens mounts and make sure its mounting mechanism is quick enough for your photographing needs. Metal mounts are preferable to plastic ones.
2. Zoom all the way in and out to test the zoom mechanism's ease of use if you have a zoom lens. Test whether the lens will lengthen or shorten during zooms or stay the same size while zooming internally, making sure the lens zooms in a way that suits your personal handling preferences.
3. Mount your focus test chart directly across from your camera at a 45 degree angle. Set the aperture to the smallest f-stop on your camera to minimize depth of field. Aim your camera at the center line of the chart. Press the auto focus button to focus on this line and take a few pictures. Check the pictures to make sure the auto-focus was accurate in focusing on the center line.
4. Manually focus on the center line and take a few pictures. Examine how many lines are in focus as the lines get further from the center line. This will give you the most accurate portrayal of the lens's depth of field.
5. Take a few hand-held shots to test the weight of the lens. Make sure you can still handle and balance your camera easily.
Tags: your camera, center line, depth field, focus test, line take, line take pictures, make sure