During the seventies and eighties, lenses were commonly tested by photographing test charts on high-resolution black-and-white film and determining the lens' resolving power by counting lines-per-millimeter on the negative. Although it's very hard to compare these test results to the more modern MTF (modulation transfer function) tests.
However, we are now using digital sensor instead of film, theoretically a good photo require good optical elements in your camera lens.
In my opinion , a prime lens is better than zoom lens, glass material is better than plastic , metal case such as brass or aluminium will be better than plastic case for the lens although it is heavy.
If you search on Internet, there are many articles talk about choosing with below criterias:
- Focal Length
- F-Stops (Aperture and depth of field)
- Zooms
- Prime Lenses
- Wide-Angle and Telephoto
- Macro
They will never teach you to understand why a 50mm lens with F1.2 is more expensive than F1.7, why? can the manufacturer simply make a bigger aperture?
NO. That's because it involves the "Lens structure" with the lens design.
LENS ELEMENTS & IMAGE QUALITY
All but the simplest cameras contain lenses which are actually comprised of several "lens elements." Each of these elements directs the path of light rays to recreate the image as accurately as possible on the digital sensor. The goal is to minimize aberrations, while still utilizing the fewest and least expensive elements.
source from CAMBRIDGE IN COLOUR
Have you ever ask why Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm F1.4 ZF.2 lens can cost USD$750, a standard 50mm lens only.
The Zeiss Planar is a photographic lens designed by Paul Rudolph at Carl Zeiss in 1896. Rudolph's original was a six-element symmetrical design.
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| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeiss_Planar |
Therefore, if you try to understand what's lens structure you want to buy for example to choose a 50mm F1.2 / F1.4 / F1.7 lens. The manual focus lens will last you for a life time, but not the camera.
On the other hand, I had experience to choose a Russian lens to do my advertising photography jobs, it turn out perfect. Although people said a lot of Russian lens are copy of Carl Zeiss, but actually there were many skilled lens makers being trained to make the lens for Carl Zeiss.
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