The results range from 1.0 to 5.0 (5 is best). There're 6 texual marks for the optical quality:
| 1. | (4.26 to 5.00) | = excellent |
| 2. | (3.76 to 4.25) | = very good |
| 3. | (3.26 to 3.75) | = good |
| 4. | (2.76 to 3.25) | = average |
| 5. | (2.26 to 2.75) | = sub-average |
| 6. | (1.0 to 2.25) | = poor |
A typical result looks like this: 3.48 (3) = good The number in brackets shows the number of tests included for the calculation. Only results with (3) or more tests are more or less stable! Everything less should be taken as a tendancy only!
| Wide-angle zooms 17-21mm | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 20-35mm D | 3.46 (5) | good |
| Canon EF 2.8 17-35mm USM L | 3.30 (4) | good |
| Canon EF 2.8 20-35mm L | 3.13 (3) | average |
| Tokina AF 2.8 20-35mm AT-X Pro | 3.12 (3) | average |
| Minolta AF 3.5 17-35mm G | 3.04 (3) | average |
| Canon EF 3.5-4.5 20-35mm USM | 3.01 (4) | average |
| Minolta AF 3.5-4.5 20-35mm | 3.0 (1) | average |
| Tokina AF 3.5-4.5 20-35mm II | 2.88 (5) | average |
| Minolta AF 3.5-4.5 20-35mm | 2.81 (2) | average |
| Tamron AF 2.7-3.5 20-40mm ASL | 2.74 (5) | sub-average |
| Vivitar / Cosina / Soligor AF 3.5-4.5 19-35mm | 2.27 (4) | sub-average |
| Sigma AF 3.5-4.5 18-35mm ASL | 2.24 (5) | poor |
| Wide-angle zooms 28-70 | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 35-70mm D | 4.09 (5) | very-good |
| Canon EF 2.8 28-70mm USM L | 3.98 (5) | very-good |
| Pentax SMC-FA 2.8 28-70mm AL | 3.87 (4) | very-good |
| Minolta AF 2.8 28-70mm | 3.85 (4) | very-good |
| Tokina AF 2.6-2.8 28-70mm AT-X Pro | 3.63 (4) | good |
| Canon EF 2.8-4.0 28-80mm USM L | 3.53 (4) | good |
| Angenieux AF 2.6 28-70mm | 3.48 (4) | good |
| Sigma AF 2.8 28-70mm | 3.35 (3) | good |
| Tamron SP AF 2.8 28-105mm LD (IF) | 3.33 (4) | good |
| Tokina AF 2.8 28-70mm AT-X | 3.21 (5) | average |
| Tamron AF 2.8 35-105mm ASL | 2.75 (4) | average |
| Sigma AF 2.8-4.0 28-70mm UC | 2.64 (4) | sub-average |
| Sigma AF 2.8-4 28-105mm Aspherical | 2.48 (4) | sub-average |
| Tokina AF 2.8-4.5 28-70mm | 2.39 (2) | sub-average |
| Soligor / Vivitar / Cosina AF 2.8-3.8 28-105mm | 2.08 (3) | poor |
| Wide-angle zooms 28-70/80mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Minolta AF 4.0 24-50mm | 3.64 (3) | good |
| Nikkor AF 3.3-4.5 24-50mm | 3.61 (3) | good |
| Pentax SMC-FA 4-5.6 28-105mm | 3.23 (4) | average |
| Nikkor AF 3.5-4.5 28-70mm (D) | 3.21 (4) | average |
| Minolta AF 3.5-4.5 24-85mm | 3.22 (4) | average |
| Canon EF 3.5-5.6 28-135mm ImageStabilizer | 3.15 (3) | average |
| Nikkor AF 3.5-5.6 28-80mm D | 3.14 (2) | average |
| Pentax AF FA 4.0 28-70mm | 3.12 (5) | average |
| Canon EF 3.5-5.6 28-80mm IV (USM) | 3.07 (2) | average |
| Nikkor AF 3.5-4.5 28-85mm | 3.03 (5) | average |
| Nikkor AF 3.5-4.5 35-105mm D | 3.02 (2) | average |
| Minolta AF 3.5-4.5 28-85mm | 2.99 (3) | average |
| Nikkor AF 3.5-5.6 24-120mm D | 2.99 (4) | average |
| Canon EF 3.5-4.5 28-105mm USM | 2.94 (4) | average |
| Sigma AF 3.5-5.6 24-70mm ASL | 2.88 (5) | average |
| Minolta AF 3.5-4.5 28-105mm | 2.85 (4) | average |
| Sigma AF 3.5-5.6 28-80mm Macro ASL | 2.81 (3) | average |
| Pentax SMC-F 4.0 24-50mm | 2.77 (4) | average |
| Minolta AF 4.0-5.6 28-80mm | 2.71 (4) | sub-average |
| Vivitar/Soligor AF 3.5-5.6 28-80mm | 2.67 (3) | sub-average |
| Sigma AF 4-5.6 28-105mm | 2.64 (4) | sub-average |
| Canon EF 3.5-4.5 24-85mm | 2.54 (3) | sub-average |
| Tamron AF 3.5-5.6 28-80mm ASL | 2.34 (4) | sub-average |
| Tamron AF 3.3-5.6 24-70mm ASL | 2.29 (4) | sub-average |
| Tele zooms f/2.8 -210mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Minolta AF 2.8 80-200m APO G | 4.25 (3) | excellent |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 80-200mm D new | 4.14 (3) | very-good |
| Canon EF 2.8 80-200mm L | 4.06 (5) | very-good |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 80-200mm D old | 4.03 (4) | very-good |
| Sigma AF 2.8 70-200mm EX (HSM) | 4.0 (2) | very-good |
| Canon EF 2.8 70-200mm USM L | 3.96 (4) | very-good |
| Pentax SMC-FA 2.8 80-200mm ED (IF) | 3.77 (4) | very-good |
| Vivitar/Soligor/Cosina AF 2.8-4 70-210mm | 3.28 (2) | good |
| Sigma AF 2.8 70-210mm APO | 3.27 (5) | good |
| Tokina AF 2.8 80-200mm AT-X Pro | 3.23 (3) | average |
| Tamron AF 2.8 70-210mm LD | 3.15 (3) | average |
| Tele zooms -210mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Micro-Nikkor AF 4.5-5.6 70-180mm ED | 3.76 (3) | very-good |
| Sigma AF 3.5-4.5 70-210mm APO Macro | 3.44 (3) | good |
| Canon EF 3.5-4.5 70-210mm USM | 3.13 (4) | average |
| Minolta AF 4.0 70-210mm | 3.09 (2) | average |
| Nikkor AF 4.0-5.6 70-210mm D | 2.95 (5) | average |
| Minolta AF 4.5-5.6 70-210mm | 2.85 (4) | average |
| Pentax SMC-FA 4.0-5.6 70-200mm | 2.85 (5) | average |
| Canon EF 4.5-5.6 80-200mm USM | 2.80 (3) | average |
| Nikkor AF 4.5-5.6 80-200mm D | 2.69 (2) | average |
| Tokina AF 4-5.6 70-210mm | 2.44 (4) | sub-average |
| Tamron AF 4.5-5.6 80-210mm | 2.40 (4) | sub-average |
| Tele zooms >210mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Minolta AF 4.5-6.7 100-400mm APO | 3.42 (4) | good |
| Tokina AF 4.0 100-300mm AT-X II | 3.10 (2) | average |
| Pentax SMC FA 4.5-5.6 80-320mm | 3.06 (3) | average |
| Minolta AF 4.5-5.6 75-300mm | 3.04 (4) | average |
| Canon EF 5.6 100-300mm L | 3.03 (3) | average |
| Nikkor AF 4.5-5.6 75-300mm | 3.0 (3) | average |
| Minolta AF 4.5-5.6 100-300mm APO | 2.95 (4) | average |
| Sigma AF 5.6-6.3 170-500mm APO Asph. RF | 2.86 (3) | average |
| Sigma AF 4.5-5.6 135-400mm APO Asph. RF | 2.85 (4) | average |
| Canon EF 4.5-5.6 100-300mm USM | 2.79 (2) | average |
| Sigma AF 4.0-5.6 70-300mm APO Macro | 2.75 (5) | average |
| Canon EF 4-5.6 75-300mm IS | 2.64 (5) | sub-average |
| Canon EF 4.0-5.6 75-300mm USM II | 2.64 (4) | sub-average |
| Tokina AF 4.5-5.6 80-400mm AT-X | 2.46 (4) | sub-average |
| Tamron AF 5.6 200-400mm LD | 2.19 (5) | poor |
| Vivitar/ Cosina/ Soligor AF 4.5-6.7 100-400mm | 2.17 (4) | poor |
| Universal zooms | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Canon EF 3.5-5.6 35-350mm USM L | 2.87 (4) | average |
| Nikkor AF 3.5-5.6 28-200mm IF | 2.67 (2) | sub-average |
| Tokina AF 282 3.5-5.6 28-210mm EMZ | 2.61 (3) | sub-average |
| Pentax / Tamron AF 3.8-5.6 28-200mm LD-IF Super | 2.32 (5) | sub-average |
| Tokina AF 4.5-6.7 35-300mm SD | 2.28 (3) | sub-average |
| Sigma AF 3.8-5.6 28-200mm ASP II | 2.03 (3) | poor |
| Vivitar/Cosina AF 4-6.3 28-300mm | 1.74 (5) | poor |
| Fix-focals 14-20mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Canon EF 2.8 20mm | 3.72 (4) | good |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 20mm | 3.63 (3) | good |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 18mm D | 3.45 (2) | good |
| Tokina AF 3.5 17mm AT-X | 3.13 (3) | average |
| Pentax SMC-FA 2.8 20mm | 3.06 (3) | average |
| Minolta AF 2.8 20mm New | 2.94 (3) | average |
| Canon EF 2.8 14mm USM L | 2.92 (3) | average |
| Sigma AF 3.5 14mm | 2.20 (4) | poor |
| Sigma AF 3.5 18mm | 1.98 (3) | poor |
| Fix-focals 24-35mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Pentax SMC-F(A) 2.8 28mm | 4.07 (3) | very-good |
| Nikkor AF 1.4 28mm D | 4.01 (3) | very-good |
| Canon EF 2.8 28mm | 3.80 (4) | very-good |
| Canon EF 2.8 24mm | 3.72 (3) | good |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 24mm | 3.71 (3) | good |
| Canon EF 1.8 28mm USM | 3.66 (3) | good |
| Canon EF 1.4 24mm USM L | 3.59 (3) | good |
| Minolta AF 2.0 28mm | 3.44 (3) | good |
| Pentax SMC-FA 2.0 24mm AL (IF) | 3.30 (4) | good |
| Sigma AF 2.8 24mm | 3.23 (4) | average |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 28mm | 3.22 (3) | average |
| Minolta AF 2.8 24mm new | 3.21 (3) | average |
| Minolta AF 2.8 28mm | 2.95 (3) | average |
| Sigma AF 1.8 28mm ASL II | 2.94 (2) | average |
| 35mm Lenses | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Nikkor AF 2.0 35mm | 4.02 (4) | very good |
| Minolta AF 2.0 35mm | 3.80 (4) | very-good |
| Minolta AF 1.4 35mm G | 3.60 (4) | good |
| Canon EF 2.0 35mm | 3.48 (4) | good |
| Nikkor AI-S 1.4 35mm | 3.43 (3) | good |
| Std. Lenses 50mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| (Micro-)Nikkor AF 2.8 60mm | 4.62 (4) | outstanding! |
| Minolta AF 1.4 50mm | 4.55 (3) | outstanding! |
| Minolta AF 2.8 50mm Macro | 4.35 (3) | excellent |
| Nikkor AF 1.8 50mm | 4.25 (4) | excellent |
| Canon EF 2.5 50mm Macro | 4.19 (4) | very-good |
| Pentax SMC F 1.7 50mm | 4.13 (3) | very-good |
| Leica Summilux R 1.4 50mm | 4.00 (4) | very-good |
| Nikkor AF 1.4 50mm | 3.97 (4) | very-good |
| Canon EF 1.8 50mm II | 3.89 (3) | very-good |
| Canon EF 1.4 50mm USM | 3.86 (3) | very-good |
| Pentax SMC FA 2.8 50mm Macro | 3.65 (2) | good |
| Canon EF 1.0 50mm L USM | 3.60 (3) | good |
| Minolta AF 1.7 50mm | 3.55 (3) | good |
| Sigma AF 2.8 50mm Macro | 2.70 (2) | sub-average |
| Fix-focals 80-135mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Pentax SMC-FA 1.4 85mm | 4.85 (3) | outstanding! |
| Canon EF 2.0 135mm USM L | 4.68 (4) | outstanding! |
| Canon EF 1.2 85mm USM L | 4.60 (3) | outstanding! |
| Nikkor AF 1.4 85mm D | 4.50 (2) | outstanding! |
| Canon EF 1.8 85mm USM | 4.48 (4) | excellent |
| Canon EF 2.8 100mm Macro | 4.46 (4) | excellent |
| Sigma AF 2.8 105mm macro EX | 4.33 (2) | excellent |
| Canon EF 1.2 85mm USM L | 4.27 (3) | excellent |
| Tamron AF 2.8 90mm SP Macro | 4.26 (5) | excellent |
| (Micro-)Nikkor AF 2.8 105mm | 4.24 (5) | very-good |
| Minolta AF 2.0 100mm | 4.23 (2) | very-good |
| Minolta AF 1.4 85mm G | 4.20 (4) | very-good |
| Nikkor AF 1.8 85mm D | 4.19 (2) | very-good |
| Minolta AF 2.8 100mm Macro | 4.10 (4) | very-good |
| Nikkor AF 2.0 135mm DC | 4.04 (3) | very-good |
| Pentax SMC-FA 2.8 100mm Macro | 3.88 (3) | very-good |
| Tokina AF 2.8 100mm Macro | 3.80 (5) | very-good |
| Canon EF 2.0 100mm USM | 3.66 (3) | good |
| Soligor/ Vivitar/ Cosina AF 3.5 100mm Macro | 3.33 (2) | good |
| Sigma AF 2.8 90mm Macro | 3.18 (4) | average |
| Fix-focals 200mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Minolta AF 2.8 200mm APO G | 4.53 (4) | outstanding! |
| Canon EF 2.8 200mm USM L II | 4.38 (4) | excellent |
| Canon EF 1.8 200mm USM L | 4.28 (3) | excellent |
| Canon EF 3.5 180mm USM L Macro | 4.18 (3) | very-good |
| Pentax SMC-A 4.0 200mm ED Macro | 4.18 (2) | excellent |
| (Micro-)Nikkor AF 4.0 200mm ED | 4.15 (2) | excellent |
| Nikkor AF 2.8 180mm ED | 4.10 (3) | very-good |
| Sigma AF 2.8 180mm APO Macro | 3.91 (2) | very-good |
| Sigma AF 5.6 180mm APO Macro | 3.43 (3) | good |
| Fix-focals 300mm | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Canon EF 2.8 300mm USM L | 4.50 (3) | outstanding! |
| Nikkor AF-I 2.8 300mm ED | 4.36 (3) | excellent |
| Canon EF 4.0 300mm USM L | 4.28 (3) | excellent |
| Canon EF 4.0 300mm USM L IS | 4.21 (4) | very-good |
| Minolta AF 4.0 300mm APO G | 4.06 (4) | very good |
| Nikkor AF 4.0 300mm ED | 3.90 (2) | very-good |
| Sigma AF 4.0 300mm APO Macro | 3.84 (5) | very-good |
| Pentax SMC-FA 4.5 300mm ED (IF) | 3.70 (3) | good |
| Pentax SMC FA 2.8 300mm ED (IF) | 3.72 (2) | good |
| Minolta AF 2.8 300mm G | 3.90 (3) | very-good |
| Tokina AF 4.0 300mm AT-X APO | 3.64 (5) | good |
| Tamron AF 2.8 300mm LD IF | 3.65 (3) | good |
| Sigma AF 2.8 300mm APO | 3.14 (4) | average |
| Fix-focals 400mm+ | ||
| Lens | Optical Quality | |
| Canon EF 2.8 400mm USM L II | 4.60 (3) | outstanding! |
| Canon EF 4.0 600mm USM L | 4.32 (2) | excellent |
| Canon EF 4.5 500mm USM L | 4.07 (2) | very-good |
| Minolta AF 4.5 400mm APO G | 3.76 (3) | very-good |
| Sigma AF 5.6 400mm APO Macro (HSM) | 3.51 (4) | good |
| Pentax SMC-FA* 5.6 400mm | 3.44 (3) | good |
| Canon EF 5.6 400mm USM L | 3.32 (3) | good |
| Tokina AF 5.6 400mm AT-X | 2.57 (4) | sub-average |