The sharpest standard lens.

Neilmack

Neilmack

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As a confirmed pixel peeper, and someone who usually uses a tripod to photograph inanimate subjects, I'm looking for the sharpest standard lens I can find for Nikon full frame. Sharpest, that is, at around f/5.6. I don't need f/1.4 or even f/2; I don't care about bokeh. Huge, heavy and fast really aren't what I'm after - I've had a Milvus, and don't feel attracted to an Otus or that huge Sigma 40mm.

Focal lengths between 40mm and 60mm. Zooms need not apply. Any nominations?
 
I have found the Zeiss ZF2 50 mm Makro to be very sharp. Certainly my 50 mm Makro is much sharper than the equivalent Zeiss 50mm f1.4 but I have only tried the 'classic' generation not the newer Milvus
 
The sharpest offenders I've had are..and got.. are...:

Leica X 113 lens
Nikon 50 1.4 AFS (when stopped to F2)
Nikon 10mm 2.8 (Nikon 1 series)
Canon 50mm 1.4 (when stopped to F1.8 plus)


I'm sure there are more.. and much more exotic glass. But this does me just fine!
 
Neilmack said:
As a confirmed pixel peeper, and someone who usually uses a tripod to photograph inanimate subjects, I'm looking for the sharpest standard lens I can find for Nikon full frame. Sharpest, that is, at around f/5.6. I don't need f/1.4 or even f/2; I don't care about bokeh. Huge, heavy and fast really aren't what I'm after - I've had a Milvus, and don't feel attracted to an Otus or that huge Sigma 40mm.

Focal lengths between 40mm and 60mm. Zooms need not apply. Any nominations?
Click to expand...

In the current Nikon series you'd be looking at the 60mm f2.8 G Macro or 40mm f2.8 G Macro. Both can be used as standard or macro lenses and are as sharp as you can get and neither are large or heavy. The 40mm is very compact.
 
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At f/5.6 the best lenses will all be diffraction limited, ie all the same (at least in the centre).

The very sharpest lenses peak at lower f/numbers, and will be sharper at f/4 or even f/2.8 though that's rare to find in practise. Canon's new RF 50mm f/1.2 is sharpest in the centre at f/2 (if you're splitting hairs) and is probably the sharpest lens currently available for mainstream photography.

Edit: scroll down to the MTF graph. While the centre peaks at f/2 and declines due to diffraction after that, the edges and corners continue to improve at higher f/numbers. It's probably sharpest overall at f/4. Most lenses show this pattern.

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 USM L - Review / Test Report - Analysis

Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 USM L - Review / Test Report
www.opticallimits.com www.opticallimits.com
 
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