Advice needed

[Krosya]

HI All,
Well, I'm about to spend some time and film to run some lens tests (for me and to post here if there is any interest). Lenses are my several 50mm M and LTM mount lenses. While I don't care to shoot boring newspapers, I'd like to test how each does when it comes to sharpnes wide open and a bit closed down as well as bokeh. So, what would you recommend as a setup or subject arrangement? What is good to photograph for such a thing, what to use as a background, how far, how to arrange objects that are being photographed, etc. I'll use a tripod (I know a sin), M6 and a remote release. Film - probably just B&W or colour (or both) print film. This test doesn't have to be very scientific, just to be able to show how each lens performs, just to have a general idea (better idea) when each one is a better choice.
So, any ideas?
Thanks.

 

[foto_fool]

You could borrow ferider's outdoor heater.

But seriously, I think for a not very scientific test you just need a scene that
1) has constant lighting
2) has foreground detail and contrast
3) has background highlights (for boke comparison), and most important
4) is related to the type of composition you shoot most often.

I like shooting my daughter in our den, at about 5 pm when the light on the roses outside looks right. Her hair and eyes have all the foreground detail that matter to me.

_- John

 

[ferider]

You could borrow ferider's outdoor heater.

Should I put it in the classifieds ? 😀

Seriously, whatever you shoot, it is good to have a little text somewhere
in the focal plane, like a roll of film or similar. Another good target to check
for sharpness is hair or the reflecting eye of a person.

Otherwise it depends on what you want to test. Bokeh sometimes varies
with focal distance, comatic aberation is shown well with leaves (sunlit
leaves are a real torture test), skin rendering with a person, etc.

Best,

Roland.

 

[Krosya]

Thanks for ideas guys. I'll try to implement them. And hope to hear more.

 

[payasam]

Don't see the need for both colour and B&W film. Just colour film should be enough: it will show if the lenses are warm or cold.

 

[Krosya]

Don't see the need for both colour and B&W film. Just colour film should be enough: it will show if the lenses are warm or cold.

What about micro-contrast? I thought it would be better in B&W to see how each lens renders shades of grey. Cant see that as well as in colour, am I correct? What do you think?

 

[Magus]

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