About LenScore™
LenScore™ is a rating system for full frame digital camera lenses. It is based on the optical performance of a lens at 8 different apertures from f/1.4 to f/16 at 5 different focusing distances. Zoom lenses are measured at 3
different focal lengths. The score does not take into account a lens' price, weight, size, build quality, AF speed and image stabilization system. It is purely a rating of optical performance. The score is calibrated based on
the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G measurements, i.e. the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G is the reference with a score of 1000 in each category.
The overall score ( =
LenScore™ )
is a weighted average of the following 10 scores:
Resolving
Power
Amount of detail a lens is able to project onto the 24x36mm square within
the image circle used by full frame cameras. weight = 7
Contrast
Microcontrast performance. weight = 5
Color
Color fastness. weight = 3
Bokeh
Rendering of out-of-focus areas in front of and behind the focal plane. weight
= 5
How to rate
bokeh?
Star
Rendering of direct light sources at small apertures. weight
= 1
Distortion
Geometrical distortions. weight
= 5
Falloff
Light falloff from center to the edges (vignetting). weight
= 3
How to
rate falloff?
Flare
Amount of contrast reduction and ghosting caused by direct light sources within
and ouside the field of view. weight
= 5
LaCA
Lateral chromatic aberrations. weight
= 3
LoCA
Longitudinal chromatic aberrations. weight
= 5
Declaration
We have never received any equipment from Nikon,
Canon, Sony, Sigma, Zeiss, Leica or any other digital camera lens manufacturer. We only test production
lenses purchased and paid for in full from regular camera stores.
Our sister site SenScore™
started out as a small engineering project associated with a PhD, then more
people became interested, ideas for testing lenses started to fly and here we
are. Both SenScore™
and LenScore™ are
strictly non-commercial. We have never received any form of payment from
anybody. There is no advertising and no tracking or profiling of
any kind on the websites. We are completely independent and can and will say so
when a sensor's or lens' performance is disappointing without worrying about
hurting affiliate sales, and when we praise a sensor's or lens' performance,
then we do it because we are genuinely impressed, not because we will profit
from doing so. All of us are passionate about both photography and engineering,
and we believe that, for any task, chosing the right tools is important, knowing
fully well that photography is so much more than numbers. Good
light! |