Announcing the S.A.L.T. (Southland Alternative Lens Test)

[Antoine Fabi]

almost 20 days...

Trying to obtain unanimity is very difficult ?

Antoine

 

[Mitch Gross]

No one is paying these guys to do this. They have to make a living too.

 

[Jarred Land]

well said Mitch.. that's easy to forget.

 

[Pawel Achtel]

No one is paying these guys to do this. They have to make a living too.

Make a living? That's a novel concept in film making, no?

 

[Antoine Fabi]

Sure!

Just saying that it will be difficult to have unanimity with so many GREAT lenses

If a particular lense had killed every other lense, i think we'd already know.

But man i'm curious to see the grab frames.

Antoine.

 

[Evin Grant]

None of the lenses we chose/were able to test were slouches. That said there were some surprises. We did our evaluation last night and now we are collecting and correlating our thoughts. We will post out opinions/finding first and then frames and footy depending on processing and bandwidth.

 

[Chris Parker]

thanks for all the hard work gang....

 

[Jannard]

We have a new lens evaluation surprise to share pretty soon. It is a complement to the SALT tests. It is an app for everyone that evaluates lens performance scientifically for a RED ONE. Put any lens on a RED ONE, capture an image and evaluate the lens via software. It gives a resolution number for every part of the image. Mac & PC. Like horsepower to the wheels.

Jim

 

[Rick Darge]

Now THAT is f*****g amazing Jim..

Thanks

 

[Pawel Achtel]

We have a new lens evaluation surprise to share pretty soon. It is a complement to the SALT tests. It is an app for everyone that evaluates lens performance scientifically for a RED ONE. Put any lens on a RED ONE, capture an image and evaluate the lens via software. It gives a resolution number for every part of the image. Mac & PC. Like horsepower to the wheels.

Jim

How is this possible if the Nyquist frequency limit for a 6 micron pixel size is about 80lp/mm and modern lenses often resolve above 100lp/mm?

Of course, you can measure the combined MTF of sensor+lens at a lower frequency, like 50lp/mm, but the sensor component of the MTF will be still below the lens component of the combined MTF. Of course, we are talking about good cine lenses, here.

Relevant article on Schneider Optics website:

http://www.schneideroptics.com/industrial/singer/MatchingLenses.htm

 

[albert rudnicki]

I am only curious how The RPs stands against MPs, or am I?
My only regret is that I did not have the money to put on Red lenses when they were available for the "new comers"

All this buzz about the new lenses...

 

[jbeale]

How is this possible if the Nyquist frequency limit for a 6 micron pixel size is about 80lp/mm and modern lenses often resolve above 100lp/mm?

Of course, you can measure the combined MTF of sensor+lens at a lower frequenncy, like 50lp/mm, but the sensor component of the MTF will be still below the lens component of the combined MTF. (...)

There are a number of programs out there now that generate resolution numbers based on digital images, for example Imatest- of course this is system measurement (lens + OLPF + sensor + processing). I would have to assume the program Jim is talking about works the same way.

In any case, if you have already decided to use a red camera, I think the total system resolution is the only resolution number you care about, since you can't shoot a movie with just a lens in isolation.

Even if you aren't shooting on Red, you can still make a fair comparison to see (for example) if Lens A is sharper than Lens B, other things being equal.

 

[Jarred Land]

I think the total system resolution is the only resolution number you care about, since you can't shoot a movie with just a lens in isolation.

correct-o

Remember.. Apart from just the sensor as John mentioned you have the OLPF in the mix as well

 

[Pawel Achtel]

I am only curious how The RPs stands against MPs, or am I?

I am still waiting for sample RPs that Jim offered to send down here for a test on MTF machine and lens projector at Arri facility in Sydney. And the MPs are waiting impatiently to be compared with too

In any case, if you have already decided to use a red camera, I think the total system resolution is the only resolution number you care about, since you can't shoot a movie with just a lens in isolation.

Fair enough.

 

[Jannard]

We'll do one better... we are developing a way to test lenses "at the rear wheels". We'll invite you up to supervise the test!

Jim

 

[Tom Lowe]

Lucky Pawel!

When you come up here, bring the 60D and MP 14mm, Pawel. We'll go do some shooting.

 

[Pawel Achtel]

We'll do one better... we are developing a way to test lenses "at the rear wheels". We'll invite you up to supervise the test!

Jim

I'd be honoured.

Lucky Pawel!

When you come up here, bring the 60D and MP 14mm, Pawel. We'll go do some shooting.

Absolutely.

 

[Matthew Duclos]

We'll do one better... we are developing a way to test lenses "at the rear wheels". We'll invite you up to supervise the test!

Jim

You're kidnapping me to test lenses?

 

[Vincent S]

Any update guys? Really appreciate & looking forward to your test results.

 

[Michael Lindsay]

As somebody who has tested lenses with the thought that I might post the results here (and subsequently never got around to it) I appreciate how massively difficulty it is to present you findings in a way that doesn't confuse or encourage inferences that are unwise to make.

good luck to them... I'm sure they would love to post there results asap..

Michael L