SLR Lens Optimal Settings

[greatphotos]

I thought it might be beneficial to those who own Canon or Nikon DSLR's to post their findings on their lens' sweet spot.

For instance, I just read that for my primary lens, the Nikkor 80-400 VR, it performs best at f11 @ 400mm. I've been shooting at f8 with decent results but hopefully I'll get a little sharper pics at f11. Since I shoot at the beach, I should have plenty of sun to enable me to shoot at f11. I hope.

Here's a link to Nikon lens reviews.

http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html

Here are some Canon links.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showcat.php?cat=27
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/

[neo]

i heard F45 works wonders...lol jk

[Shark]

What if you are using a Tamron lens? I'll have to check that out, see if it's listed.

[greatphotos]

A lens is usually sharpest around the middle f-stops or a little towards the smallest F-stop. This is because of the amount of glass you use in order to create the image. Very expensive lenses have extremely refined & fine tuned lenses--this allows them to create sharper images when shooting at smaller f-stops. All glass distorts a little, but there is a sweet spot where you're neither using to much or too little glass. Ponder that for a while. :)

BTW, here is a great lens/product review resource. This guy is HONEST and ACCURATE. Honest meaning he's not paid for reviews like most other places.

http://www.photodo.com/nav/prodindex.html

Thanks for the link!