Sharpness

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Lensdays is back! This video is about sharpness in lens design and photography. Sharpness is something we actually measure. It is represented in MTF charts and its actually a very important element to understanding the characteristics of a lens. Sharpness is essentially contrast between areas of detail. More defined contrast indicates a sharper photo. If we understand the sharpness of a lens we can also see possibilities in bokeh, field curvature, astigmatism and some types of chromatic aberration.
Lensdays happen weekly and its where we talk about all aspects of lenses and optics in photography.
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On my channel you will find videos about photography, cinematography, post processing tutorials for Capture One, Lightroom and Photoshop, photo assignments that YOU can participate in, the Artist Series and more. The Artist Series is an ongoing set of videos I produce as documentaries on living photographers. I am extremely passionate about photography and video and my goal in making these videos is to share my passion and enthusiasm with you! Don’t forget to subscribe and make sure to hit the like button and share this video if you enjoyed it!
Ted Forbes
The Art of Photography
2830 S. Hulen, Studio 133
Fort Worth, TX 76109
US of A

[@joakimsundberg7622]

"Sharpness is a bourgeois concept" Is my favorit defence for all my blurred pic´s

[@storysupport]

Ha! 😀 Sounds like one needs class-theory to support their subjective decisions. I just go with “This is what I want it to look like”

[@BAstudios5]

LOL nice

[@DanRawkt]

"hurt anyones feelings about your lenses" wtf is wrong with people?

[@arunashamal]

fuji fanboys...smh!

[@AustinKoontz]

Maybe he meant he didnt want to make people feel like their gear is not good/they need better gear to be a good photographer

[@Azertyvo]

This whole disclaimer part at the beginning ("I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings") lets you imagine how sensitive people can be when you daaaaaare insult their brand of choice. Ted, I assume you must have received loads of stupidly partisan comments, otherwise you wouldn't say this. If I were you, I'd be very tempted to suggest these moaning people a revolutionary way of using their lenses. I'm way more into your videos about the actual art of photography (the ones about great photographers), but your other videos are great too.

[@jbthementor4905]

You bring amazing value to the KZbin universe. I long to put out content just like you. I hope to get as good and bring that same knowledge base you present so effortlessly. Keep up the good work.

[@t.abarnett2393]

It's not often that I find a video that's not pure regurgitation, I really appreciate the knowledge you brought with this video 🙏

[@peterkaltoft8032]

Really appreciate what you're doing here. I've begun to shoot much more manual focus lately, and have begun to look for manual focus lenses because of this. This made me very interested in lenses on another level, besides just the normal hyped subjects, really to understand how lenses work. Your series here comes as a god sent 🙂

[@MegaNardman]

The Lensrentals blog is a fountain of MTF knowledge, and I'd highly recommend anyone who wants to take a deeper dive to take a look there. (The fact that the company is great to work with is another, separate bonus, IMO)

[@tedk2814]

I truly enjoyed this video and was "glued" to the monitor throughout. I can learn things here that I haven't seen on the majority of You Tube channels, Thanks, Ted

[@rf8221]

Wow Ted I haven't heard anyone on KZbin nerd out on lens sharpness or lack thereof, simply excellent. I can't think of anyone better than you to speak on the subject that I would enjoy listening to than you. -Thank You

[@giselesmith7795]

Thank you Ted, for adding to my knowledge and understanding of the lens. I love this series.

[@JasonWebberYT]

Ted you're amazing!!! You have an impressive way of teaching a topic that is traditionally boring but making it engaging. Can't wait for the next Lensdays episode!

[@Doodliedee]

Hey Ted! Newbie photography hobbyist here, getting really into it since the COVID-19 lockdown. I absolutely love the videos that you do, they're very informative and extremely valuable. It is easy to tell that you know what you're talking about and there's no BS or ego behind your videos trying to show off how good you are (unlike some other youtubers). Thanks for the awesome content! Wishing you the best. LATER ;)

[@shadowshapers]

As someone who has recently wanted to learn the in-depth about lenses and how to tell the specifics apart for each this video was immensely helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with the KZbin for us!

[@VictorWyatt]

I really appreciate you more technical episodes. They help me understand, at least to some extent, why this work a certain way without completely confusing me with details. They help me be a better judge of the equipment I own or am looking into buying. Thanks.

[@TheDecorama]

I've always been one of those "too afraid to ask" about MTF charts. THANK YOU for an excellent and comprehensive explanation that leaves me feeling comfortable with understanding them going forward. Don't apologize for going into technicalities - some of us need it! :)

[@stacy6903]

Lately I've been looking at KZbin videos about MTF charts, and this one is one of the tops for me!

[@IsmaelPedraza]

Don’t move away from technical videos just because some people find them boring. This is potentially the best video you’ve ever made

[@CharlesMcKeever]

Absolutely love this series! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[@deanbenninger]

Awesome Explanation Ted!!! Thank You for Explaining MTF Charts in Easy to Understand Detail!!!

[@jrwpixcom]

BINGO! Thank you for the single BEST lens explanation I’ve ever encountered! Lenses are our paint brushes, thus it’s necessary to know what effect our instrument will have between us and what we desire to create. Brilliant +++!

[@JamesLavish]

Finally, someone points out Copy Variation! Great video Ted, super well done and accessible for most people, I imagine. I'll be pointing people to this explanation for years to come, I'm sure.

[@alexanderpons9246]

Loved this video, yes you got technical but in a way that all of us can learn from it! Thanks for emphasizing the fact that in the end a great image its not attached to gear, in the end depending on each persons budget we all get the best we can afford. Anyway, thanks for loving Photography so much and for sharing such great material through your channel Ted Forbes!

[@j.fontaine2491]

Without question, you're my favorite camera (and lens) geek. Thank you for another informative video.

[@YehoshuaDerovan]

I recently read lots of Roger's stuff about copy variation on his website. Fascinating content. It's cool you mentioned him. Great series! Keep it coming! Cheers!!

[@rezzab]

As ever your talks are always of great interest. I have some great glass, Zeiss, Leica, Sony, Minolta and Nikon, all very sharp and I love them but my most sold image was taken in the 1960's with an Olympus SLR with a Zuiko 50mm f2 lens, its an old lady walking down the street at night, out of focus, blur and the scanned negative was in a terrible state even after trying to clean it up, people seem to like it.

[@NatyMidnight]

There are a lot of knowledgeable people, not only on KZbin but in academic and I find your teaching style so much more engaging even if the content leaves me scratching my head-like this. 😂😅 will need to rewatch 100x. How do you so effortlessly talk about all this...Ted, you are photography knowledge goals.

[@i8910midnight]

i'm a hobbyist photographer, but i obsess about these youtube videos on photography and just gobble it all up. i've been doing this for 7 years almost every night, it take time, but you will get what he's saying once you've read and watched his and other good lecturers here on youtube.

[@ericmanten7239]

A lot to digest here, but extremely valuable. Your video helped me to 'finally' get an understanding of what the MTF charts can show us and how to read them. Your most valuable comment, however, was to not let the MTF chart be your only reference when making a choice for a lens. Ideally, I always would like to shoot a lens before purchasing to see the actual images and decide what I like/don't like about them. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!

[@nohandle54]

One of the most informative things I’ve watched on KZbin - thanks!

[@felipevielmo]

MTF charts had already came to my attention but this video is a masterclass.

[@jonlouis2582]

Very good concise explanation. When I was new to photography I was all about sharpness, but I don't think about it much anymore. I have been lucky enough to see some great photographs from masters of photography in person, and a lot of them were not really sharp. If an image is great, no one will care about how sharp it is.

[@richardsimms251]

An extremely knowledgeable professional with immense experience. Just appreciate him !!! He has so much to teach in his head !!! RS. Canada

[@sanu4frndzs]

I am impressed by your "LENSDAYS" videos. Pleas keep it going.

[@stevenwaldstein2249]

Simply thank you. A great new series I automatically subscribed to.

[@JS-tc3kt]

The most valuable advice from the last video (#1) was “embrace the imperfections”. This is why I do minimal editing in post. A technically “perfect photo” is an exercise in chasing perfection from a technical standpoint. (Yeah, I know; circumlocution). The point is that you can edit an image to technical perfection WITHOUT adding anything of value to the image artistically. Almost all of the value in an image is in the context. That’s the part that makes us feel something special that we connect with in a photo. Perfect focus, razor sharpness, beautiful colors, and many other qualities can add value to the image but you can have a powerful photo even if all these are imperfect, but the subject/content/context are right. The reverse is not true. Wow, that’s a lot more than I thought I had to say!

[@danielleswain2729]

I do enjoy the 'LensDays'... 1 thing; don't forget about lens adapters, to get these lenses on all types of cameras. Thanks for what you do and happy holidays

[@DennisLimCY]

don't shy away from the technical stuff. go deep, go deeper, go as deep as the deepest of pixels. we can always re-watch the video 20 times to get what you are saying, but if it is not deep enough, then there is no where to go. thank you very much for the video. it is my goal to be far from the shallows. to crash through the surface, and onto the deep end.

[@adventure_photo]

Thanks for the great explanations Ted! Love your channel!👍

[@OldGirlPhotography]

I just have one question: how is all of this information inside your head? Another awesome vid, Ted. Just the perfect level of detail. Give me more.

[@cinnamon--girl]

Bravo Ted! AN excellent discussion on a somewhat boring but important technical topic. Five Stars!!

[@josephhawk1]

this is a fantastic series, keep it going!

Thank you so much for sharing this amount of knowledge in one video

[@stuartbaines2843]

Great "find edges" tip 👍 will run this for my lenses even though i have a good Understanding of their weaknesses already. Happy Xmas from the UK 🎄

[@mattb.4333]

Don't feel the need to apologize to haters. I come here to learn because I respect your expertise and people that truly want to learn would not argue petty brand loyalty driven arguments. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@lightbox617]

Thanks for dealing with the tech so clearly. My first consideration in a lens purchase is price. Yes, I do the research online regarding sharpness including corner to corner even ness of light . I don't generally need great low light capability. Most of the range I shoot is 5.6 to 8. Tamron, Sigma and Canon all make lenses that serve my needs and I have one of each ranging from 10mm to 300 mm zooms. For the last ten years, only once have I spent more than $500 for a lens

[@merlin357]

I've always wondered if the focus plane was flat or not! Didn't know that's what field curvature was, thanks!

[@tonylosternau8110]

you are the man...we explain things very sililar,so i thoroghly enjoy all your videos.thx for what you do

[@erichstocker8358]

Great comments and wonderfully useful and informative information. I don’t really understand the “cry outs” about some lens. Generally lenses are so good nowadays and they vary in how they apply the “compromises”. I have a particular camera and I don’t worry about other camera lenses. I just look for the best manufacturer or third-party lens that appeals to me. So what other manufacturer produces is not germane to my search. I’m certainly not changing my camera because another manufacturer has a lens that might appeal more to me. It just does’t fit into my search space. Also I don’t look at my pixels at 2x or 3x. I think your discussions are really useful of these types of searches.

[@heliaskes]

Been following your channel for a while now, but today, Ted, I salute you! Please keep on demystifying and explaining! Thanks- wholeheartedly!

[@alexlovell7830]

Great video. Very clear explanation. That summilux 35 is awesome.

[@SteveMillerhuntingforfood]

Ted, this is one of the best series you've done in a while. It's why I'm a subscriber to your channel. Thank you!

[@achimrecktenwald9671]

Hello Ted, this theoretical stuff interests me. Could you recommend a good book about lenses?

[@adeinewallacephotography]

Very informative! Thank you for sharing.

[@rbruce63]

When dad bought me my first camera in 1978 a Yashica Electro 35 GSN he said what a luminous lens! Use it in the middle at F/8 or F/5.6 it’s where it will be at its sharpest! But what a great service this camera-lens gave to me: from high school all the way to my masters in the USA. And the pictures I made with her!

[@CraigBergonzoni]

Love this. Great work as always.

[@WatchesAndPhotography]

Ted, great video, but some of us want to learn more about the technical aspects of optics. I think you can get more technical, since your premise is very technical to begin with. Anyway, love this new Lensdays series.

[@rodriguezricomanuel]

Ted, i took the opportunity to tell you that I've been watching a lot of content on your channel for quite some time now and i wanted to congratulate and thank you for all this content. I often use it as a podcast. sorry for my bad english. Cheers!!

[@lawrencev.athill7502]

A very enjoyable synopsis of your definitions. I didn't hear ant bias just objectivity. Thank you.

[@chunglinglo9687]

love this episode! thanks Ted!

[@Rene-DdW]

Fantastic serie. Thanks!

[@jonizzzle]

Mind. Blown. Thank you for all this cool info!

[@AdamMuise]

Great video again Ted. I'm sure you have it as a subject, but I would to know what coatings do inside and outside of the lens. What did coating technology look like over the years? What practical difference is it making in lenses today?

[@brakel8r]

if you hurt anyones feelings by trying to help and more importantly educate....they are beyond help and know everything thanks for the reviews

[@jans19772012]

Great technical video as usual 👍. You have a good weekend. 😎

[@boredgrass]

Very interesting and instructive!

[@diyextravaganza]

Thanks for the video, I always wondered what those charts meant.

[@kurgo_]

Excellent video, I'm really enjoying this series, can't wait for the next ones. Also, I think the word you're looking for is that people get "tribal" about their brands, rather than territorial :) plenty of people (shocking too, considering that the majority of users is way on the older side, you'd think they wouldn't be this childish) link their own ego and person to their favourite brand and thusly, any attack or perceived slight to their brand is taken personally.

[@sohocheckmate2897]

Thanks for the fantastic content!

[@AurelioToral]

fantastic video!!! thanks!

[@Lieveke]

I believe that the importance of sharpness is not only dominant because we can measure it, but because it's a very primitive survival mechanism in our eyes that has been refined over millions of years. It's subjective too which means that we see important things sharper than less important things. Which is why sharpening is really manipulating and telling your audience what they need to find important. As well as no loss of information of course, both technically and psychologically important.

[@SkinsFirstGeneration]

Never stop lensdays!!

[@greg2337]

The Padauk is a nice touch on that filter holder

[@diane-s3391]

Good educational video! Thanks Ted!

[@luigit2341]

Thank you for clarifying MTF charts.

[@Isaacimage]

Priceless !!! Thank you

[@bollinmorris2]

So many truths, so much information! Thank you!

[@felixmorsdorf1391]

Great value! I learned a lot...

[@slapstickwatch5137]

Thank`s for this intuitive explination of lens graphs ! Your Video is great. Now when I look at the "Technical Datasheets Contax Yashica Lenses" for my system everything is clear for me. Beneath; these Zeiss graphs for this system are very good because there is an explaining for the interpretation from Zeiss itself beneath and also all data. This video is really very hard to comment on cause it´s that good !*

[@ANNAKKi]

Man this is some serious info. If only I was not so stupid I would of learned much. I am staying tuned to change that fact.

[@evenios2831]

yay you brought up the 135mm g master ! i just ordered it one of the sharpest i hear! cant wait to get it :-)

[@sundarAKintelart]

I would like to know whether MTF charts are prepared with the lens set to focus infinity or set to focus at the closest focus distance or in between......

[@MrArunavadatta]

Thanks for explaining so lucidly..

[@thinkfreefilmsllc8559]

I love the series so far !!

[@MKL_D]

Refreshing,i love your work.

[@zx7-rr486]

Lens sharpness and sensor MP count, probably the most misunderstood, over-hyped and least important things to good photography. I think your video makes that pretty clear, whilst doing a good job of explaining contrast "sharpness". Some of my favourite lenses are not rated as particularly sharp. A good example, I have a Tamron 70-300 f4-5.6 zoom. It's really cheap (even new). The expert reviews are extremely dismissive of this lens, the MTF charts are also not that impressive. But I get great images from mine, both on 35mm film and FF digital. In my experience, there are very few lenses out there you can't get great pictures form if you work to their strengths.

[@Pg91357]

Mind blown! Amazing video.

[@phsyckomantis]

Dude! Amazing! Bravo😊👍🎉

[@Dreqon1]

Hahaha, while editing i had a laugh especially the first 5 mins haha, the rest is very interesting! Thanks! Have a good one!

[@johnhjic2]

Very nicely articulated.

[@alekseykonovalik5965]

Hey! Are you planning to do more photography assignments? Watching the playlist, that's cool!

[@jiuzhenpan2152]

Very Informative Content!!

[@mugshot749]

Hi Ted, although I agree with your statement about a lens been "too sharp for female portraits", I disagree that " Sharpness is purely due to contrast " ignores the factor of resolution, because you can get high resolution images that if they are low contrast don't look particularly sharp and vice versa.

[@csabytheone]

Very helpful, thank you. Now I have work to do... I have this idea: to draw a bunch of these lines you have shown and print a large surface (my window for example) then take pictures of it with my 18-55 zoom at some F values. In my mind, however, I always thought that the more close the lenses are to each other in a zoom type lens, the less distortion is prone to occur (this is the case in my 18-55 that around the 35mm value is the most compacted position between the elements, but what do I know about them? haha), and will compare the results of which shows more sharpness at least in the middle. Thank you again I love you being technical :) . God bless.

[@girliedog]

Really good talk, thank you.

[@zfisher]

really great video, fascinating.

[@emilyfitzowich5396]

I actually love hearing this kind of technical stuff. A lot of camera/photography youtubers don't have or don't share this kind of knowledge, so I find it very interesting. Please more videos like this!

[@dennisvanleent1]

Great video Ted. To cut in, I tend to like my photo's a bit less sharp, it's more about the feel an image has. Given that, some pretty amazing photo's where made with some kind of blurr, in both historic and contemporary work. Sharpness isn't always desirable a photo in my opinion. The lack of it however, may very well add a certain esthetic or mood to a picture if applied well (and not per se at all times) . So subjective? Quite a bit, I agree. Something about shooting with intent I figure. ;)

[@Danny2009ie]

Excellent video per usual. Thanks!

[@njihia]

Excellent video! I got a lot of value from this episode. PS: DONT SHY AWAY FROM THE REALLY TECHNICAL STUFF!! ITS WHY MOST OF US ARE HERE!!(i think).

[@FoivosLoxias]

Excellent video!

[@dougsmit1]

Another interesting one... It might be nice to address how sharpness results are affected by factors like pixel density, internal (vs. extension) focusing and coatings. There is also the question of hardware sharpness vs. processed sharpness by regular RAW converters and AI programs like Topaz. On a lark I shot some images with lenses that had been in the attic since I retired my view cameras 20-30 years ago. Of the ones I used, the best was a Zeiss 15cm Doppel-Amatar f/6.8 (a six element symmetrical Dagor rip-off/modification) at f/11 which I had used in the 70's and 80's on 4x5 with a lot of movements and 5x7 straight on. It's sharpness was not at all bad but I was equally impressed that the shutter worked as well as it had 'in the day'. It was fun. When you are retired and doing photo as a hobby, fun is what it is all about.