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Archive 2015 · Hypothetical lens resolution question

  
 
Hulot
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


speaking hypothetically!

If we would compare say a Zeiss Optus 50mm (A) with a Nikon 50mm (B) lens, and we would indeed see a difference in resolution on a 24 mp Camera like the D600 or D750, would that difference increase on a 54 mp camera?

If yes or no, why?



Edited on Jan 13, 2015 at 11:12 AM · View previous versions



Jan 13, 2015 at 08:38 AM
Steve Perry
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


Nope - the resolution has nothing to do with lens sharpness. If a lens "A" is 20% sharper than lens "B", then it will always be 20% sharper.


Jan 13, 2015 at 09:15 AM
binary visions
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


Steve Perry wrote:
Nope - the resolution has nothing to do with lens sharpness. If a lens "A" is 20% sharper than lens "B", then it will always be 20% sharper.


Doesn't it depend on where on the scale everything falls? I mean, yes, resolution and sharpness are not specifically tied together (as there are many other variables involved) but they are correlated.

For example, if lens A is capable of resolving more detail than lens B because "A" is significantly out-resolving the sensor but "B" is not, you have no upper bound for "A."

Perceived sharpness is going to be situational because it depends heavily on contrast, but resolving more detail does improve the apparent sharpness, does it not? So why would capturing the extra detail (which "B" is not able to capture) not increase the detail that the viewer perceives? Assuming all else is equal, of course.



Jan 13, 2015 at 10:45 AM
RoyC
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


If both lenses in your example are capable of out resolving a 54MP sensor, the answer should be no.

If you are wondering about the impact of a possible future 54MP camera on your lens collection, you should look into whether or not your current lenses are capable of out resolving a D7100 which would be about 54MP.

Edited on Jan 25, 2015 at 04:00 PM · View previous versions



Jan 13, 2015 at 11:02 AM
Steve Perry
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


binary visions wrote:
Doesn't it depend on where on the scale everything falls? I mean, yes, resolution and sharpness are not specifically tied together (as there are many other variables involved) but they are correlated.

For example, if lens A is capable of resolving more detail than lens B because "A" is significantly out-resolving the sensor but "B" is not, you have no upper bound for "A."

Perceived sharpness is going to be situational because it depends heavily on contrast, but resolving more detail does improve the apparent sharpness, does it not? So why would capturing the extra detail (which "B" is not able
...Show more

I guess I think of it like this:

Let's say lens "B" has hit its limit and now "A" is out resolving it. Lens "A" will eventually hit a limit also, and the difference is the percentage between the two in sharpness. I don't think that percentage changes depending on the sensor - the sensor can't make a lens any sharper than it already is.

I see what you're saying about resolving more detail and apparent sharpness, but sharper lenses automatically reveal more detail, so I don't think that changes the sharpness difference between the two lenses either.




Jan 13, 2015 at 11:07 AM
Andre Labonte
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


Short answer: No

Long answer:

Resolving power = RP of lens X RP of the sensor

So going to a higher MP sensor will change the resolution regardless of the lens used ... but the limiting factor may well be the lens. Higher res sensors will show more of the lens defects but only if you view the image at a large enough viewing size and high enough resolution output as to see it.




Jan 13, 2015 at 11:18 AM
binary visions
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


Steve Perry wrote:
Let's say lens "B" has hit its limit and now "A" is out resolving it. Lens "A" will eventually hit a limit also, and the difference is the percentage between the two in sharpness. I don't think that percentage changes depending on the sensor - the sensor can't make a lens any sharper than it already is.


Sure, I see what you're saying. The lens' actual resolution doesn't change because of the sensor behind it.

I think the OP's question was more of a practical one, though - that is, could there be a change in apparent sharpness difference between two lenses by changing the sensor resolution. I think the answer is yes - there are some situations where that would be possible, namely if one lens is being resolution limited by the sensor and the other one is not.

If lens "A" resolves 100 l/mm, "B" resolves 200 l/mm, on a 24mp sensor that resolves 90 l/mm, they will appear very similar (these are made up numbers but not completely out of whack). On a 54mp sensor that resolves 150 l/mm, the difference should be much more noticeable though.

In some ways it might seem a trivial distinction but I think we're at a point now that the sensor resolutions are high enough where some lens designs are actually hitting that limit, and some lens designs are not.



Jan 13, 2015 at 11:34 AM
Hulot
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


sorry for the delay!

my point is this

people often comment that they are happy with a lens on a 12mp camera while they are unhappy with the same lens on a 36mp camera, or as RoyC said: not cabable to resolve a 54mp sensor

this is not logic to me. I can see that I need disproportional more gas when I increase speed on my Vespa because of the atmosphere and the friction of the street but I dont see why something similar would happen with the better resolving sensor



Jan 25, 2015 at 12:02 PM
Andre Labonte
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Hypothetical lens resolution question


It happens because they don't compare the pictures from the same lens on two sensor at the same viewing size but pixel peep to a crop that is clearly beyond the resolving power of the smaller MP sensor.


Jan 25, 2015 at 01:57 PM





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