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What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?

  
 
bs kite
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p.1 #1 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


My sharpest was the 55mm 2.8 Micro-Nikkor. I owned the 105 2.8 Micro-Nikkor too, but it was not as sharp as the 55.

Let's see what others post as their sharpest. You can even post an image(s) of the work it produces.

cross-posted to Sony and Canon forums. had trouble cross-posting to Canon, but you are invited too

Robert

Edited on Sep 26, 2026 at 01:19 PM · View previous versions



Sep 24, 2026 at 04:21 PM
Eco-Scott
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p.1 #2 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Probably a tie between 135mm 1.8 Plena and 400mm 2.8 TC


Sep 24, 2026 at 05:03 PM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #3 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Z 85/1.2


Sep 24, 2026 at 05:18 PM
davidrwilliams
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p.1 #4 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Zeiss 250/5.6 Superachromat.


Sep 24, 2026 at 05:27 PM
Vento
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p.1 #5 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena


Sep 24, 2026 at 05:35 PM
Lt.Deadeye
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p.1 #6 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


At the moment, it's my Sigma 200mm f/2.0. Prior to that it was my Sony 135mm GM f/1.8.


Sep 24, 2026 at 05:46 PM
kiaora
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p.1 #7 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


From mainly black and white film days, Nikkor 28mm F2.8 AiS


Sep 24, 2026 at 05:50 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #8 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


bs kite wrote:
My sharpest was the 55mm 2.8 Micro-Nikkor. I owned the 105 2.8 Micro-Nikkor too, but it was not as sharp as the 55.

Let's see what others post as their sharpest. You can even post an image(s) of the work it produces.

cross-posted to Sony and Canon forums. had trouble cross-posting to Canon, but you are invited too

Robert


Do you mean the highest MTF at 30 or 40 line pairs or something closer to local contrast? Center only or across the field to edges and corners? I owned the 55/2.8 micro for almost 10 years and although it was very good for the era, I think some newer teles like 300/2.8 or 400/2.8 could surpass it as could some other modern primes.

EBH



Sep 24, 2026 at 06:31 PM
Jack Flesher
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p.1 #9 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


We can’t say based on viewing digital images. To really determine true sharpness, we’d need to view an aerial image from whatever lens evaluated an optical bench to truly determine.


Sep 24, 2026 at 06:38 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #10 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Drag Roger Cicala out of retirement.
LR had a fancy instrument they were using to test lenses for NASA.

EBH



Sep 24, 2026 at 06:42 PM
 


Search in Used Dept. 

Cliff L.
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p.1 #11 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


For me, out of the 400+ lenses I've owned since the start of the digital era (2002 for me), it would be the Sony FE 100mm f2.8 Macro GM or the 300mm f2.8 GM.

Honourable mention goes to the OM M.Zuiko ED 300mm f4 and the Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f2.8.

Edited on Sep 27, 2026 at 10:48 AM · View previous versions



Sep 24, 2026 at 06:45 PM
macwest
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p.1 #12 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Sony 135. Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM Lens


Sep 24, 2026 at 06:50 PM
GravelBen
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p.1 #13 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


In F-mount it has to be be the Sigma 150mm f2.8 Macro.for me.

I haven't really compared back to back but it might be beaten by some of the Z-mount glass now, the 50mm f1.8 S might be the sharpest of my Z lenses.



Sep 24, 2026 at 07:57 PM
Surfnsun
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p.1 #14 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Leica 50/1.4 CF


Sep 24, 2026 at 08:10 PM
Pixel Perfect
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p.1 #15 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Canon 500 f/4LIS mk II. But the cameras were much lower res back then. I'm sure some of my current lenses like the 50 f/1.4GM etc are as sharp.


Sep 24, 2026 at 08:18 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #16 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


The 500/4 IS II is still excellent on 45MP R5 II as it was on 50MP 5DsR in 2015. It holds up relly well to the 1.4x III, but the 2x III is not so great. I'm sure they could make a better, lighter 500/4, but nobody seems to like that FL.

EBH



Sep 24, 2026 at 08:43 PM
gooby
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p.1 #17 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


135 GM


Sep 24, 2026 at 08:47 PM
OwlsEyes
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p.1 #18 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Definitely the Nikon Z 400mm f2.8TC... that lens always amazes me.

bruce



Sep 24, 2026 at 08:50 PM
freaklikeme
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p.1 #19 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


The Otus ML 85/1.4. The 300GM comes in second.


Sep 24, 2026 at 09:22 PM
jcw1982
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p.1 #20 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?


Nikon Z 105 2.8 micro. Surprise performance: Nikon Z 50-250 dx.


Sep 24, 2026 at 09:40 PM
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