What does diffraction look like?

[Nesster]

Since this topic comes up every now and then, plus since I'm curious, plus since what else am I gonna do with my fancy digital camera and autofocus lens

This is quite a casual test - I did not use a tripod, for one, and so on. Camera set to ISO 200, matrix metering at aperture priority. Nikon D600, AF-D 50/1.8 lens, camera fine jpeg. That's about it. The intent is to see what happens to detail when I go from f/5.6 to f/11 to f/22... and an overall view of is that detail loss catastrophic in the overall photograph?

My take? God didn't put f/22 on our lenses if She didn't want us to use it, just like He gave us a usable ISO 6400. But f/11 Rocks!


Tug at f/5.6 by Nesster, on Flickr

Tug at f/22 by Nesster, on Flickr

F/22, f/5.6, f/11

Detail Tug f/22 f/5.6 f/11 by Nesster, on Flickr
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3784/9527762713_87ccd004bc_o.jpg



100% F/5.6, f/11, f/22


Detail Tug f/5.6 f/11 f/22 by Nesster, on Flickr

Top left F22, Top right and bottom f/5.6, bottom left f/11

Auto SPKR top left F/22 bottom left f/11 f/5.6 quad by Nesster, on Flickr
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7345/9527762473_a9160f4a7b_o.jpg


Brick wall f22 f11 f5.6 by Nesster, on Flickr
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/9527762267_f4d0626065_o.jpg

[480sparky]

This is why I bench-test every lens I own... to find out the 'sweet spot' of each one. I don't rely on someone else's test, as they view the world differently. That, and their copy might be different than mine.

I test each lens at each full stop, plus wide-open and minimum. If it's a zoom, I repeat the test for each barrel-marked focal length.

Armed with this knowledge, I can go forth into the world knowing which apertures are 'the best', which are acceptable, and which to avoid at all costs.

[philslizzy]

Interesting, I have never seen diffraction so clearly. Of course in the old film days it didnt really matter. Amateurs rarely went above 10x8 inch prints anyway.