NEX-7 Lens Resolution Tests via Imatest at LensRentals.com

R.C. at LensRentals.com performed a test on several lenses on the NEX-7. The lenses comprised of the native E-mount lenses from Sony and Sigma. A Leica Summilux was also thrown into the mix since it's done well in previous Imatest challenges.

The numbers below represent MTF-50 at aperture f/4. The NEX-7 was set at ISO 400 and each lens was manually focused and bracketed so that focus errors were eliminated.

from Imatest.

Device or system sharpness is measured as a Spatial Frequency Response (SFR), also called Modulation Transfer Function (MTF). MTF is the contrast at a given spatial frequency (measured in cycles or line pairs per distance) relative to low frequencies. The 50% MTF frequency correlates well with perceived sharpness— much better than the old vanishing resolution measurement, which indicated where the detail wasn’t.

Now let's look at the test results at aperture f/4.

Lens	Max	Avg
Sony 16mm f/4	915	646
Sigma 19mm f/4	920	765
Sony 24mm f/4	1000	795
Sony 18-200 f/4	855	680
Sony 18-55 @20 f/4	855	640
Sony 30mm f/4	940	725
Sigma 30mm f/4	1040	840
Sony 50mm f/4	885	835
Leica 50mm f/4	1020	870

Photo by jerome_Munich

What can we learn from this test? At f/4 most of these lenses, from $4000+ Leicas to $200 Sigmas, will be separated by the technique of the photographer with regards to resolution. Keep the camera still when taking a shot by using a high shutter speed, a tripod, a remote shutter release, etc. If you want maximum resolution, it looks like the Sigma 30mm DN Lens is the best bang for the buck.

Here's a quick quote from the article regarding the NEX-7 vs the Canon 5d Mark III and the Nikon D800.

• (NEX-7) resolution at f/4 with a good lens is about what we see with a Canon 5DII or III (1050 / 800 or so LP/IH) with a good lens, not quite as good as a Nikon D800 (1200 / 1000 LP / IH).

Read the complete NEX-7 Lens Resolution Comparison by RC at LensRentals.com.

Read more about sharpness from Imatest.

Thanks RC!