Kinda noob question - Lense chart reading

Ever since my first digital cam (Kodak DC280) I've been hooked on photography and went to an ALL Canon lineup.

I still have a lot of reading to do. I already understand the basics, I've shot great (in my eyes at least) HDR's with the PRO1, I know all about ISO, aperture, etc etc.

The one CRITICAL area I lack is the reading of the lense chart info on Canon's page, nor do I know what it's called etc or where to start.

For example:
http://usa.canon.com …s_18_55mm_f_3_5​_5_6_is_ii

The chart in that link, what does it mean, what is the graph's technical name? And where can I learn/read up about it?

Any positive help would be GREATLY appreciated!

How to read a MTF Chart

It's an "MTF chart".
http://www.luminous-landscape.com …s/understanding​-mtf.shtml

Thanks guys....Really appreciate it!

dont bother, just ask people here what lenses are good, that way you get the best advice possible.

Haha Mike, I hear ya, but I need to know what the MTF means by default because if I rely on others, without knowing the info, I'm not self reliant then.

mike_311 wrote in post #14132492
dont bother, just ask people here what lenses are good, that way you get the best advice possible.

There's only two things wrong with your statement - and considering that it is basically only two tidbits- that's zero for two.

1. Ask the experts mentality actually promotes a dumber class of people- people that can't interpret anything unless someone tells them first what they are seeing. It's like the tale of teaching a man to fish rather than giving a man a fish... One promotes a dependency, and the other advocates giving the man a skill he can use for the rest of his life. Sorry, after about 48 years, I am tired of seeing the downhill trend.

2. As far as getting the best advice possible- that's debatable.. Advice you will get- but the quality is varied and there is no way for you to know whether or not that person giving the advice is truly that qualified. I can tell you all day long how great the Canon 24-105L is, how it takes great pictures, not quite as good under poor lighting, it's got solid construction, etc- and unless you happen to know I have never owned or used the lens, and have never actually touched that particular lens ever in my life- how would you know ? As I haven't, how good is my advice now ? And this quality of advice is given here, on POTN, on a daily basis.

Even if I produced pictures- supposedly taken by that lens, how would you know I took the pictures, and furthermore- that i took the pictures with that particular lens.

Agreed Wayne.... Fanboys and experts can be wrong....... Hence why I do research for myself and make an educated decision off that.

Kinda like the Apple vs Windows or PS3 vs Xbox (which is better)... Saying "It sucks" is as useful as me taking a dump and saying the answer is in there. I explain WHY I dislike something, and go into details and why I like something else with details. That to me is the RIGHT way to give someone reputable advice. Oh, and I've owned both the mac and Xbox....Both went in the trash after 2 days.

Adding to what Wayne posted .
There's a huge amount of cognitive dissonance on camera forums !

wayne.robbins wrote in post #14143944
There's only two things wrong with your statement - and considering that it is basically only two tidbits- that's zero for two.

1. Ask the experts mentality actually promotes a dumber class of people- people that can't interpret anything unless someone tells them first what they are seeing. It's like the tale of teaching a man to fish rather than giving a man a fish... One promotes a dependency, and the other advocates giving the man a skill he can use for the rest of his life. Sorry, after about 48 years, I am tired of seeing the downhill trend.

2. As far as getting the best advice possible- that's debatable.. Advice you will get- but the quality is varied and there is no way for you to know whether or not that person giving the advice is truly that qualified. I can tell you all day long how great the Canon 24-105L is, how it takes great pictures, not quite as good under poor lighting, it's got solid construction, etc- and unless you happen to know I have never owned or used the lens, and have never actually touched that particular lens ever in my life- how would you know ? As I haven't, how good is my advice now ? And this quality of advice is given here, on POTN, on a daily basis.

Even if I produced pictures- supposedly taken by that lens, how would you know I took the pictures, and furthermore- that i took the pictures with that particular lens.

You realize it was a joke right?

Nope. I don't know what sarcasm is. I'm a bot.

mike_311 wrote in post #14144371
You realize it was a joke right?

Oops- I think it was very early in the morning.. Guess I didn't catch it.. Sorry...

Foggiest wrote in post #14144128
Adding to what Wayne posted .
There's a huge amount of cognitive dissonance on camera forums !

Shame on you.. You made me look up a word..

• IF the same testing body does both tests and under identical test conditions, one can compare two lenses by looking at the MTF charts, to see which one performs better at the Center vs. at the Edges.
  
• If the testing is NOT done by the same testing body under same test conditions, you cannot directly compare the two via MTF!
  
• You cannot, for example, compare a lens tested on 8MP digital camera vs. another lens tested on 16MP camera. Keep that in mind, whether comparing curves or specific numbers.
  
• Also keep in mind normal sample-to-sample variances caused by tolerances accepted in the manufacturing process, as any specific example might be at one extreme or the other of the range of acceptable standard for that design.
  

Wilt wrote in post #14146528

• IF the same testing body does both tests and under identical test conditions, one can compare two lenses by looking at the MTF charts, to see which one performs better at the Center vs. at the Edges.
  
• If the testing is NOT done by the same testing body under same test conditions, you cannot directly compare the two via MTF!
  
• You cannot, for example, compare a lens tested on 8MP digital camera vs. another lens tested on 16MP camera. Keep that in mind, whether comparing curves or specific numbers.
  
• Also keep in mind normal sample-to-sample variances caused by tolerances accepted in the manufacturing process, as any specific example might be at one extreme or the other of the range of acceptable standard for that design.
  

Thank you.