How do you test your new lens?

I received my first L lens today. 70-200L f4 brand new. Went outside and shot a few things and it seemed a little soft. I'm certain that it is user error. Hows the best way to test? tripod? Any thoughts or processes you have will be appreciated.

Post some pictures and lets us know your settings.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

I go and take some pictures.

But if you are concerned about issues,. take a look here;
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=10526

ok here ya go

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The first one just looks out of focus. Not sure.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #10346198
I go and take some pictures.

But if you are concerned about issues,. take a look here;
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=10526

That is a cool test. Thanks

If you're going to insist on testing a lens...
1. No filters
2. Single center focus point focusing
3. Mount camera/lens onto a SOLID tripod
4. Attach shutter release
5. Set camera to lock mirror up prior to opening shutter
6. Be sure the camera is set further than the lens minimal focus length
7. AF to the target and trip shutter at various apertures realizing that lenses are their sharpest around f/8
8. MF to the target and trip shutter as above, making sure the diopter is set correctly to your eye sight
9. Examine results on the computer screen WITHOUT 100% pixel-peeping.
10. Print and examine a full size 8 x 10" or larger, glossy print.

EXIF?

First one looks like motion blur. What shutter speed and focal length were you shooting at?

Also, for test purposes I'd advise against shooting tree branches as they may sway in the breeze. Try to shoot something that's unlikely to move.

Thanks all, the more I look at other shots the more I'm certain it is user error and the excitement of new glass.

From the second picture, I think you've got some front focusing.
On a calculator, or a keyboard, with about a 45 degree angle, make sure your lens is fully opened, focus on one digit (or letter). Then see on your screen if that's where the sharpest image is or not.... If it's a front or back focusing issue, you can micro-callebrate the lens to the camera

J.David wrote in post #10346160
...Hows the best way to test? tripod? Any thoughts or processes you have will be appreciated.

I don't think that there is one best way. What works for one may not work for another. Myself, I have had zero luck evaluating the performance of a lens shooting real world objects. There is just too much variability and it's too difficult to judge when that perfect spot has been hit.

But I do go through a process with each new lens I add both for micro focus adjusting and to evaluate the performance of the lens. I have found that shooting a resolution chart such as theISO12233 chart gives me a measurable way to judge the performance of a lens.

I set up the chart at one end of my basement, or out on the deck, for longer focal length lenses, at about 50x the focal length of the lens. I place the camera on a tripod and using live view, at 10x, manually focus on the chart. Then with MLU and timer I take a pic. This is my baseline. It's the best the lens can do.

I then take a couple of pics using AF and for bodies with MFA, I take a series starting at -15, -10, -5, 0, +5 and so forth. Then loading the images in PS I look for the point where the lens is able to resolve the finest detail. That's the point of perfect focus.

This is a sample of the chart. It's my 100-400 at 400mm, wide open. Both are 100% crops of screenshots of the unprocessed raw file.

Every lens I've owned had a learning curve, so I never test them. It would drive me nuts. I go out and take pictures with them for a few weeks. I've had 2 lenses make their way back to Canon, but it was years after buying them.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #10346198
I go and take some pictures.

Exactly. I don't. I've yet to have a lens that is a "bad" or "soft" copy. Maybe I'm just lucky...

I just go out and start shooting. I only "test" a lens if my images consistantly have issues. Even then I usually only start testing it, then get bored with that, then I just keep shooting with it or sell it.