Here’s How to Find the “Sweet Spot" of Any Lens for Optimum Sharpness, Depth & Color (VIDEO)

If you’re like most Shutterbug readers, with a full arsenal of lenses, you know that every lens performs differently in terms of color rendition, sharpness, depth-of-field, bokeh, and contrast. In the video below, you’ll see how one pro determines the “sweet spot” of every lens he owns.

Photographer Radhakrishnan Chakyat identifies the optimum f/stop of a lens by shooting sample photos at various aperture settings and analyzing the results on a computer. As you’ll see, the process is both straightforward and informative.

While watching the video, you may be surprised to see how a one-stop difference can have a noticeable impact on obtaining a highly resolved image. Chakyat explains the science behind lens performance, in terms of diffraction and chromatic aberration, to clarify how all this works.

This weekend may be a great time to put this tutorial to work, and find the sweet spot of every lens you own. Once you know the optimum f/stop for a given lens, it’s a simple matter to modify ISO or shutter speed settings so you can use the best aperture for maximum results.

You can find more tips from Chakyat on his YouTube channel, and be sure to read our earlier story on maximizing image sharpness.

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