devil-dog

Are there any databases out there that grade out lenses by sharpness & overall quality? DxOMark is exactly what I'm looking for, but they're really behind in reviews. Huge gaps in entire lines of certain brands. Is there anything or anyone else that has attempted a neutral 3rd party rating database that might be more up to date?

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Take DxO with a grain of salt. Their testing is all done on optical benches and real-world shooting can't match results from an optical bench. If two lenses are close to each other in results, I seriously doubt you could tell them apart in real-world shooting.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

The only other fully independent "neutral" reviews can be found at www.Lenscore.org
I like DXOMark as everything is lab tested using identical parameters and equipment so there is no "real world" prejudice involved. Lenses will always score differently depending upon what body they are used on and DXOMark always rates lenses on numerous different bodies (sensors) so you can usually see exactly how they should function on your body. Naturally Canon lenses can never be tested on Nikon bodies, and Nikon lenses can not easily be tested on Canon bodies (although they are often adapted) so lenses will always be tested on compatible bodies. Lenses from Sigma, Tamron and Tokina are available in different mounts so they can be tested on different brand bodies to get very direct comparisons, barring differences in actual lens copies anyway.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

The problem with bench test sites is that , while a lens may be capable of better performance, the technique of the shooter won’t allow them to see an appreciable difference in their images. Say one lens is rated at 44 lpmm and another is 38 lpmm. If the photographer is only capable of acquiring 35 lpmm, the higher rated lens will not appear any better than the lower rated one. It’s not to say that DxO is not a reliable source, it’s that one has to know how they test and any shortcomings they may have.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

One I like, it is a bit user centric in terms of Sony/Minolta, but covers many, many lenses due to Sony users (DSLR and MILC) liking and using all sorts of lenses for their cameras, Primes, Zooms, tele. It is primarily user input so somewhat real world. Check it out. DYXUM.com www.dyxum.com/lenses/results.asp?chbLensType=3 I use it a lot when looking at used lenses, for folks impressions.
Does cover a lot of "other" (non Canon/Nikon) and interesting older to somewhat current.

Another that may be helpful: http://allphotolenses.com/lenses.html

dick ranez

Not a scientific test site, but I find the lens reviews at fredmiranda.com very useful. It includes comments from users more than bench tests.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Another good place!

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Could you test every car, camera, TV, lens or any complex device available, only for objective, not subjective, criteria and ranked them in some meaningful way? Not likely. Opinion gets in the way, also putting a "value" between what could be extremely slight differences that may not even show up to a human being in normal use. Or that matter to some people but not others.

Also, where would you put the divides between "quality" levels? Quality can be a highly subjective thing....what's "good" to you might be "great" or "poor" to me.

Fruitless exercise, unless just measuring one specific property in a controlled test, and listing by values for that property.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I agree that a standardized methodology is essential to making accurate comparisons.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Making "accurate" comparisons would also involve testing multiple samples of a given lens, because production variation randomness means one test subject may not be an "accurate" representative of the product. Especially if a lens maker hand-picks the lens to be supplied to a tester.