On 14 Mar 2003 16:30:05 -0800, w8imo@arrl.net (Bob S) wrote:

>"Yi-Zen Chu; Yiren Qu" <yizen@attbi.com> wrote in message news:<3E7235C3.4070205@attbi.com>...

>> Hello everyone,

>>

>> I am wondering if there's any test patterns I can find on the internet I

>> could print out with my printer (HP 710C) so that I can paste it on the

>> wall and test my about-to-arrive Nikkor?

>>

>> On a similar note, how else should I test my lens? What kind of subjects

>> do people use? What about color rendition?

>>

>> Thanks!

>>

>> Yi-Zen

>Since I don't take pictures of test patterns I take shots of my normal

>subjects, people, cars, etc and loupe the slides. Tells me more than

>a lens test pattern.

>

>Bob

I agree. I use the same distant (solves focus shift with

angle problems) detailed scene, shot twice without focus

change - once with the shutter release up (vertical frame),

once with the camera inverted (same framing). This allows

you to compare a horizon line imaged the same way across

the frame line. I also shoot a detailed horizon line

placed diagonally across the frame from corner to corner,

then reversed without changing focus. These, at f2/2.8

F5.6, and f11 for a quick check. I also shoot straight

down at an even texture like concrete, usually at f5.6,

to check closer-focus performance (often different from

infinity-focus performance, which is one reason I dislike

chart-testing [also, chart-testing is too critical of

*exact* focus for accuracy]). (See:

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/slemn.html.)