In article <439s9e$met@ampersand.jpl.nasa.gov>,
Donald.D.Farra@jpl.nasa.gov says...
>I was thinking of running a informal comparison test of the Leica 35/1.4
>asph against a Canon AF 28-80 zoom, a Minotla AF 28-80 zoom, Nikon
>35/2.0, T-4 camera and a Fujica GW690. I would use a commercial color
>processing lab to print the results with a print size of 8x10, 5x7 or
>4x6. I was planning on using both negative and slide films in the 50,
>100, 200, 400 and 800 ASA ranges. The target or subjects would be three
>dimensional with varying lighting ratios, ie. close to real world images
>not test targets.

I applaud your desire to skip the charts, since they introduce problems:
they are flat, and exact alignment and focus is difficult to achieve
in order to make a meaningful test; and they are at best a test of lens
quality at only one distance, and that distance may not be very relavant
to the way the lens will be used (and many lenses show large variation
in performance with distance changes, and almost all show some).
I would suggest using only one film (all that is needed to show
differences in the lenses and formats) of almost any speed (!), though
slow films will show SLIGHTLY greater variations in performance among
the lenses you are checking; and if it is a negative film, that the
prints be all one size (maybe 8x10), and made by the same printer at
the same time (there will still be some variations that will conceal
some information you may be after). You should also use a GOOD
10x or so magnifier directly on the negative (good looking 8x10's
can be made from remarkably unsharp negatives). Use the prints for
contrast evaluations, if the densities are very closely matched, but
look at the negatives directly for sharpness comparisons.
I am assuming that the subject will be photographed with all lenses
under very similar conditions (this is less necessary with experience).
I would choose 3 subjects: one at infinity with fine detail that
runs from center-to-corner of the frame; one that is at 50-100 feet;
and one that is at about 3-5 feet. It is useful to have a little depth
in the details of the subject (covering center-to-corner in the frame)
to show you focus errors). Even at infinity, with a contrasty subject
and a good viewfinder, you will find that three carefully focused frames
will be slightly different in focus and sharpness - which is partly
why testing is so difficult (You are opening a can of worms!).
Uh, errr...., have fun with this project..........
Hope this helps.