Methodology
Lens Arena doesn't test lenses. It collects published facts about them and applies the same rules to every lens. This page explains those rules.
Where the data comes from
- Specifications are the manufacturers' published figures: focal length, aperture, weight, size, close focus, filter thread and so on. Some are collected from spec tables on review sites such as LensTip. Lens pages link to the maker's own product page where we have it.
- Sample photos come from Flickr. Each one is credited to its photographer and links to the original photo.
- Video reviews are YouTube videos, played from YouTube.
When a spec is missing, the page leaves it out. Values such as "Unknown", "N/A", "0 mm" or "0 g" are treated as missing, not as real measurements.
How the "best lenses" pages choose
A best lenses page lists every lens on one mount that fits a use. Focal lengths are compared as full-frame equivalents, so APS-C and Micro Four Thirds lenses are judged by the framing they give. The rules:
- Portrait: Primes from 70 to 135 mm (full-frame equivalent) at f/2.8 or brighter, plus constant-aperture f/2.8-or-brighter zooms inside 50–200 mm. Macro lenses are listed separately.
- Landscape: Wide primes and wide zooms whose longest focal length is 40 mm or less (full-frame equivalent).
- Wildlife: Lenses that reach at least 300 mm (full-frame equivalent).
- Macro: Lenses the manufacturer designates as macro.
- Street: Primes from 24 to 50 mm (full-frame equivalent) at f/4 or brighter.
- Astrophotography: Lenses of 35 mm or wider (full-frame equivalent) at f/2 or brighter.
- Video: Cine lenses rated in T-stops.
A page is only published when at least three lenses qualify.
The picks at the top of each page come from specs alone, and each reason quotes the number:
- Brightest: the widest maximum aperture, with the lighter lens winning a tie.
- Lightest: the lowest weight.
- Best for APS-C bodies and Best third-party: the brightest APS-C lens, and the brightest lens not made by the mount's own maker. These only appear when the page has a mix of both kinds.
- Newest: the most recent release date.
- Most affordable: the lowest manufacturer price: its current US list price, or its launch price when no list price is published. This only appears when most lenses on the page have a price.
A lens is picked only once. If the top lens for a pick is already used, the next one gets it, and its reason says so. Cine lenses rated in T-stops are never compared with f-stop lenses. We don't pick on sharpness, bokeh or autofocus, because we have no test data for them.
How comparisons are worked out
Comparison pages are published for each lens's closest rivals: same mount, nearest focal length and aperture, and enough specs on both sides to compare.
- A spec only counts when both lenses have a real value. A missing spec never hands the other lens a win, and a "0" in the data counts as missing.
- A weight difference under 10 g or under 3% isn't listed as an advantage or used to decide a verdict. Aperture differences are given in stops when both lenses have a constant aperture. A cine lens's T-stop is never compared with an f-number.
- Each "better for" verdict checks specs in a fixed order for that use, and the first clear difference decides it. For example, portrait looks at aperture, then weight. Wildlife looks at reach, then aperture, then stabilisation. Macro looks at magnification, then close focus.
What we don't do
We don't run lab tests, and we don't copy other sites' scores, charts or review text. For measured sharpness, distortion, vignetting and chromatic aberration, see LensTip, OpticalLimits and DXOMARK.
Affiliate commissions don't affect any of the above. See the affiliate disclosure.