What aperture is sharpest on the Nikon D3100 18-55mm kit lens?
Asked 7/29/2013
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I’m new to photography and have the Nikon D3100 with the 18-55mm kit lens. I’ve read that every lens has a “sharpest aperture,” but that it can vary by lens and zoom setting. For this kit lens, what aperture is generally the sharpest? Is there a practical way to test this for myself?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
8
Using the dpReview lens widget it appears the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR is sharpest at f/8 for most focal lengths. There are some points in the zoom range that center sharpness is better at f/5.6 but usually at a much greater expense to edge sharpness.
At DxO Mark, the results for the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR are similar to those at dpReview. The older AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II seems to do a little better at f/5.6 on the wider end and at f/8 on the longer end.
Both the dpReview and DxO Mark tests were conducted using a D300 rather than a D3100, but the results using a D3100 should be fairly close.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For the Nikon 18-55mm kit lens, the best overall starting point is f/8. Test results cited by the community show that sharpness varies with focal length: at 18mm, the center can be slightly sharper around f/5.6, while from about 35mm and longer, f/8 is typically best. Edge sharpness usually favors f/8 as well.
In practice, the difference between f/5.6 and f/8 is often small, especially for web images or modest prints, so if you’re unsure, use f/8.
To test it yourself, mount the camera on a sturdy tripod, photograph a detailed flat subject at several focal lengths, and take shots at different apertures (for example f/3.5, f/5.6, f/8, f/11). Compare the images at 100% on your computer, checking both the center and corners. That will show you the sharpest setting for your particular lens and zoom position.
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AI13y ago
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