When shooting with a given lens, how do you know which aperture is optimal for your creative vision?

Let’s say you want shallow dof, is there a place where you can learn that the sweet spot for dof and sharpness for a given lens model is when it’s stopped down by 1/2 stop?  

Conversely, where would you go to learn that a given lens model goes soft after f/11?

Sure, you could create a test rig, take tons of pictures with each at every aperture and inspect them with a magnifying glass, but that seems awfully inefficient.

Thanks and I look forward to everyone’s guidance and insights…

  • Stabok_BoseBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Study the MTF chart for your lens (Scientific way to calculate your lens’s sharpness) Do some tests (Practical way to test and it will give you more real life data because everything works in lab)

  • Garrett_1982BEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Shoot shoot shoot. One lens. One camera. Shoot the crap out of it. You don’t learn from forums, reddits, YouTube or reading other people’s opinions online. Shoot.