Best superzoom lens for travel: 8 lightweight optics tested and rated

Page 3 of 4:

Page 3

Best super zoom lens for travel: image quality analysis

[caption id="attachment_607469" align="aligncenter" width="610"]

Click on the infographic to see the larger version.[/caption]

SEE MORE: 8 reasons why cheap kit lenses are the perfect lens

Best super zoom lens for travel: lab results

[caption id="attachment_607472" align="aligncenter" width="610"]

Click on the infographic to see the larger version.[/caption]

For our lab tests, we used a Canon 7D Mk II for the Canon and Sigma 18-200mm lenses, and a Nikon D7200 for the Nikon and Sigma 18-300mm lenses, and the Tamron 16-300mm.

All three MFT lenses were tested on the same Olympus OM-D E-M1 body. Most lenses dropped in sharpness at the long end of their zoom range, apart from the Panasonic 14-140mm, for which sharpness levels dipped at mid-zoom settings, and the Sigma 18-200mm which maintained fairly even levels of sharpness throughout its zoom range.

The Tamron 14-150mm MFT lens was least impressive for sharpness.

Low levels of colour fringing proved good in the Olympus and Panasonic lenses. The worst performers were the Nikon 18-300mm and Tamron 16-300mm lenses.

The Olympus gave negligible amounts of distortion at any zoom setting, whereas other lenses gave varying degrees of barrel distortion at their shortest focal lengths, switching to fairly similar degrees of pincushion at mid to long zoom settings.

SEE MORE: Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM lens review