ABSTRACT
There are many parameters that define a good lens from a bad one. For high definition cinemato-
graphy, where there is a mixture of both film and video backgrounds, the most important include: resolution (that is, what is the smallest dot in the scene that can accurately be recorded); contrast (does the lens have a short hard tonal range or a long gentle one?); colour rendition (this breaks down into
two separate parameters, the overall colour hue of the image and edge fringing); and finally breathing (which describes the effect of an image size change when the lens focus is racked).
