Understanding Lab Tested Lenses

Lab Tested means real visual data — captured in our lab under controlled, repeatable conditions. Here's how to spot which lenses have visual data, and what each status dot tells you.

When a lens on CineTraits carries the Lab Tested badge, it has been physically tested by our team under controlled, repeatable conditions — flare, bokeh, sharpness, distortion, chromatic aberration and more, using consistent lighting, camera bodies and test charts. The result is verified visual data you can trust to compare lenses fairly side by side.

Inside the Lens Database, you can flip the Lab Tested toggle at the top of the table to filter the entire database down to lenses that have visual test data. This is the fastest way to skip past lenses that only carry research-based traits and focus on glass we've actually shot through in the lab. Toggle it off again to see the full catalogue, including lenses still in the pipeline. Watch it in action below — the toggle flips automatically every few seconds to demonstrate.

Every lens row in the Database carries a small status dot to its left. The simple rule: if there's a dot, the lens has visual test data attached to it — the colour just tells you which stage of testing it's currently in. If there's no dot, no visual tests have been captured yet (though character traits may still be present from research). The previews below show every dot variant exactly as they appear in the Database.

Not every lab-tested lens is fully tested the moment it goes live. A green Lab Tested dot means roughly 80–100% of all visual test data is present — all major tests are complete, with remaining tests to be completed at a later date. A yellow-green Half Tested dot means some visual tests are live, but the lens is no longer with us in testing — we will attempt to retest this lens and complete testing later. Both carry real, usable test data.

Orange dots represent lenses currently in the pipeline. Lab Testing means it's actively being tested right now and you can expect imagery to grow as the session progresses. Re-Testing (deep orange) means the lens was previously tested but is going through a new round of testing — updated imagery is coming soon. Both still count as having visual data — the dot itself is your signal.

Lenses without a status dot haven't had any visual tests captured yet. They may still appear in the Database with character trait badges populated from community knowledge, manufacturer specifications, or AI-assisted research. These traits are useful for getting a general sense of a lens's character but don't carry the same level of verified, side-by-side comparable test data as a dotted lens.

Just to be clear: our character trait system is not tied to lab testing. Every lens in the Database — tested or not — can carry character traits like flare strength, bokeh shape, contrast, and so on. Lab testing simply makes those traits more accurate and verifiable, because we've physically confirmed them. A lens that hasn't been lab tested can still offer a complete set of character traits drawn from research, community input, and manufacturer data — they're a separate layer that works alongside lab testing, not because of it.

Our lab-tested coverage grows every month. We prioritise lenses based on community demand, manufacturer partnerships, and editorial value. Half-tested lenses gradually fill out into fully tested lenses, and acknowledged lenses move into active testing. You can vote for lenses you want tested on the Public Hub, and we take requests through the contact page.