Methods for Testing Optics?

[Ray B]

I read comments that one brand of scope is better than another and so on. I have several brands of scopes from a vast timespan of years and I am wondering how I can make a comparison test of them. My brother in law, a retired airplane engineer gave a chart to me that has several lines and gaps on it varying in size from wide to quite thin. The idea is to look through the scope and see how fine a line can be discerned and if the lines change direction from vertical & horizontal to curved either making a concave or convex pattern. This is done in bright light and in gradual steps into very dark. The problem is putting the scope in a fixed ;position, then trying to look through it and record the image. After a little looking, my eyes find it difficult to tell what I'm looking at. I've tried taking photographs with a DSLR with some success, but it adds variable where the camera may be making one scope appear better than another.

Has anyone done any investigating along this line? If so, I would really like to hear about a workable method so as not to re-invent a process.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I have never gone so far as to test for lens aberrations with the pattern as you brother in law has provided.
I was more concerned with light transmission in low light conditions and I used a semi dark room comparable to twilight and determined which made it possible to read a set text more clearly.
All totally subjective, but it's my eyes that have to look through the scope or binoculars.