Infrared photography, the hot spot issue with lenses

In digital infrared photography bright hot spots can appear in the central image area.
Due to internal reflections in the camera and the lens, some lenses produce a bright hotspot in the center of the image, while others do not.
See a comparison of prototype Zeiss lenses with special IR coatings compared to the normal lenses at diglloyd.

Here is a list of lenses suitable or unsuitable for IR photography compiled from various discussion forums.
Note there are conflicting reports for some lenses. There may be a number of different reasons for this: the hot spot is not strong in some instances, lens coatings have changed over time, the hot spot may depend on aperture, flare etc. is confused with a hot spot, the transmission curve of the IR filter used, the camera body used (if some hot spots are due to reflections from the sensor/sensor filter, different cameras could produce different results).

Lenses suitable for infrared photography

Asahi Super-Takumar 55mm f/1.8 MF

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 [1] (unprocessed examples on 400D at 10mm, 14mm, 17mm, 22mm)‚ †
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L [2]
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Canon EF 22-55mm f/4-5.6 USM
Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 [2]
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS
Canon EF 28-135mm/3.5-5.6 IS
Canon EF 28-80mm USM
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8
Canon EF 35mm f/2.0
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MKI
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MKII
Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM
Canon EF-S 55-250mm 1:4-5.6 IS (unprocessed examples on 400D, f5.6, 55mm, 116mm, and 250mm)‚ †
Canon EF-S 60mm 1:2.8 macro (unprocessed example on 400D)‚ †
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6 L IS
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Canon EF 135mm f/2 L
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5 L

Lensbaby 50mm f/2.8
Nikon 14mm f/2.8 ED-RF
Nikon 15mm f/5.6 QDC
Nikon 18 mm f3.5 [AI S] weak hot spot at f/22
Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S G ED DX
Nikon 20mm f/2.8 [AI S], weak hot spot at f/22
Nikon 20mm f/2.8 AF-D
Nikon 20mm f/3.5 AI-S, but flare prone
Nikon 24-70mm f/3.5-5.6 UC
Nikon 28mm f/3.5 PC AI-S
Nikon 28mm f/3.5 non-AI, AI, AIS
Nikon 35-70mm f/2.8 AF D
Nikon 35-135mm f/3.5-4.5 AF
Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8 (non D) [3]
Nikon 70-210mm f/4.0-5.6 D
Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G IF-ED AF-S VR
Nikon 85mm f/1.8 Pre-AI MF
MTO 500mm f/8
Peleng 8mm fisheye
Phoenix 100mm f/3.5 macro

Sigma AF 10-20mm f/4-5.6D DC-HSM [4]
Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX
Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.5 DC Macro HSM (unprocessed examples on Canon400D at 17mm and 70mm) [5]‚ †
Sigma 18-50mm f/3.5-5.6 DC
Sigma 20mm f/1.8
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 [4]
Sigma 55-200mm f/4.0.5.6 DC
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG macro
Sigma 400mm f/5.6
Tamron 28-300mm XR

Tokina 11-16
Tokina 20-35mm f/3.5 [4]
Vivitar 24mm f/2.8 MF

Note: some of these lenses may produce a hot spot at small apertures.
[1] reported as usable from 14/15mm onwards, below flare/noise, in own test works fine with 400D and f4 - f5.6
[2] This is also reported to have a hotspot.
[3] usable up to f/8.
[4] may produce hotspots.
[5] 17mm sample has Tungsten WB. The lens will produce flare reflections against strong lights (also in normal light).
† tested myself using Canon 400D.

Lenses with hot spots, not suitable for infrared photography

Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Canon EF 20mm f/2.8
Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5
Canon EF 28-70mm f/2.8 L
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5
Canon EF 35mm f/2
Canon EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4
Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 [4]
Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-f/5.6
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L [10]

Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50 mm f/1.4 (for Contax)
Nikon 12-24mm f/4.0 G IF-ED AF-S DX
Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-S G ED DX
Nikon 24mm f/2.8 non-AI, AI, AIS
Nikon 28mm f/2 AI, hotspot on D70, ok on Fuji S3 Pro UVIR
Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AIS
Nikon 35mm f/1.4 AIS
Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8 D

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX
Sigma 18-200mm [11]
Sigma 30mm f/1.4
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 [10]
Sigma 70-300mm DG (non-APO)
Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4.0 SP AF Di
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 SP AF XR Di
Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 AF XR (IF) Di-II
Tamron 19-35mm
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
Tamron 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 AF LD macro
Tokina 12-24mm f/4.0

[10] reported as "may produce hotspots".
[11] reported as fine at 18 and fine at 200, but flare in between.